We all know how hard is it to live as a girl in a country like Nepal. Well I am not saying we only have e problems .There are also many privileges you get as a girl but then there are some problems that you can’t just ignore. In the article I am listing few problems that Nepali girls have to face on everyday basis. This is written from a view of a common girl living in Kathmandu. Girls from different back grounds have different problems. From my perception these are few problems that we girls have to face. I hope you can relate to this .
Table of Contents
Sexual Abuse
We have been hearing a lot of news of rape these days but sexual abuse not only comes in form of rape. There are so many situations that we girls have to face. Be it hearing sexist comments or inappropriate touching. Sexist comments are so normalized that we don’t even think its abuse anymore. But there are so many comments that is passed to us on everyday basis.
Sexual abuse on everyday basis
From our guy friends, teachers or even family at times, we have to deal with so nay mean comment. And above all we know how perverts stare at our private parts and all girls must have faced that. We only know how uncomfortable is it. And the worse thing is that we get so numb we can’t even raise voice against it. When we travel in public bus, there are always people who try to touch us and try to rub their thing against our body. This is such a bad situation and even if we raise voice, they will hit us with “ It is crowded bus, it is not my fault “.
These are just smaller ones but we hear so many cases of rape every day. From 80 years old lady o three months old baby no one is safe. This is so tragic that sexual abuse exists everywhere not just in office, school but even your home.
Period pain
Well there is no way I forget period pains when I am listing problems that girls have to face. There is no girl who can escape this. Yes, periods are symbol of your feminism and a proof that you are grown up but we know how annoying it can be. Bleeding every month and of course the cramps, periods actually makes you feel worse. Imagine getting your period while you are in middle of a important meeting or when you are appearing in your board exams. That is the worst feeling. And what is worse you can do nothing about it. You don’t know when your period will come to disrupt your life .
Period can disturb so many of our activities. And girls always have to plan their activities as per the period schedule but as I said, it is not always regular so you never know when will it annoy you. Every girl can relate to the pain of cramps and those mood swings. You feel like crying all the time and then there is this stabbing pain in your stomach. When you are out having fun with your friends but there is this pain, you can do nothing but smile. It is not always possible to stay home while in your period. In home you can cry or scream or sleep but when you are out you can do nothing but act fine.
Isolation in period
Period pain is a big curse for us girls and what is worse is that it come every month to almost kill you. I have also seen many girls who actually faint in their period . Fortunately, I only get mild cramps but there are some girls who get serious attacks and they need to rude to hospitals.
Besides all these we have another problem that we have to go through in our period. We are not allowed to enter kitchen or touch nothing including males. This misconception is cherry on the top. And of course I can’t forget how girls in remote areas are forced in stay in chhaupadi in their first period.
Social restrictions
There are so many restriction that is applicable just for girls in Nepali society. Well there is no doubt that boys have much freedom than girls . There are so many things that boys can easily do and girls are not allowed to do. Girls are not allowed to stay out late because they are nor safe. And who are we not safe from : boys. If boys are the ones who are responsible ten shouldn’t they be the one who can’t stay out late. But this is how it is, we are not allowed to stay till late.
We can’t drink in public or even hang out with guy friends or even wear what we are comfortable in. These are some issues in urban areas and the case in remote area is en worse. Girls are still so much far from their basic rights. Thy can’t live the life they want to. They can’t go to school or do anything that they want to . And above all they can’t even a marry the guy they want to. The just get married to some guy their parents choose for them and none cares about their consent.
Discrimination
No matter how many steps are taken to empower women, discrimination exist in the roots of Nepali society. This discrimination exits everywhere is home, office or even in school. For same work, men are paid higher than women. And of course when it comes to promotion, much deserving women will not get it while less deserving men will get it. Not just in corporate office, this discrimination exists in labor works as well. There is high difference between the wage of men and women. And of course except the monetary rewards, there is discrimination in terms of behaviour as well.
These are few issues that we women have to deal with. I have written from my perception so it may be unacceptable to some readers. So leave your feedback in the comment section below.
