November 21, 2002 Thursday; Time: 7:15 - 9:00PM
Maanish thulo dilale hunchhaa, jaatale hudaina – Mahaakabi Laxmi Prasad Devkota
Although illegal, caste discrimination is deeply ingrained in Nepali society and widely practiced, especially in rural areas. Nepal is home to 5 million Dalits, a term used to describe the lower rungs of the caste ladder. Dalits and women in particular, are mostly illiterate. They suffer discrimination in innumerable ways, notably in access to education, health care and jobs. They are barred from entering the temples and forbidden to use common water sources. As a result, they suffer greatly from lack of self-esteem and have no tradition of solidarity. Dalits often do not even consider themselves citizens (of Nepal).
Empower Dalit Women of Nepal (EDWN) is a small grassroots organization, dedicated to enable low-caste women and all disenfranchised people in Nepal to fight for their human rights. Through education, literacy training and empowerment groups, EDWN aims to foster a measure of economic independence, to boost self-esteem, and to instill solidarity and a sense of national pride. EDWN focuses specifically on low-caste women in inaccessible communities, largely overlooked by the established development community and off the beaten path of trekkers.
Speaker
Bishnu Maya Pariyar founded EDWN in 1996. She will speak about her own struggle as a Dalit woman to overcome remarkable obstacles to become a social worker, and elaborate on the current programs and the future plans of EDWN. She is currently in the United States to expand her education and to find sponsors for her organization.
ChhalPhal Discussion Series is a regular Nepal-related discussion program held in the Boston area. It usually meets on the last Thursday of each month. For more information, please contact chhalphal@chhahari.com.
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