The excerpts from a paper, “Challenges in closing gaps of health inequities, inequalities and disparities in the new era of Nepal”, which Dr DP Rasali presented at the Conference “Unfolding Futures: Nepalese Economy, Society and Politics” organized by Canada Forum for Nepal in Ottawa from 5th to 7th October 2007.

Citatation for this paper:

The Excerpts:

Caste based discrimination and health disparity

Despite the fact that several population health indicators such as infant mortality rate, under-5 year mortality rate, total fertility rate and life expectancy rate have shown substantial improvement nationally over the past decade, a study of BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) in Nepal indicated that health services utilization by marginalized groups within the population is low, and health disparity is evident among various groups(1). Dalits are the most marginalized group of people who are estimated to be about 15% of the country’s population, and continue to be the victims of caste discrimination impacting negatively on their socio-economic lives including their health status. As they have been pushed down to the lowest stratum in the society due to still rampant age-old societal practice of caste discrimination as well as the statutory provision of caste based “high” and “low” treatments meted to them in the eyes of law ever since the promulgation of Mulki Ain (Civil Code) in 1854 until 1992(2). Health and well-being of this segment of the population have been hit hardest as shown by various indicators of health status, most likely due to the manifold socio-economic drivers that remained against them for centuries. The Word Bank admits low health status among Dalits as compared to the whole population or any other groups of Nepal(3). The World Bank/DFID(3) reported the following 2001 Nepal Census data: the under-5 mortality rate per 1,000 live births was 171 in Dalit population, while the national average figure is 105 per 1,000 live births; the infant mortality per 1,000 live births was 171 in Dalits as opposed to 105 in the total population; and Life expectancy rate in Dalit population is 51 years, while the national average rate is 59 years.

Table 1 shows the situation in 1996 that Brahman and Newar caste groups ranked the best in under-5 mortality rate, infant mortality rate and life expectancy, while the Dalit group remains at the bottom of the list in all three indicators. Therefore, a special attention to the current plight of this segment of the population has been warranted.

Table 1. Disparities in mortality rates and life expectancy by caste/ethnic groups, Nepal, 1996.

Data Source: UNDP 2001: Nepal Human Development Report (NHDR) as cited by The World Bank/ DFID(3).
* Disaggregated data by gender and caste is unavailable.

References

(1) BPKIHS. Health Situation in Nepal. BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal, 2008. Available at: http://sph.bpkihs.edu/health.php

(2) Nepaldalitinfo. Nepal Dalit Information Resources Website: http://www.nepaldalitinfo.net

(3) The World Bank/ DFID. Unequal Citizens: Gender, Caste and Ethnic Exclusion in Nepal- Summary. The World Bank/Deparment of International Development, UK, Kathmandu Nepal. 2006.

Nepal’s former prime minister and president of Nepali Congress (Democratic) Sher Bahadur Deuba has expressed the necessity to bring forward the backward classes including ethnic communities, women and Dalits, nepalnews.com reports. Speaking today in the far western Terai town, Nepalganj, he assured the backward communities that his party will add its voices to their demands for betterment. He claimed that his party has already decided to allocate 40 percent reservation to ethnic communities, women and backward classes.

Nepali Congress (Democratic) is convinced for bringing forward Dalits. However, the party outrageously failed to nominate even a single member of interim parliament from Dalit community. All six seats allocated to the party for nominating members from civic society, Janajatis, women and Dalits are used up in satisfying the party’s senior leaders. The nepaldalitinfo calls for rectification of this unfortunate mistake at once.

Comparative issues of Janajatis, Madhesis and Dalits pertaining to Interim Constitution presented below by Conflict Study Center:

Conflict Study Center’s Situation Update IV

Draft and descriptive note for Dalits

Constitution of New Nepal - A Draft and Descriptive Note for the Management of Dalits: By Ratna Bahadur Bagchand
Publisher - LANCAU - An Association of lawyers against discrimination

Price - Rs 75

Edition - First

Although people have been deemed as the source of sovereign power, there have been no attempts whatsoever to integrate people of all caste and creed in the functioning of the state. Nepal still follows a centuries-old castes system, under which Dalits are barred from using public amenities, and suffer general neglect from the state and society.

The 1990 Constitution of Nepal prohibits any form of discrimination on the basis of caste, race, sex and religion. Such forms of discrimination are punishable by law. However, all forms of discrimination against Dalits is widely practiced in the country. The dalit issue is a political problem that cannot be resolved overnight. Laws against the discrimination of the Dalits should be properly enforced, and government programs for uplifting the economic and social status of the Dalits should be fully implemented.

Nepal is moving towards the constituent assembly process that would ensure inclusive and pluralistic democracy in the country. Constitutional Assembly (CA) itself is a process whereby people select their representatives to build the constitution of a country. Active and equal participation of all citizens is extremely important to make a complete and sustainable constitution that can protect the rights and equality of all citizens, and maintain their dignity.

In his recently published “Constitution of New Nepal - A Draft and Descriptive Note for the Management of Dalits,” Ratna Bahadur Bagchand discusses what provisions could be reserved for Dalits in the new constitution. An advocate by profession, Bagchand is hopeful of a Dalit-inclusive constitution that would ensure pluralistic democracy in the country. The book is a must read for Dalit activists, political leaders, NGO/INGO, members of the Draft Committee for Interim Constitution and anyone interested in the issue of dalit movement in Nepal.

Bagchand’s book can be neatly divided into three sections, of which the first deals with the provision for Dalits in the new constitution. The writer begins with a proposal that the new constitution should aim to form a dignified society that is based on equality and social justice. He then goes on redefining nation, sovereignty, state and national language, and emphasizes on the restoration of the basic rights of Dalits such as end of discriminatory practices, right to culture and right to religion.

The second section lists the Acts that would help in the implementation of the provisions made for Dalits while the third section describes in detail what provisions could be created for Dalits in the new constitution and how the Acts concerning such provision could be placed in the new constitution. Bagchand has proposed the formation of a new Ministry for Social Justice and Empowerment, Council for Social Rights, Academy for Empowerment of the Dalits and Act to Control Criminal and Discriminatory practices as the minimum legal criterion essential to address the Dalit issue.

What interested me about the book is the definition of ‘Dalit.’ Bagchand explains that a dalit is a time-bound concept, which could be used only for certain purposes and for a fixed duration of time. He argues that the word represents the Dalit movement, and should not be used after the formation of a classless society.

Reviewed by Monica Upadhya

Source: eKantipur.com

Related item(s):

नेपालको अन्तरिम संविधान: दलित सम्बन्धी ब्यवस्थाका लागि मस्यौदा

“Binti Patra”, a pro-Dalit revolutionary Movie

Kathmandu, July 6, 2006. This morning, the famous film hall Bishwa Jyoti in Kathmandu screened a revolutionary Dalit oriented film called “Binti patra” [meaning petition letter] as a premier show. In my observation, this film will be a weapon to wipe out the caste based discrimination and untouchability from our society.

The movie story line has a second hero Mr. Balram (Film name), who plays the role of a Kami youth and Mr. Chandre, a Damai youth (also a close friend of Balram). It starts with very horrifying and sorrowful scene of Balram, who is a laborer working for his village chief (Jimwal Shaheb). One day, he and Chandre arrive in Kathmandu seeking job, and being both Dalits they can’t find any job. In the mean time, a man helps them by providing the job in his garage, and also permits two boys for schooling. Gradually, Mr. Balram becomes the captain of a volleyball team and wins series of tournaments. In the mean time, Jyoti (acted by Sanchita Luitel) a heroin falls in love with Mr. Balram, but her friends warn her that he is a Dalit. Because of her peer pressure she then starts misbehaving with Balarm. After some time, Balaram saves her life from some villains, and ultimately they fall in love to each other.

Mr. Balaram gets job of a teacher in Durlung, Parbat. As a coincidence, Jyoti was from same village and the daughter of same Jimwal. Some students misbehave with Balram considering him an untouchable in the school as well. The assistant of Jimwal (a Brahmin character) knows about the love of Balaram and Jyoti which becomes a matter of great tension for Jimwal family. He locks her into a room but she escapes from there. Jimwal and some villains beat Balram, and they also stab Jyoti to death.

After some days, Jyoti’s brother Sushil (acted by Sushil Chhetri) returns from a foreign country. He is warmly welcomed by the villagers. However, he was unhappy when he returns home, as he couldn’t find his sister. After hearing about her whole incident, he decides to fight against all forms of discrimination. One day when a Dalit woman is beaten for touching a water pot in tap, he fights with villagers and threatens them. Similarly, another day, a Gaine boy is beaten in a temple incident where Balram and his friends have been fighting with so-called non Dalits, Sushil doesn’t allow them to fight against each other, rather he cuts the hands of the priest and mix up with blood of a Dalit, as he delivers a very sensational dialogue in revolutionary tone. And, after this scene, he asks Balaram to make a peaceful plan to fight against discrimination. Finally, they all (Jimwal, Priest, Villagers, Balram and Sushil alike) get together to start raising the awareness in the village, and read a petition letter “Binti Patra” for eliminating the discrimination.

In my view, there was a two pronged strategy to wipe out the untouchability- one through the unity among Dalits and another raising awareness and support of pro-Dalit people. Sushil being a non-Dalit youth has played a positively vital role to make the people understand about discrimination and the values of human rights, and simultaneously Balaram represented a Dalit youth who has struggled for the emancipation of Dalits.

This film was produced by Ms. Shakuntala Rasali and was directed by Mr. Promod Bhandari. The story was written by Mr Suraj Ramdam who also acted as Balaram. The music was composed by Laxman Sesh and Rameshwor Burlakoti.

This very brief and random description may not portray a perfect review of the movie. In order to have more insights of the whole movie, one and all are rather advised to see it for themselves, and also promote it for screening in villages, towns and cities of Nepal, which in turn may contribute to ultimate emancipation of Dalits.

Report by Mom Bishwakarma