Gilesh preparing the morning meal

Gilesh, as with many other women in the country are pleading for the government to change the subsidy restriction for single women over sixty years to all single women.  Women over sixty years old generally have property and other assets accumulated over time, making the monthly 500 rupees not as valuable as it could to other younger women.

When asked about having hope with the slowly emerging “New Nepal,” Gilesh responded unfortunately with little optimism.  She has traveled around to many different districts and visited government offices with no support.  There is some encouragement however, the Nepali Congress has given their support in the single woman issue, and so far they have helped mediate conflicts between family members. The political party can push this issue ahead onto a larger and more immediate level.

Gilesh is not alone in her battle, Shila, her sister is also a single woman who lost her husband seven years ago from high blood pressure.  She also had a baby when he passed away.  Shila was able to endure through the help of her sister and today both sell rice together and live close by. They both agree they never want to remarry again.

I admire their strength to speak out, even though Gilesh admitted how difficult it is to retell her story she understands the importance of changing people’s perceptions.  She requests her story be told so people can learn about the great injustice single women face in her country.

The government subsidies will not only help the well-being of women like Gilesh and Shila but also for the future of their children’s lives.  Even though their children go to the government funded schools, they are still burdened by the cost of exam fees.  The discrimination that is placed upon single women is affecting their entire families.

It is time for Nepali society to change it’s perceptions of single women and I believe the only way to break the injustice is for women like Gilesh and Shila to speak out.  Education, at an early age should emphasize the importance of strong, independent woman thinkers so that girls grow up with a new image, a woman who can strive to excel even without a man.

Sadly, my powerbook plug has decided to die in Nepal.  It’s currently being worked on in the market of Gaighat.  A good thing because I might have started a fire at the NESPEC office if I had kept on using it.  If only there was a mac store near by…

Most of my pictures and video are on my computer including pictures for this blog.  Please excuse the lack of visuals while I wait for my plug and hope I don’t need to buy a new computer. 

Yesterday morning while getting ready to step out the door to take my short walk to NESPEC my host family, Sova and Ram Basnet invited me to the local National Congress Party Office in Gaighat.  Throughout the summer I have attended the democratic political party meetings where people discuss current issues locally and nationally as well as mediate conflicts that may come arise with one another. 

 I have enjoyed the meetings to witness how active people are in Gaighat, especially seeing Ram and Sova take part in the democracy they strive for.  It’s a gathering place where all different castes are represented, can come together and relate to one another through their shared admiration of the Democratic Party.    

It was BP Koirala’s 95^th birthday anniversary, a revolutionary leader who helped create the National Congress Party. He was tragically imprisoned many times for the sake of freedom for Nepalis. In 1959, in Nepal’s first try at ‘democrcacy’ was when he was elected to prime minister only to be jailed two years later for angering the King, Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah and the traditional elite.  He was known to have socialist ways by the royalty; took away elite tax exempt land, opened schools, built drinking water, started phone lines, introduced international flights and radio communication.

Since there are not enough hours in the day to understand the political history of this country I am reading the book, “Forget Kathmandu” by Manjushree Thapa to help me understand how the current situation got to be where it is today.  I recommend it highly for a personal account of the quest for true 21^st century democracy.

That struggle for democracy was in the forefront in my mind after attending the Nepali Congress and many questions come to mind almost on a daily basis about the political situation while talking to Nepalis.  The citizens want equality and freedom yet the political parties see it much different and only for themselves.  What exactly does democracy mean in a country like Nepal?    

“Democracy does not exist here and I don’t know if it will ever,” words spoken by Gilash Bati Chaudhary. While at the crowded meeting trying to understand the few words I could, I met the chairperson of the single women group in Gaighat.  The group is called Single Women Struggle Committee and represents single women in the Udayapur district. 

Gilash Bati Chaudhary, a young woman whom I felt at ease with right away is speaking out against the inequalities single women face through her own story.  She no longer is scared to talk about her own story, realizing that she must overcome her own tragedies to fight the injustice single women face in Nepal.  16 years ago her husband was killed while working at a mill, with only her baby daughter a few days old she was left with very little.  Property rights to her house and land were disputed for many years with her father in law, worried that she would start a new life somewhere else without her two children.  The fighting ended communication with her husband’s family.  Soon after her husband’s death she started cooking in homes until she earned enough money to sell rice herself. 

For the past 16 years Gilash has had to face immense discrimination with being a widow.  She has decided to wear a red sari while I was speaking with her in defense of how she cannot wear one without being ridiculed. (Red saris are only for married women Nepali culture dictates, along with tikas). Neighbors tease her relentlessly about not having a husband and one man has even propositioned her to marry and promise to split the government dowry, the appalling 50,000 rupees that will be given to men who marry single women.

Monthly Staff meeting

In the village of Hardiya, about a 45 minute motorbike ride (I measure everything in bike rides), there are over 7,000 people affected by health problems, about 150 have become seriously ill and have had to seek treatment.  Luckily the goverment has intervened and helped with the medical costs.  During this time of year, the monsoon season is when people become the most sick with gastric problems and other ailments.

The heavy rains affect the cultivation season and most apparent to my eyes is the garbage strewn about.  After a lot of rain the streets look like rivers with plastic bags and candy wrappers and everything in between swimming around.  It is part of Nepal’s culture to dispose of anything out the window and one of the largest cultural differences to adjust to. Kathmandu is being labeled as one of the dirtiest cities in the world, some even saying it is the worst. Something needs to be done as even the family I am living with mentions how they are disgusted about how little land they can use for planting because trash is eroding their land.  Perhaps residents of Gaighat can bring their weekly trash to the trash pickup in town I suggested.

One of the major accomplishments in the past month at NESPEC reported by Basanti Rai, an activist in the Siddhipur village district is the increase in farmer’s pay.  Women’s farming salaries have increased to 125 rupees per day ($1.62) from 70 rupees.  Likewise, male famers’s salaries have increased from 100 to 150 rupees daily.  The weekly reflect meetings in the village worked on improving economic stability after the villagers spoke up about how much is needed for their families. The Reflect facilitator met with the labor group and threatened that famers would stop working if the pay was not improved.  They listened since cultivation is essential during the monsoon season and farmers in Siddhipur now have a better living wage thanks to the Reflect group.

Reflect meetings are small weekly gatherings in the surrounding villages that NESPEC has started with their social moblizers facilitating. The purpose is to discuss any issues that are affecting them so that they can take power in making social change. I attended the reflect meeting in the village of Jogidaha with Bijuli Sada, the local social activist and Ram Chaurdray, project coordinator.

It was a small group huddled closely, some not present due to work and some even afraid to attend because of a bad situation with an activist several years ago. Ram Chaurdray and I were not even sure if we could attend because of a strike occurring the same day.

Six different ethnic groups were protesting their rights and representation, shutting down all schools and businesses in Gaighat. The Tharu caste is demanding representation and more rights. The day after the strike, the president, an ex-Maoist leader called a conference in Gaighat. He is threatening an armed political movement with other ethnic groups and possibly forming a parallel government since the current political parties will not work with him. I am sure much more news will come. These demands all seem outragely complex in a country where the government does not take into account it’s ethnic differences.

The agenda for the Reflect meeting was about socio economic support among the community. The members in the community meeting are of the Dalit caste, living in 18 houses of the Jogidaha district, Ward 6. The issue of single women government subsidies was brought up with many to discuss the issue on widows. There are eight women over sixty years old whom are widows; seven receive the monthly subsidy because one does not have citizenship. Migration papers were lost when settling in the present area.

Claiming birthrights and obtaining paperwork for citizenship is a major challenge in Nepal. Many remote villages do not understand the importance of establishing citizenship at birth or over the years people lose track of their documents, missing out on much needed money from the government. I began to wonder exactly how many are not accounted for because of lost papers the government will not replace. It is unknown exactly how many people in Jogidaha do not have citizenship. To replace migration papers and issue a new citizenship card is simply way too complicated in the local government offices. I believe its another way the government can save money is by not claiming citizenship or not educating people on its importance, an issue I want to explore much farther.

The central issue at the Reflect meeting involved corruption at the local school, Shree Janta Higher Secondary. The government gives scholarships to all Dalit children, a new law that was approved this past year for children in class 1-10. Children in classes 1-5 are not receiving the scholarships (350 rupees per year) and are often not giving the correct amount for families that have more than one child.

Also, this system does not allow children to excel into class 10 or beyond because of the high exam fees that the Dalit caste cannot afford. “Why should I send my children to school when we are so poor?” one woman asked desperately. The school issue only adds to the great discrimination that the untouchable Dalit caste face. Bijuli-ji, the social activist will help in gathering students’ names that have not received scholarships and will attend along with the parents to the management school board committee.

Reflect Meeting

Shoeha Dahal

A new organization in Gaighat, Agency for Community Development and Change (ACDC) is pioneering a single women’s project in the Udayapur district.  Unfortunately, this district is known as one of the worst areas in the country regarding inequalities of women.

The major objective is to empower single women to speak out for themselves and their families.  Shoeha has used her own life positively by becoming an activist with ACDC.  They have formed 23 women’s groups throughout the area to help single women in skill building, (learning how to sew to building chairs) education and aid in school fees by creating a loan system.

Shoeha’s plea is to change society’s overall perception of single women.  The biggest problem is economic due to the lack of job training and skills.  Interest free loans and free education for children and parents of single women are greatly needed Shoeha proclaims.  Also, the knowledge of law in Gaighat is limited and assistance is needed with land rights, economic stability and conflict among families is common.  

The government only gives monthly subsidies to single women over 60 years old.  Shoeha, ACDC and NESPEC hope to change this law for all single women and also establish other government incentives.  In addition, Shoeha hopes to create a similar discount system to that of India’s government, where single women receive a discount card for food and transportation.  Such a subsidy system in Nepal would benefit women’s daily lives as well as their futures economically.

Mamta Thakuri

NESPEC is trying to change people’s views, both men and women on gender equality.  You cannot only advocate for the woman, yet must also encourage men to understand how he is bringing harm onto his wife and family.

Single women in the district have written a letter to the chief officer of the Udayapur district on the new widow law and have been told it’s looking very promising for change. In addition, Mamta and NESPEC are supporting another group of women in the forum that want to change a law that only gives payments to single women who are over sixty years old.  Currently, single women over sixty years old receive 500 rupees per month ($6.50 American) from the government.  Mamta and the single women she is working with are demanding that all single women, no matter their age to receive payments from the government.  This way they can use the money towards job training, education and healthcare, which could take them out of the hopeless despair they often find themselves in.

I have spoken to many women in Gaighat and I presume its even worse in more remote areas.  Women are completely dependent on their husbands for income and general wellbeing.  Often, men are working in other countries for years without seeing their families because of the lack of industry here, leaving the wife at home taking care of the household. Women are slowly taking ownership of their own lives by realizing they can speak out and make a difference. 

Over the past three years Mamta has witnessed a great number of women sharing their experiences, recognizing they have a voice and a story to be told and eventually demanding for change.  Mamta and NESPEC do not have the support they desire in their campaign.  There is a disconnection between the police, (often making bribes to keep abuse hidden) courts and society overall with campaigning for women’s rights.  There is a long road ahead to change people’s attitudes about women in Nepal, with people like Mamta Thakuri encouraging change I have hope perceptions can be transformed.

In a previous blog I mentioned how there is a new law that was established in July by the Parliament providing a dowry to any men who would marry women.  The men would receive 50,000 rupees ($650) by marrying women who have lost their husbands, many killed by the Maoist conflict.  In recent weeks women’s rights groups have become outraged and are demanding the center-left coalition that announced the law to revoke it immediately.  Hundreds of women marched through the streets of Kathmandu last week to the prime minister’s office chanting, “We don’t want your government dowries.”  Police stopped the courageous women unfortunately and luckily there was no violence. 

I am infuriated by this law, not only does it cross many human rights abuses, yet also raises questions about how the government is spending it’s money.  Shouldn’t this money be going towards women for the poor health care system (reproductive healthcare in Nepal is very poor) job training and education?  Also, wouldn’t the men marry only for the money and then take off and run with it?  Unraveling the patriarchal worldview that women have held for lifetimes will take years and lifetimes to break. Not only do women need to understand their rights but also the government needs to change its gender based discrimination, which sadly will probably take much longer for change. It’s a human right for single women to live the way she chooses, a problem across the globe even in the most developed countries.  

A nation wide movement needs to be formed and I hope in the next few weeks I have left I can motivate women in NESPEC’s women’s forums groups to take action. Many rural women do not know of the changing policies and certainly the more that are informed, the increasing chances they will want to become more involved.

This afternoon I experienced my first up close encounter of a strike in Gaighat.  It’s astonishing looking back before arriving in Nepal what I pictured a strike to be. My mind automatically pictured a violent scene with fires and massive, angry crowds.  Indeed, those types of strikes have occurred and very well might continue into the future (I certainly hope not). I think my brain has been shaped too heavily by the media and easily made assumptions before taking a few steps in this country.  I am very happy to report that the strikes (bandhas in Nepali) have diminis

Tractor pile up

At its most simplified form, strikes are a group of people who disagree on something and desire change.  Citizens in Nepal are so comfortable with protesting that its a completely familiar and a feasible action to take.  Don’t agree; let’s stop what we are doing in our jobs until those in charge take notice.  There is even a website that reports all bandhas across the country.  I couldn’t imagine checking a website to see if buses are running in order to get to my home. 

As I took pictures from a distance I couldn’t help but think how many peoples lives are affected this very moment, by these tractor workers.  The strike only existed for a few hours, not the days or weeks that some last for and most often absolutely everything is closed down, putting life at a standstill.  The bandhas work in Nepal for the citizens voice to be heard. It’s a double- edged sword because society has to suffer.  I don’t see bandhas ending anytime soon as every strike that is successful only entices another one to start, creating a vicious cycle. A cycle that needs to find another means for change I believe.

 Standing up for what you believe in and demanding change is very admirable still to me. The little man winning over the big corporation is implanted in my thoughts as I begin to relate strikes to those I know of in the U.S.  Why can’t people take more action at home?  We do have strikes where unions defy wages and other job benefits, however they seem to be limited. Perhaps there aren’t many protests because of fear and our capitalistic system keeping us “locked” down to keep us diligently working.   

Today the strike involved tractor workers whom were protesting a tax that they must pay twice, going in and out of the market of Gaighat.  If collecting stones near the river for building, a tax is required when dropping off and then when leaving.  The workers are demanding one tax payment.  Buses, motorcycles and cars were stuck behind the tractors, stopped to a halt because of unhappy tractor workers.  Luckily, it only lasted for a short period. The stunt worked successfully, (after two previous strikes in weeks before though) local political parties have agreed to meet to discuss the tax.  Let’s hope the meeting will go well so a fourth strike will not occur.

View of Gaighat from the Shiva Temple

The majority of people in the Udayapur district are Hindu, a religion that I was not very familiar about before coming here and still have much to learn.  Not understanding what is going on around me due to the language barrier while attending many of the religious festivals here hinders my experience for sure.  Although I still feel an undeniable spiritual presence in Nepal where I haven’t felt anywhere else.  I can’t put it into words and maybe it’s because it’s so woven into people’s lives here where it has been entangled into my own as well.  I often wonder if I would understand more if my own religious faith were deeper before coming here and if I was devoted to one growing up. 

I have always wanted to question what religion means to me and think my own beliefs should evolve along with my experiences in life.  I have always wanted to explore new faiths and understand different paths to God.  Nepal has certainly awakened my spiritual quest which I hope never dies. 

While in Kathmandu I wanted to learn what was happening in the rest of the world so I picked up the mainstream American magazine, Newsweek. ” 21 surprising things you need to know right now” caught my attention while I was in a daze at the bookstore.  Inside, there is an article, “We are all Hindus Now” that is very relevant to the world I am living in relating back to America’s changing religious values.  76 percent of Americans identify themselves as Christians, which is the lowest figure in history.  There are over a million Hindus in the U.S, more than a billion in the world.  The article points out that the rest of Americans are beginning to think like Hindus.    

“The Truth is One, but the sages speak of it by many names,” from the Rig Veda, the ancient Hindu scripture.  There are many ways to reach God Hindus believe, completely opposite in how the majority of Christian Americans are taught, that the only way is through Jesus.  The number of Americans who call themselves spiritual, not religious has increased to thirty percent also according to the Newsweek piece.

My host family took me to a ceremony this morning celebrating the life of their friend’s grandfather.  The issue of how Hindus consider death arose and surprised me a little by the large celebration.  I figured once a person dies they are reincarnated and that’s the end.   Hindu’s believe that at the time of death the body burns while the spirit escapes  and returns back to earth many times through different bodies.    I am happy to read that American’s religious views are evolving from a literal translation to what can happen in the afterlife to an attitude which values other paths to God as well.  There is great danger I believe in trapping yourself in a bubble in believing there is only one path.

Politically, religion is of course in the forefront of issues.  It will be at turning point in the next few years with how the “New Nepal” will have religion in it’s democracy.  The recent UN Human development report insists that a strong nation state is essential in building peace.  The country is rebuilding based upon secularism, an ideology that took over a nation that was ruled by religion.  Hinduism surely is the ruling religion in Nepal, often causing great discrimination.  Those in power must acknowledge the major differences between social groups here;  religions, ethnicities and castes.  It  is essential in the future for peace.  The laws being written in the new constitution should be in every respect through inclusion and participation of all groups. 

This is where NGO’s like NESPEC step in to pressure local governments, ideally by empowering people  from marginalized groups.  It is very encouraging that civil society is strong here and that young people  are very involved in helping those less fortunate.  Rural women who have never been educated in the hill side now know that their rights will be changed.  The future can only tell what will happen and I will be watching no matter where I am.

Lord Shiva Temple

More dancing in the streets

I just arrived back into the comfort of my home in Gaighat after spending a few days in Kathmandu visiting with friends and enjoying a little bit of the western way of life in the fast paced city. The first taste of my host mother’s Dahl Baht with a vegetable I have never had before, Capsicum was a bit of a homecoming.  The food tasted so much heartier than the restaurant versions of spaghetti or eastern style pizza.  It is time to settle in quickly back to life in Gaighat as I only have a short period left here at NESPEC and much work to be done.

My return was well planned and much anticipated because of the festival of women this past weekend called Teej.  This morning I got a knock on my door saying to look outside where there were a crowd of women dressed in red saris, gold jewelry looking absolutely stunning.  They were signing and dancing down the street lighting up the road in bright red and gold.  My first glimpse of women celebrating left me speechless.  I suddenly wanted to jump in and be part of the fun but then realized I did not have the appropriate dress and also it was a festival for married women.  Come to find out all women celebrate once they hit puberty. 

Teej is a three-day festival involving rigid fasting as well as huge feasts.  It is a celebration of women going back to the tradition of the wife of Lord Shiva.  Before she was married, Goddness Parbati fasted and prayed for Lord Shiva to become her husband.  Lord Shiva married her, resulting in Goddness Parbati announcing all women should follow the strict rituals she followed.  All married women take part in this ritual to pray for Lord Shiva and a long healthy life of their husband along with unmarried women whom pray for a good husband.

After spending most of the morning in the office making plans for the next month Ajaya-ji decided it was time to go to experience Teej.  And what an afternoon it was.  There were women everywhere in the streets of Gaighat holding hands, laughing and enjoying the unity.  The energy was filled with such excitement and was the pure definition of sisterhood.

Women in front of my house celbrating Teej

Women generally do not do any work inside or outside of the house while celebrating Teej. Tradition holds that when breaking the fast the husbands give the first bite of food and even women drink the foot water that is used by the man. I didn’t see any of this and don’t think the women that I was with would partake in these rituals.

I was asked if we have anything like Teej  in the United States and all I could think of was Mother’s Day.  If only mother’s day could be turned into a dancing, signing celebration that interrupted street traffic which let women let loose in their most honored clothes.  I stood thinking about the close sisterhood in Nepal and how we desperately need more of it in the western world.    

I was pulled into the crowds to start dancing by fellow NESPEC workers.  It was a whirlwind of trying to follow all the movements.  Once I got one sequence down another woman would pull me aside to start another.  I don’t think they have seen someone so confused and overjoyed at the same time dancing.  A large circle formed around me and suddenly I had to show them my moves.  No doubt Gaighat was talking about the foreigner in town that night who was trying so hard to dance like a Nepali. 

Gaighat in Teej Celebration

next time I must wear a red sari