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.

Tuesday, 20 January 2015

Tuesday 20 January. Hallelujah. I see the light.

After another 26 hours without power, the lights have just come on at 6pm.  It is amazing how much we take  for granted at home.  I won't get too excited. Yesterday, the power made a very brief appearance, and then was off again.  At least we have a chance to pump up some water into the roof tank.  Well the bundh (proper spelling) was an uneventful affair in our area.  No traffic, except for the odd brave motorcyclist who took the risk.  It was completely weird crossing the road.  Usually, it is the quick and the dead, but we could meander across without being flattened.  There are shortages of fuel and gas in Nepal.  As there is a glut of fuel on the world market, we find that amazing.  However, whatever the reason, there are long lines of bikes and cars lined up for hours for fuel.  Our van driver had to wait for five hours to fill up.  Also, along the street, there are long queues of forlorn people sitting on their gas bottles for hours hoping to get their supply.  Without electricity and gas, it is so hard for people to do anything.  As the generators also run on fuel, it makes living very difficult.
OH!  Boy,    There it goes again.  15 minutes this time.   It has been a quiet day, as nothing  can happen during bundh.   Grahame has worked on his computer all day, and I did some cleaning, and watched a few Francis Chan message on YouTube.  Tomorrow, the doll making starts again.  Hope I can get some pics.  Also I am interviewing the new women to hear their stories.
Robyn

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