थकनी मेहता

बर्जु १ की ५२ बर्षीय थकनी मेहता सानै उमेरदेखि नै आफ्नो समुदायमा व्याप्त लैङ्गिक असमानता र महिला हिंसाका बारेमा सधै सचेत थिइन् । पितृसत्ताको समाजमा अशिक्षित जवान महिला भएकीले तिनले अक्सर कुनै कुरा बताइनन्। पछि मात्रै सामाजिक सक्रियतामा लाग्न थालेपछि उनले बोल्न र आफ्नो आवाज उठाउन साहस पाइन् । सन् २०१५ मा थकनी र उनको संगठन नवज्योति महिला सङ्घले सन् २०१५ मा सफलतापूर्वक तयार पारिएको बोक्सीप्रथासँग सम्बन्धित हिंसा विरुद्धको विधेयक पारित गर्न राष्ट्रिय सरकारलाई दबाब दिएको थियो । कट्टरपन्थी प्रथा, लैङ्गिक आधारित हिंसा र बाल दुव्र्यवहारविरुद्ध थकनीले गरेको कडा प्रतिवद्धताले स्थानीय सरकार र समुदायबाट धेरै घृणा र अवरोध उत्पन्न भएको छ । उनी  आफ्नो बलियो आत्मविश्वास र काम गर्ने आचारसंहिताले नै उनलाई अघि बढ्न मदत गरेको विश्वास गर्छिन्।

From a very young age, Thakani Mehta, 52, from Barju 1, Sunsari was always aware of gender inequalities and female violence prevalent in her community. Being a young uneducated female in a patriarchal society she often left things unsaid. It was only later as she started engaging herself with social activism that she found courage to speak out and use her voice.

In 2015, Thakani and her organization Navajyoti Women Federation pressured national government to pass a bill against violence related to witchcraft, which was successfully drafted in 2015. Thakani’s strong resistance against conservative practices, gender based violence and child abuse has garnered a lot of hate and hurdles from local government and community. She believes it is her robust self-belief and work ethics that has helped her keep moving.