Every year, International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide on March 8th. Today, the 115th International Women’s Day is being celebrated globally with the slogan “For All Women and Girls: Right, Equality and Empowerment.” This year’s slogan highlights issues of women’s rights, gender equality, and women’s empowerment. In particular, this day showcases the women’s movement, the struggles, and history of women at the international level to ensure their economic, social, and political rights.
In New York, USA, garment worker women took to the streets to demand their rights, including equal wages, fair working hours, and the right to vote. About 15,000 women participated in this protest. During this rebellion, a fire broke out in a New York garment factory on March 25th, resulting in the deaths of over 140 women workers. This tragic event further portrayed women as helpless and vulnerable in the social view of that time. However, women continued their movement for their rights even during this crisis. This inspiration and background made the international women’s movement stronger and more significant worldwide.
The struggle for equality, social justice, freedom, and rights by women during the 18th-century industrialization became the foundation of the international women’s movement. Consequently, International Women’s Day began to be celebrated in the early 1900s (Rao 1900: 102). Later, in 1910, Clara Zetkin proposed celebrating International Women’s Day at the Socialist International Women’s Conference in Copenhagen. In 1977, the United Nations gave it formal recognition, leading to its global celebration.
The situation of Asian women, especially those in South Asia, is somewhat different. They are extremely backward due to social and cultural discrimination. The Manusmriti, issued during the reign of Brahmin King Pushyamitra Shunga in 185 BC, outlined the roles of women. The Manusmriti was the law of the time. Manu even compared women to inanimate objects. The verses of the Manusmriti show that women and Shudra women were deprived of many things. For Shudra women, the Manusmriti was a harsh law. In Nepal, although women were restricted from participating in various activities after the Rana regime began, some women fought against discrimination. In 1920 BS, Chandra Shamsher legally abolished the Sati practice, but women remained backward in religious, cultural, political, and educational aspects. In 1917 BS, Yog Maya Devi and Divya Koirala established the Nari Jagriti Sangh (Women’s Committee) to raise awareness among women (Upadhyay 2054, 108). In 1974 BS, the efforts of Laxmi Tuladhar, Siddhi Laxmi, Asht Kumari, Chanchaladevi, and others in Kathmandu to raise public awareness against the Rana regime are considered significant. In 1998 BS, Yogmaya, along with 65 of her followers, committed suicide by taking Jal Samadhi in the Arun River as a warning to the government.
In 1993 BS, Chandra Kanta Malla raised the voice for women’s education and the opening of schools, and Kamaksha Devi and Dilhari Shrestha started teaching women in Banepa. In 2003 BS, women workers in Biratnagar launched a movement demanding equal pay for equal work, equal rights, special facilities for maternity, education, health, and security. In Kathmandu, in the same year, Revant Devi Acharya and Kamala established the “Adarsh Mahila Sangh” to end child marriage and polygamy. Similarly, in 2004 BS, Mangala Devi, Sadhana Pradhan, Snehalata, and others formed the “Nepal Mahila Sangh” in Mhaip, Kathmandu (Pradhan 2047: 107). As a result of the Nepali women’s movement, the 2004 BS Constitutional Law granted the right to vote and run as candidates in elections. The Interim Government Act of 2007 also mentioned women’s rights in writing. The 2019 BS Constitution of Nepal was enacted, and a provision was made for women’s organizations to participate as an entity. In 2020 BS, the amended Civil Code was announced, and the then Panchayat government declared the celebration of International Women’s Year in 2032 BS. Since then, Nepal has been celebrating Women’s Day.
The National Gender Equality Policy 2077 BS and the Constitution of Nepal issued in 2072 BS have laid the foundation for building a non-discriminatory, prosperous, and just society according to the principle of proportional inclusion and participation. There will be no discrimination in remuneration and social security based on gender for equal work. Women will have equal ancestral rights without gender discrimination, and all children will have equal rights in parental property without gender discrimination. Article 38 of the Constitution, under Women’s Rights, states that no physical, mental, sexual, psychological, or any other form of violence or exploitation will be committed against women based on religious, social, cultural traditions, practices, or any other grounds. Such acts will be punishable by law, and the victim will have the right to compensation as per the law. Additionally, Article 252 establishes the National Women’s Commission as a constitutional body. Although past efforts for gender equality have brought some positive changes in women’s education, health, property ownership, and labor participation, women’s political and economic roles and participation are still limited. Violence, discrimination, inequality, harmful practices, and social evils against women, children, and gender and sexual minorities persist.
Domestic violence, human trafficking, trafficking in the name of foreign employment, and gender-based violence against women and girls are major problems in this area. Harmful practices in the name of religion and tradition, such as accusations of witchcraft and beatings, Chhaupadi, child marriage, polygamy, dowry, and physical and mental violence against women, girls, and children, continue. Physical and mental violence against gender and sexual minorities persists. The inability to change gender roles due to social values, relationships, and thinking, low male participation in women’s development, lack of women’s economic empowerment, failure to link women’s domestic work with economic aspects, discrimination between men and women in the labor market, and lack of disaggregated data on women, children, and gender and sexual minorities are some of the problems in this area. Therefore, there is a need for social participation and transformation with equality by eliminating various forms of discrimination and gender-based violence.
The most marginalized community in Nepal in social, economic, religious, and political fields is the Dalit community. The Constitution of Nepal states that no person shall be subjected to any form of untouchability and caste-based discrimination based on caste, lineage, community, or occupation, and such discriminatory behavior shall be punishable, and the victim shall be entitled to compensation as prescribed by law. However, no law has been enacted to implement this constitutional provision. Dalits are the most victimized in caste-based discrimination incidents. Dalit women are even more victimized. In the 21st century, Dalit women are facing triple exploitation based on gender and caste. First, because they are women, second, because they are Dalits, and third, because they are Dalit women. Dalit women have been socially and culturally oppressed, economically inaccessible, deprived of education, with low access and representation in policy-making levels, and deprived of services and facilities for centuries. The problems and compulsions of Dalit women living in different regions vary with Nepal’s geographical diversity.
According to a study conducted by GASAS FEDO in 2081 BS, the total number of Dalit women victims of violence is 11.54 percent in Nepal Police records. The number of Dalit girl victims of violence is 19.44 percent. Among the incidents recorded by the National Women’s Commission, 11.34 percent are related to Dalit women. According to OREC Nepal’s records, the number of Dalit women victims of violence is 27 percent. INSEC’s records also show that Dalits are the second most victimized women, with Dalit women accounting for 22.58 percent.
The severe form of discrimination and oppression against Dalits and Dalit women can be seen in inter-caste marriages. On one hand, inter-caste marriages are increasing, and on the other hand, the series of suffering and violence experienced by Dalits is also increasing. A Dalit girl with a home in Kathmandu married a Tamang non-Dalit boy while studying in college. After marriage, the boy’s family evicted them from the village, saying they had married a Dalit girl. They returned to Kathmandu and had a son two years later. Now, after five years, the Tamang boy has disappeared, and no relatives from either side are helping her. She works in a hotel to support herself and her son. Another incident involved a 15-year-old Thakuri youth in Surkhet district who lured a girl with a promise of marriage and kept her in a rented room for two months. Later, the boy’s family beat the girl, and her whereabouts are unknown. Similarly, in Kaski district, a Vishwakarma girl married a Kumal boy in a love marriage, but she committed suicide six months after marriage due to extreme torture by family members and social neglect. Rinku Kumari Sada was gang-raped and f02ound dead hanging in her house a few days later. Another incident involved a 22-year-old Dalit woman in Morang who was gang-raped while going to the toilet. Recently, in Kavre district, 57-year-old Masali Sarki was beaten by Vijay Tamang in a dispute over splashing water in a tea shop. She is currently undergoing treatment at Dhulikhel Hospital. These are just a few examples; many incidents go unreported in newspapers and social media. We can easily imagine how many more such incidents are being experienced by Dalit individuals, Dalit women and children, and women with disabilities. These incidents have had short-term and long-term impacts on various aspects of Dalit women’s lives. In particular, it is time to seriously consider the long-term impacts on their personal, social, economic, health, legal, and children’s lives.
In summary, Dalit women experience all the violence faced by other women, but they also face unique forms of violence that other women do not. Dalit women are oppressed by multiple factors, including caste, patriarchy, class, and geography. International Women’s Day is a crucial opportunity for women’s rights, gender equality, and women’s empowerment, providing inspiration to remember the history of the women’s movement and take new steps. Past struggles, legal achievements, and social change efforts continue to strive to end discrimination, violence, and exploitation against women, especially Dalit women, girls, and gender and sexual minorities.
Although Nepal’s constitution and national policies are moving towards ensuring gender equality, women’s participation and rights in social, economic, and political spheres remain limited in practice. Dalit women, in particular, are victims of double and triple discrimination at all levels. Challenges persist regarding inter-caste marriage, property rights, access to education, employment opportunities, and protection against violence. The mental trauma experienced by Dalit women has led to psychological problems, and physical assaults have resulted in disabilities. Many Dalit women in inter-caste marriages are deprived of ancestral property and inheritance. Due to financial constraints, many victims of violence settle for compromises during legal battles and do not receive justice.
Ultimately, sustainable changes in societal attitudes, legal implementation, and policy-making are necessary. Collaboration between the state, civil society, and communities is essential to eliminate discrimination, violence, and inequality against women and Dalit communities, and to build an equitable, just, and equal opportunity society. Ensuring Dalit women’s education through scholarships and incentive programs, promoting skill development programs to create employment opportunities, implementing policies to increase Dalit women’s political participation, enforcing strict laws against violence and discrimination, and conducting awareness campaigns to develop positive attitudes in society are crucial. Without women’s empowerment, gender equality, and justice, prosperity and sustainable development are impossible. Therefore, we all need to be more active in advocating for women’s rights and equality.
References:
Constitution of Nepal. (2072 BS). Government of Nepal.
GASAS FEDO. (2081 BS). Report on Violence Against Dalit Women.
INSEC. (2081 BS). Human Rights Yearbook.
National Gender Equality Policy. (2077 BS). Government of Nepal.
OREC Nepal. (2081 BS). Violence Against Dalit Women: A Statistical Analysis.
Pradhan, G. (2047 BS). History of Women’s Movements in Nepal. Kathmandu: Sajha Prakashan.
Rao, V. (1900). The Origins of International Women’s Day. New York: Socialist Press.
Upadhyay, D. (2054 BS). Nari Jagriti Sangh and Women’s Movements. Kathmandu: Ratna Pustak Bhandar.
