Desperate Girls

The Badi Girls

Between 7,000 and 12,000 young girls, aged 9-16, are trafficked each year from Nepal; mainly to India. According to Nepal Monitor/On line journal, 2007, there are more than 200,000 Nepali girls in Indian brothels.

The Dalits(untouchables) are the lowest level in Hindu society, and the Badi community, in Western Nepal, are the lowest of the low. As a displaced hungry people group the Badi community has made sexual subservience a way of life. Young girls from this group “serve” other groups. This has become a tradition and means of livelihood. Many girls, even when they are unwilling, are forced to serve as sex slaves. Family members knowingly sell their daughters to traffickers.

Though prostitution is illegal in Nepal, the industry reportedly has links with highly ranked officials and political leaders. Large groups of girls are taken across the border with many police and government officials being in collusion with traffickers and brothel owners.

Traffickers and related criminals are often protected by political parties, and if arrested, are freed using political power. As a result, there is an underlying distrust of police that has led people not to file cases against traffickers.

Domestic action involves activities of NGO’s and other volunteer groups. These groups are playing a major role to address girl-trafficking and sex slaves issues. Some NGO’s are playing a very important role to improve the situation. From creating social awareness to rescuing and rehabilitation, they are providing services (and relief) to those that need it the most – the likely victims as well as the rescued ones. The Lighthouse foundation is one of these.

*See Chandra Kala’s story on this blog site.

Monday, 26 March 2012

In house training.


.  Today, Margo had in house training with some of the teachers, from 11a.m. to 3 p.m.  They are all so lovely and Lalima is going from strength to strength as Principal.  It was my responsibility for lunch and they have such amazing appetites.  I have never seen such slim little women consume huge amounts of rice.  I have learned to cook dahl which was appreciated by all.  Grahame and Agnes met with the district Inspector of Schools.  One of the principals we want to instill in the school is the sense of community and it is so great for us here on the team to operate like that.  At the end of the day, we have all worked together with different gifts to get the task accomplished.  We had dinner at the Garden of Dreams tonight, and did some shopping at Tamil.

Robyn
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