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.

Thursday, 10 January 2013

What a Privilege!

Imagine what it is like to travel about 10,000 kilometres to meet people who are mostly strangers, live in community in a home in a street in the back of a foreign city, and then spend your days working with translators while you teach teachers.

That is one way of describing this week of privilege that I have had as part of the teaching team here in Kathmandu at the Educate Nepal conference.

The other way of describing this is that it is a sweet experience of unity and fellowship in Christ.  It is inspiring to see what brothers and sisters in Christ are achieving and hoping for in the face of adversity and with so little (compared to back home in Australia).  It is transforming in the way it renews hearts and minds as we consider and learn together about the impact of God's grace on our lives - both personally, corporately, and professionally.

So I give great thanks to God for the opportunity for this privilege.  May God continue to bless those who work so faithfully in organising these opportunities - especially 'Papa Grahame and Mamma Robyn'!

Shalom,

Stephen J Fyson PhD
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