Category: Stories

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.