A pitiful picture of a pretty girl in Nepal

A Shameful Deed

By Bishnu Prasad Aryal

A FEW days back I met a smiling girl at a shelter under an NGO. She seemed to be happy. However, in reality she was not happy, as she was a lonely girl in the crowded city. She had a bitter story to tell. When she was a student of class one she was compelled to abandon her study.

Her mother married a man when she was a small child. She even does not know her father's name. He died before she knew him. She has been living with her mother at her stepfather's home. She is the youngest among eight sisters. She said that she would study if she got an opportunity.
It is a story of a 14-year old girl. A few months ago, she had been to one of her elder sisters' home. She helped in household works for her sister and brother-in-law who have a small child. They had a small teashop at the ground floor of a house. A police post has occupied the upper floor of the house.
On the 3rd of August, she was playing with her nephew. A policeman came there and snatched the baby away. He headed towards the office. By dint of panic and absence of his relative, he began to cry. Then her sister and brother-in-law sent the girl to bring the child back as they were busy at the teashop.

As soon as she entered into the police office, the same policeman taped her mouth and seduced her at the premises of the office. Another tall policeman was the witness to all this inhuman act.

After completing his task, the cruel creature in police uniform threatened her not to reveal the incident. If she complied, he would give her Rs. 100,000. But she denied it violently. He regretfully pleaded to her that he would, otherwise, be dismissed from his job.

She said he must be killed for what he did. According to her, the culprit is Netra Bahadur Karki, a policeman at Tundal Devi Mandir, Bishal Nagar, Kathmandu.

At present, the criminal is under custody and the government has assured that the culprit would be punished. Necessary legal procedures are underway. And CAP-CRON, an NGO for children has shown interest to offer legal aid for the victim.

The issue is very touching. Sadly this is not a rare of case. Teachers, fathers, brothers, employers are seducing children, girls and women. Our patriarchal society remains ignorant and negligent about such issues. Though voices against sexual harassment and gender suppression are emerging, they are yet to be effective to control such crimes.

At a time when women empowerment has become a catchword for a number of international organisations, a large number of girls here are falling victim to (s)exploitation. Women and children are badly undermined in traditional societies like ours. The United Nations Child Right Convention (UNCRC) 1989 ensured to implement the humanitarian principles for all under 18. The Constitution of Nepal has also included this provision. Children Act 1992 has been amended under the Constitution.
But due to the lack of implementation such legal provisions have become toothless.

If we analyse the present state of affair, we can trace the need of two kinds of rights. They are social justice and legal justice.

At present, legal justice has been altered into a new dimension but weakness lies in implementation.
In rapidly changing scenario of human civilization and development, the Children Act 1992 has been seen as incomplete and vague with some clauses that have hindered practicality.

To preserve the child rights, the Children's Bench was established in 1999 in 75 districts under juvenile justice. Yet, no case concerned to children has been filed and heard of in those districts, because of the lack of legal clarity.

On the other hand, members of civil society are not keenly aware about the implementation of those laws for them who are detested/condemned from family and local community.

Now, it has become a major issue to revive them in the society without any prejudice and protest so that they can be secured for their future prospect. Only then the smiling face of the girl and her enthusiasm can be protected. It is the responsibility of family, society and the state to do this.

This feature article was published on THE RISING NEPAL daily, Kathmandu Wednesday September 04, 2002 Bhadra 19, 2059.