MS pluralism policy
paper workshop
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On
July 15-16th, MS Nepal and its partner organisation Kirat Yakthung
Chumlung (KYC) organised a workshop on "Pluralism, ethnicity and
caste" in Dhulikhel outside of Kathmandu. The primary objective of
the workshop was to get partner organisations' input and comments
on the existing draft pluralism policy paper and incorporate these
into a final document version. Secondary objectives were to
mainstream MS and partner organisations' understanding of
pluralism and to encourage partner organisations to share and
learn from each other's experiences with regard to handling
pluralism in the present Nepalese context.
Before getting to their recommendations, the 25 participants – who
seemed to match the theme of the workshop, representing women’s
groups, ethnic peoples' associations, dalit organisations etc. –
jointly explored some of the concrete difficulties and dilemmas
they experience as well as possible solutions related to handling
pluralism in practice. However diverse they may be, the
experiences of the organisations also proved to have several
common denominators:
- Although Nepal has a long tradition of diversity and
multiculturalism, it has not been pluralistic. Rather, the State
has favoured one (Brahmin/Chhetri) group, one (khas-Nepali)
language, one (Hindu) culture, and one region (Kathmandu Valley)
at the expense of all other groups, cultures, languages and
regions, one participant summarised.
Obstacles to pluralism
The
suggestions and comments were preliminarily regrouped under three
overall themes: indigenous people/ethnic groups, caste/dalits and
gender, but MS is well aware that a more common approach to
addressing pluralism may be needed. Below we have listed some of
the conclusions of the group work.
Pluralism from indigenous peoples’ perspective
• Language rights are not being respected in Nepal, with
consequences in particular for indigenous children and for the
preservation of indigenous cultures. Lack of mother-tongue
facilities and teachers at primary level cause many indigenous
children to lag behind or even drop out of school because of the
difficulties they experience in receiving education in khas-Nepali
– a language which is often new to them. Furthermore, many
indigenous languages risk dying out due to lack of government
support.
• Indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge and skills are being
diluted and looked down upon. To improve the employment situation
and hence the economic situation of indigenous people, these
skills must be developed in order to match the demands of modern
society. Furthermore, there is a need for indigenous people to
re-find pride in their work.
• Indigenous peoples are largely underrepresented in civil
service, government bodies and other decision-making instances. A
system of reservation or positive discrimination should be set in
place to curb the current structural imbalance. Furthermore,
awareness raising and confidence building should be carried out
nationally to increase the motivation of marginalised groups to
take up leadership roles.
• Land rights and the consequences of former expropriation of
indigenous peoples’ lands are being neglected.
Pluralism from Dalits' perspective
• Many Dalits lack self-esteem and feel inferior to others.
Awareness raising and confidence building should be carried out to
increase the motivation of marginalised groups to take up
leadership roles.
• The traditional knowledge and skills of Dalits are disregarded
and slowly degenerate. Instead of disregarding these skills, they
should rather be adjusted to match the demands of modern society.
• Dalits are largely underrepresented in civil service, government
bodies and other decision-making instances. A system of
reservation or positive discrimination should be set in place to
curb the current structural imbalance.
• Discrimination of Dalits is still widespread, in particular in
rural areas. Teachers who throw material to Dalit children instead
of giving it by hand because they do not want to touch Dalits, or
shop-owners who do not allow Dalits into their shops are examples
of everyday discriminatory practices.
• Inter-caste marriage is seldom, and if it happens, it is often
followed by severe sanctions from the community.
Pluralism from a gender perspective
• Several laws are discriminatory against women. For instance,
children can only acquire citizens rights based on their father's
identity. This often complicates the lives of women, for instance
in cases where the father is not known, or when the father works
as a migrant labourer abroad.
• Sending boys to school is considered more important that sending
girls. Women are under-represented at all levels of
decision-making, in government, public service etc.
• Domestic violence against women, trafficking of women, and
sexual harassment of women by Maoist insurgents as well as
military personnel traumatize women.
• A substantial part of the Nepalese male labour force has
migrated abroad and brings back HIV/AIDS to their wives who are
not allowed to demand "safe sex".
• In the Far Western Region, the traditional practice of Jari,
allowing for a married woman to divorce her husband and marry
another man on the condition that the ex-husband gets a
compensation, is increasingly turning into men selling off their
wife as a commodity to another man.
• Many girls lack self-esteem. Awareness-building programmes are
needed to build up personal capacities and self-assuredness of
women.
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