Author: Loom Nepal

रीताकुमारी महतो १४ वर्षकी हुँदा र कक्षा ७ मा अध्ययनरत गर्ने क्रम मा उनका आमाबुबाले विवाह गर्ने निर्णय गरेका थिए । महिनावारी सुरु हुनुअघि नै छोरी मान्छेलाइ  बिवाह गरेर पठाउने चलन थियो  । यति सानो उमेरमा बिहे गरेर रिताको जवानी खोसेर लग्यो। अविरल दहेजको नाममा सासू-ससुराबाट घरेलु हिंसा र मानसिक दुव्र्यवहारको शिकार बनिन्। वर्षौंसम्म यो दुर्व्यवहार सहेपछि रीताले भित्रबाट बल प्राप्त गरिन् र आफ्नै समुदायमा यौन हिंसा विरुद्ध आवाज उठाउन थालिन्। अहिले ४२ बर्षिय रितालाई सामाजिक कार्यकर्ताको रुपमा सम्मान गरिएको छ । जन्मस्थल लहान, सिराहामा बालविवाह, यौन हिंसा, दहेज प्रथा र सामाजिक अन्यायविरुद्ध संघर्ष गर्दै आएकी छिन् । समाजमा लोकतान्त्रिक मूल्य मान्यताको संरक्षण गरेकोमा उनलाई एम्नेस्टी इन्टरनेशनलले पनि मान्यता तथा पुरस्कार प्रदान गरेको छ । Rita Kumari Mahato was just 14 years old and studying in grade 7, when her parents decided to get her married. It was such a time when marrying a girl before the start of her menstrual cycle was regarded as a virtue in the society. Having married so young took away Rita’s youth as she became the victim of domestic violence and mental abuse from her in-laws in the name of insufficient dowry. After enduring the abuse for years, Rita garnered strength from within and began raising voice against sexual violence in her own community. Now at 42, Rita is respected as a social activist, fighting against child marriage, sexual violence, dowry system and social injustice in her birthplace Lahan, Siraha. She has also been recognized and awarded Prize Per Anger by Amnesty International for protecting democratic values in society.

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.

Carrying the motto, ‘Action speaks louder than words’, Nibha Singh, 47, advocates for girls’ education and women empowerment. Born and brought up in a community in Bara district, where education for girls was difficult, Nibha was allowed to study, as per the decision of her father, who was a teacher. This step eventually encouraged people from her community to educate their daughters too. Nibha believes that it isn’t just education that make us modern but also the act of identifying the good and the bad side of our culture. With a commitment to eradicate conservative norms and traditions, Nibha is continuously working to learn more and empower other women from her community. She is currently serving as the chairman at Mahila Manav Adhikar Rakshak Sanjal, Bara.

बालबालिकालाई शिक्षा दिनु ठूलो समाजिक परिवर्तनतर्फको सानो पाइला हो र पोखराकी नज्बुन निशा खान यसको जीवन्त उदाहरण हुन् । एक मुस्लिम समुदायको केटी भएकीले नज्बुन र उनका आमाबाबुले उनको शैक्षिक वर्षभरि प्रशस्त प्रतिकूलता प्राप्त गरे, यतिसम्म कि उनकी बहिनीले आफ्नो शिक्षालाई त्याग्नुपर्ने थियो। तथापि, अध्ययन गर्ने आफ्नो निर्णयप्रति कठोर र समर्पित नज्बुनले आफ्नो परिवारको समर्थन पाइरहेकी थिइन्। अहिले, धेरै वर्षपछि त्यही समुदायले उनलाई शिक्षक र कार्यकर्ताको रूपमा सम्मान गर्छ। वडा नं १३, पोखरा, गन्दकी जोनबाट एसएलसी उत्तीर्ण गर्ने पहिलो मुस्लिम महिला नजबुन हुन् । उनी आफ्नो समुदायमा आमा सामूह गठन गर्ने व्यक्ति हुन् जसबाट उनले विद्यालय स्थापना गर्न रकम जुटाएकी थिइन्। उनी १६ वर्षदेखि महिला रक्षामन्त्री संजालमा  कार्यकारी सदस्य भएर काम गर्दै आएकी छिन् । उनले निरन्तर रुपमा महिला अधिकार, महिलामाथि हुने हिंसा, न्यायको अधिकार र समाजको समग्र हितका पक्षमा निरन्तर वकालत गरिरहेकी छिन् । जीवनभरि नै उनले महिला अधिकारको पक्षमा वकालत गरिरहेकी छिन् । Educating a girl is a small step towards huge societal change and Najboon Nisha Khan of Pokhara is a living example of this. Being a girl from a muslim community, Najboon and her parents received plenty of backlash throughout her academic years, so much so that her younger sister had to give up on her education. However, stern and dedicated towards her decision to study, Najboon continued with support from her family. Now, many years later, the same community respects her as an educator and activist. Najboon is the first Muslim women to pass SLC from Ward no 13, Pokhara, Gandaki zone. She is the one to form Ama Samuha in her community through which she raised funds to establish a school. She has been working as the executive member at Mahila Rakshak Sanjaal for 16 years, and is continuously advocating for women rights, violence against women, right to justice and the overall welfare of the community throughout her life.

सपना चौधरीको जन्म २०२४ सालमा बर्दियाको बासगढी नगरपालिकामा भएको थियो । त्यतिबेला तराईमा कमैया प्रथा व्याप्त थियो । यस प्रणालीबाट बन्धनमा बाँधिएकी थारू परिवारबाट आएकी सापनाले आफ्नो बाल्यकालको अधिकांश दिन स्कूल भन्दा खेतमा बिताएकी थिइन्। किशोरावस्थामा उनले आफूलाई तेस्रोलिंगी भएको महसूस गरिन । यसकै कारण उनलाई घरपरिवार साथै समाजबाट पनि बहिस्कार गरियो | २०६३ सालमा सपनाले नेपालगन्जको ब्लु डायमण्ड सोसाइटीमा आवद्ध भएपछि आधारभूत वाक्य पढ्न, लेख्न र कम्प्युटर सञ्चालन गर्न सिकेकी हुन् । त्यसबेलादेखि उनी लिङ्ग र सशक्तिकरणसँग सम्बन्धित वकालतमा सक्रियता पूर्वक संलग्न छिन्। उनी एलजीबीटीक्यूआई, एचआईभी एड्स, यौन तथा शारीरिक स्वास्थ्य र मानव अधिकारको अर्थबारे एलजीबीटीक्यूआई समुदायलाई जानकारी र शिक्षा दिन्छिन्। सपना भन्छिन् “एलजीबीटीक्यूआई विषयहरूको बारेमा मानिसहरूलाई शिक्षित र सचेत गराउन मैले थुप्रै संघहरूसँग काम गर्ने अवसरहरू प्राप्त गरेकोमा म गर्व गर्छु। अहिले म आफ्नै लागि कमाउने भएकोले मेरो परिवारले मलाई मलाई स्वीकारेको छ”, । Sapana Chaudhary was born in Basgadhi municipality, Bardiya in 2034 B.S, at a time when Kamaiya (bonded labour) system was still prevalent in Tarai. Coming from a Tharu family who was bonded by the system, Sapana spent most of her childhood days in the fields rather than a school. During her teenage years, she realized that she identified herself as a third gender, and for this very reason, she was bullied and backlashed from society as well as her father. In 2063 B.S., Sapana learnt to read and write basic sentences and operate a computer after joining Blue Diamond Society in Nepaljung. Since then, she is actively engaged in advocacy related to gender and empowerment. She informs and educates LGBTQI communities on the meaning of being an LGBTQI, HIV AIDS, sexual and physical health, and human rights. “I feel proud that I have been receiving opportunities to work with numerous associations to educate and aware people regarding LGBTQI issues. Now that I also earn for my own living, my family has accepted me as I am”, says Sapana.

वि.सं. २०२३ सालमा उदयपुरको एक साधारण परिवारमा एकल सन्तानको रुपमा जन्मिएकी कुमारी राईलाई विद्यालय जान रमाइलो लाग्दैनथ्यो । ६ वर्षीय कुमारीको सानो शारीरिक दुर्घटना भएपछि उनको बुबाले उनको सुरक्षाको लागि स्कूल नपठाउने निर्णय गरे। यो निर्णयले उनको शिक्षामा धेरै वर्ष ढिलाइ भयो र वि.सं. २०४२ सालमा मात्र कुमारीले एस.एल.सी परीक्षा उत्तीर्ण गरेकी थिइन्। त्यससँगै उनको शिक्षक प्रशिक्षण पनि उत्तीर्ण भएको थियो। ३० वर्षसम्म कुमारीले आफ्नो पेसागत जीवन लाई उदयपुरमा र बाहिर शिक्षकको रूपमा समर्पण गरिन्। अवकाश को रमाईलो गर्ने क्रममा उनी खेती गर्दै थिइन् । त्यसबेला उनका समुदायका साथी तथा महिलाहरुले उनलाई बिहानी महिला सामुदायिक संस्थामा अध्यक्षको भूमिका निर्वाह गर्न अनुरोध गरेका थिए । अहिले नेतृत्वको पदमार्फत महिला अधिकार, , वित्तीय सशक्तीकरण र अन्य धेरै महिला मुद्दाका लागि बोल्ने गर्छिन् । कुमारी आफूलाई ठूलो र राजनीतिको कुरा नगर्ने व्यक्तिको रुपमा वर्णन गर्छिन्। तर दमन र बेइमानीको विरुद्ध आवाज उठाउन बाट पनि आफूलाई बन्द गर्दिनन्। Born in 2023 B.S. as a single child to a simple family in Udayapur, Kumari Rai did not use to enjoy going to school. After a small physical accident happened to the 6-year-old Kumari, her father decided not to send her back to school for her safety. This decision delayed her education for many years and only in the year 2042 B.S, did Kumari pass her S.L.C examination, and along with that her teacher’s training. For 30 years, Kumari dedicated her professional life as an educator in and out of Udayapur. In the process of enjoying her retirement, she was farming fish, when her friends and women of her community requested her to take over the presidential role at Bihani Mahila Samudayik Sanstha. Now, through the leadership position, Kumari speaks for women’s rights, responsibilities, financial empowerment and many other women’s issues. Fierce and outspoken, yet a heart of a child, Kumari describes herself as a person who doesn’t talk big and about politics but also doesn’t shut herself up from voicing against suppression and dishonesty. All in all, Kumari loves enjoying her life with a bit of music and dance and a lot of laughter.

कमलापति चौधरीले आफ्नो वाल्यकाल घरबाट टाढा अर्काको घरमा कम्लरी भएर बिताइन्। १८ वर्षमा बिहे गरेर पनि उनका पति पनि कमैया भएकाले त्यहाँ पनि कम्लरी भइन्। कमैया आन्दोलन पछि पुर्व कमैयाहरू “सडक, मैदान र रूख मुनि समेत भागेको” उनलाई स्मरण छ। अहिले उनी अझै आन्दोलनमा छिन्; अहिले चाहिँ उनले पुर्व-कमैयाहरूको लागि अभियान गर्छिन्। Kamalapati Chaudhari spent most of her childhood away from her family as a Kamlari at a stranger’s house. Even though she married at 18, her husband’s family was still bonded so she still had to work as a Kamaiya. After the Kamaiya Andolan resulted in the freeing of Kamaiya in 2057 B.S., they had to flee to “under the trees and towards the fields”. Right now, she is still in revolt, fighting for the rights of ex-Kamaiyas and other marginalized people.