3. What you might not know: Nepali tradition harms its girls

Beneath Nepal’s cultural richness and natural beauty lie the darker workings of its social fabric. Female discrimination is rampant in Nepal. But their plight is usually invisible to outsiders. For many, Nepal is essentially a tourist (or mountaineer) haven, only to be experienced as such.

Although there is no overt caste system, its ideals are insidious and pervasive. Women of the lowest (Dalit) caste suffer intense social discrimination – they are denied education, access to health facilities and economic resources.

A Dalit woman with her two children 

Most are manual labourers, whose lack of opportunity perpetuates their poverty. Such vulnerability forces many into the human trafficking industry in hopes of a better life.As many as 15,000 girls are trafficked out of Nepal annually. Those who escape are often addicted to drugs and ostracized, unable to resume life in their own community.

Although caste discrimination was illegalised in 1963, its roots in cultural and religious tradition makes complete eradication difficult. Its influence is pervasive despite legal barriers and increased education.This is not the only case where adherence to tradition endangers the lives of Nepali girls – the Deuki and Chaupadi practices forcibly displace young girls, who are objectified as symbols of impurity. Such superstitious dehumanisation of women perpetuates their commodification through the sex trafficking industry.

Young women observing Chaupadi under a rock outcropping in Kalekanda village, Nepal

Contrary to popular belief, anti-trafficking NGOs in Nepal are not all success stories – in reality, they are highly limited in their outreach. They can even be socially detrimental, further curtailing women’s freedom by restricting voluntary migration.

But how far has Nepal come?

With the help of international organisations, female political rights have increased, but still lack meaningful participation. Enforcement of women’s rights is continually hindered by communal violence and political instability. Fundamentally, female discrimination has its roots in tradition – changing the patriarchal, rigid social structure would be essential for real progress.