Violence Against Women in Marginalized Madheshi Community: Root Causes -Consequence and Prevention
(A Case study of Saptari District. Eastern Terai Region of
Social Inclusive Research
Submitted to
Social Inclusion Research Fund Secretariat (SIRF)
SNV
Bakhundole, Lalitpur
For the project
Code No.SIRF/AG/07/
By
Ms. Kabita Kumari Mandal
e-mail: umekab@yahoo.com
Kirtipur,
2008
Acknowledgements
I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Social Inclusion Research Fund (SIRF), SNV Netherlands Development Organization ,Nepal, Bhakundol, Lalitpur, supported by Royal Norwegian Embassy for providing me a chance to carry out the present social inclusive research entitled Violence Against Women in Marginalized Madheshi Community: Root Causes -Consequence and Prevention , A Case study of Saptari District, Eastern Terai Region of Nepal under Research Apprenticeship Grant Scheme.
I am indebted to members of Interim Screening Committee (ISC) - a high level committee to select the proposal relevant based on the criteria mentioned in Proposal Guidelines. I am indebted to my
I am thankful to Ms. Sita Rana , Research Associate, & Ms. Swasti Pradhan, Secretary SIRF,SNV Netherlands Development Organization for the preparation of agreement/contract document including all essential formalities to proceed the research activities ahead.
I would like to express my appreciation to Mr. Sujeet Pokharel,Advocate & Chairman of HUPAC, Ms Ava Setu Singh, treasurer of Setu Samudaik Bikas Manch, Mr. Satish Pokharel, Advocate & member of District Bar Association, Mr. Madhusudan Adhikari, Member of HUCODAN for their active participation in Focus Group Discussion.
I would like to appreciate Mr. Gyanendra Phuyal, Inspector of District Police Office, Saptari, Mr. Surendra Prasad Yadav, CMA of Illaka Health Post, Pato, Ms. Kiran Kumari Mandal, teacher of Chandra Kant Secondary School, Pato and Miss Punita Mandal, Ex-coordinator of Main Streaming Gender Equity Programm, Rajbiraj for their kind information provided as key informants in different sectors .
I would also like to acknowledge support of Mr. Shiv Narayan Sah, proprietor of Sajha Ofset Press producing Rajbiraj Today Daily for making me available of one–year back Newspapers at most and Mr Deo Narayan Mandal, community-leader for providing community-level information and all women respondents of Aurahi VDC for completing all questions in the field.
The logistical support provided by Ms Lalit N Mandal during a week-long survey at Rajbiraj,headquarter of Saptari District, and my mother: Ms Rajeshwori Devi & my uncle Mr Deo Nath Mandal, during household survey in AurahiVDC -4, Bathanaha is duly acknowledged.
Last not the least, I would like to appreciate my husband, father, brother and my lovely sons: Rikesh & Nikesh for their patience during the completion of this work.
Ms.Kabita Kumari Mandal
Teacher
M.B.M.Campus, Rajbiraj
Table of Contents
Page
Acknowledgements i
Table of Contents ii
List of Tables iii
List of Figures iii
List of Boxes iii
List of Photos iii
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1-4
1.1 Background 1
1.2 Research Objectives 2
1.3 Research Problems and Issues 3
1.4 Research Hypothesis 4
CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE 5-8
2.1 Review of Literature related to Violence Against Women 5
2.2 Review of Literature on Social Exclusion and Inclusion 6
2.3 Nepalese Contexts on Violence Against Women 7
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 9-14
3.1 Constraints and Considerations 9
3.2 Study Design 9
3.2.1 District headquarter- based information design 9
A. Case Inventory Sheet 9
3.2.2 VDC- households based Information design 10
A. Selection strategy of sampled VDC in the district 10
B. Selection of sampled households/respondent from
sampled VDC in Saptari district 10
3.3 Methods of Data Collection 11
3.3.1 Questionnaire survey 11
3.3.2 Focus Group Discussions with agency involved
in women's empowerment, welfare and right 12
3.3.3 Survey of Key Informants and Case Studies 13
CHAPTER IV NATURE AND FORMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 15-20
4.1 District Level NGO Based Information 15
4.2 District Level GO Based Time Series Information 16
4.3 Local Newspaper Based Information 18
4.4 Sampled VDC Level Information 19
4.4.1 Psychological Violence 19
4.4.2 Physical Violence 19
4.4.3 Traditional Practices 20
CHAPTER V FACTORS, CAUSES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN 21-28
5.1 Root causes of Violence Against Women 21
5.1.1 Lack of literacy and knowledge 23
5.1.2 Patriarchal Structure of Society 24
5.1.3 Economic Problem 25
5.1.4 Traditional culture and practices 26
5.1.5 Lack of legal measures of violence protection 27
5.1.6 Maoist revolution and armed underground conflict group 28
CHAPTER VI EFFECTS OF VIOLENCE ON WOMEN’S LIFE AND FAMILY
AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES 29-35
6.1 Effects of Domestic Violence on Women development 29
6.1.1 Barrier in personnel carrier development of a woman 31
6.1.2 Interruption of family development 32
6.1.3 Emergence of socio-cultural conflict 32
6.1.4 Health condition of woman 33
6.2 Preventive Measures of Violence against Women 33
6.2.1 Adult literacy programme 33
6.2.2 Mass awareness programme 34
6.2.3 Income generation programme 34
6.2.4 Social security mechanism 34
6.2.5 Legal measures provision and its strict implementation 35
CHAPTER VII SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 36-40
7.1 Major Findings 36
7.1.1 District level 36
7.1.2 VDC level 37
7.2 Policy Recommendations 38
7.2.1 Policy related to women empowerment 38
7.2.2 Policy related to rehabilitation of victim of violence against
women 39
REFERENCES 41-42
APPENDDIX 43-51
List of Tables
Table 3.2.2 Distribution of total households and sample size 11
Table 3.3.2 Focus group discussion held with government and non- government
organization during field survey 13
Table 3.3.3 Key informants interviewed during field survey 14
Table 4.1a Forms of violence against women, HUPAC,2007 15
Table 4.1b Forms of violence against women, Setu Samudaik 2007 15
Table 4.2 Forms of violence against women, district police office 2007 17
Table 4.3 Types of violence against women 18
Table 4.4.1 Forms of psychological violence 19
Table 4.4.2 Forms of physical violence 19
Table 4.4.3 Forms of Traditional violence 20
Table 5.1 Weighted ranking of respondents’ perceived causes 21
Table 5.1.1 Literacy condition of women respondent & their husband 23
Table 5.1.2 Perpetrators of incidence of violence against women 24
Table 5.1.3 Situation of food sufficiency 26
Table 6.1 Weighted ranking of respondents’ perceived effects of VAW on
women development 29
List of Figures
Fig. 4.3 Types of violence against women 18
Fig. 5.1.2 Perpetrators of VAW 22
Fig. 5.1.3 Situation of food sufficiency 26
Fig. 6.1 Effects of violence on individual, family &child & society 30
List of Boxes
Box 4.4.3 Polygamy practice has forced wife to become nun 20
Box 5.1.4 Dowry leads to murder of wife 26
Box 6.1.1 Sima Singh: a victim of relation (Natasambandh) 31
Box 6.1.2 Mina Devi, a victim of domestic violence 32
List of Photos
Photo 3.3.2 Focus Group Discussion with NGOs: HUPAC & Setu Samudaik 12
Photo 3.3.3 Interview with key informant (medical person) in Pato Ilaka Health Center 13
Photo 4.1 Interaction with NGO member, HUCODAN 16
Photo 4.2 Victims of gang rape 18
Photo 4.3 Searching incidence of VAW in Rajbiraj Today Daily Newspaper 18
Photo 4.4 Interviewing with respondent in Aurahi VDC 20
Photo 6.1.1 Sima Singh: a victim of relation (Natasambandh) 31
Photo 6.1.2 Mina Devi,a victim of domestic violence 32
Chapter I
Introduction
1.1 Background
Women of
Even though the women in hill and mountain have some access/approach to the government wings regarding human development concerns such as education, administration, legislation, employment and defense as being the first class citizen , are suffering from various forms of violence: rape ,incest and polygamy etc, what about the miserable situation of poor Madheshi women who are extremely excluded from access of government services and facilities or beyond government and treated as second class citizen in their own land ,Nepal. Madheshi Community is defined as one of the umbrella of social groups representing regional based discrimination, composing more than sixty ethnic and caste groups including Adibashi/Janjati, Dalit, Muslim with variation in language, culture, customs and religion integrating them by their common feature of non-hill origin and deprived of their identity. This community has been extremely marginalized in all spheres such as politics, economy, civil service, education, police-military etc and human development dimensions ranging from their identity in their own land to livelihood strategies.
Regional marginalization of Madheshi community has been seen in one of the national lives: education where their literacy level is more than two times less than that of hill community (Yadav 2006). So far women are concerned, in terms of female-male literacy ratio, it is 28 :100 as compared to 52:100 with compare to hill community (Chhetry 1996 cited in Yadav 2006). Madheshi women's poverty appeared by regional marginalization has been clearly spelt out in their per capita income reflected in Terai Janjati (Rs.12,467) and Dalit(Rs.10889) which is quite low even those of hill–dalit (Rs.13,340)( CBS/NG 2004). Madheshi women's representation in civil service can be imagined yourself from the representation figure of whole Madheshi that is 8.4 % in 1991 against 92.4 % for hill community while representing only 68% in total population.
Such deprivation/exclusion has created unequal access to food, education and health care, limited opportunities to earn incomes, limited access to resources etc. Such situation and circumstances directly has created many forms of violence particularly domestic against Madheshi women and indirectly has made them to survive in their traditional, cultural, and religious and superstition value added thought and beliefs deep rooted in rural areas of Madhesh.
The most common form of violence against madheshi women is the violence based on superstitions such as torture for alleged witchcraft, sexual harassment, family violence such as domestic violence, polygamy, child marriage and dowry related violence. The domestic violence has been occurred by mostly women's own husband and close family members and relatives. The major cause of violence is spousal conflict and alcoholism of husbands and male members. Such violence against women has created serious health impacts on women –often multiple consequences raging from gynecological problems, trauma, early and unwanted pregnancy, mental and physical injury, denial of fundamental of women's right and children's well-being. Despite the increasing recognition of the impacts of violence against women, supporting legislation and policies have not yet been formulated nor enforced to address them adequately. This is a serious impediment particular to Madheshi women's advancement of community welfare and capability enhancement compared to men that needs to be addressed in the capability approach for the establishment equitable society in Madhesh region
Domestic violence against Women in Madheshi community (VAWMC) in its forms of physical, sexual, psychological and economic abuse has been found in varying degree depending upon the caste, class and socio-economic condition. Due to the sensitive nature of the issue no factual information is available in Madheshi women community. This "Violence against Women in Madheshi Community" has been a pioneering effort undertaken by the involvement of madheshi women itself in the hope of exploring the fundamental cause, its major impacts on socio-economic-demographic health life and human right protection and preventive measures to ensure the women rights by bringing positive changes in the society. Such findings of this research are applicable in order to formulate Madheshi women development strategy , policy, plan and programs for improving their existing situation of exploitation, eradication of gender discrimination, protection of women rights and welfare and equal representation in main stream of national development for the empowerment of Madhesh women .
1.2 Research Objectives
The overall objective of the present research is to explore and identify the root causes of different forms of violence against Madheshi women and their preventive measures for the Madheshi women development society. This has been sought in order to provide the bases for policy guideline formulation and planning measures for sustainable Madheshi women resource development. The following are the specific objectives:
• To explore and explain the root causes of different forms of violence against women in Madheshi community.
• To examine the impacts/consequences of these violence’s on different spheres of quality of women life: education, health, access to resources and control over them, employment and representation in public work.
• To explore the potential preventive measures for the proper management of violence against women in Madheshi community for the greater community participation in mainstream of national development.
• To draw the inferences from the study as a guide to increase the awareness of women rights and proper utilization of it for the establishment of gender-equitable violence less of community in Madhesh region.
1.3 Research Problem and Issues
Even though Nepal's 150 special measures for women regarding political and public participation, education, employment, health, violence against women, court procedure and gender justice and marriage and family life have been made among 56 different laws, but all are confined to areas of political participation and maternity benefits rather than adopting holistic approach( NHDR 2004). The violence and exploitation against women in madheshi community may vary with literacy level, poverty level, participation in community/public affairs, empowerment level, types of traditional work employed in agriculture and wage labour, industry, religion, caste and preference of boy, leadership of male, social norms-values and superstition belief/thoughts. Legislators, legal interpreters, law enforcers and human right pleaders and also policy makers were not much aware of such complexity of violence driven by multiple factors in Madheshi community and thus failed to prevent violence and consuming women's fundamental rights and freedom. The proposed study will be aimed at specific violence against women issues or problems of women in the Madheshi community; it will have several planning implications for its proper elimination and eradication from the Madheshi society. It is not possible to work towards the establishment of social justice based on gender-equality and equity, withought having in-depth understanding of those problems, which is essential for formulating women's development policy and programs regarding the exploitation and mainstreaming. In the situation of increasing such violence rapidly and decline quality of life and ignoring women right, deep-seated violence understanding of Madheshi community is of prime importance for sound social integration of the society.
In this context, for the reduction of violence and empowering of women with their own decision, the following issues or problems will be raised or stated for the proposed discussion and investigation:
• What are the substantial causes/circumstances behind the violence against women in Madheshi community?
• What are the impacts/consequences of such violence on different spheres of national life of victim women in Madheshi community?
• How potential preventive measures have adopted for eradication of violence and enhancing the empowerment of victim women with developing their decision making skills?
To answer or address the problems or issues mentioned above, the following facets are essential for investigation:
• Substantial causes for responsible for violence against women
• Impacts of violence on every sphere of quality life of victim women.
• Suggestive preventive measures to be adopted for violence reduction
1.4 Research hypotheses
In the connection of fundamental causes of violence against women and its impacts on their socio-economic life, the following hypotheses have been formulated:
The women who are unemployed in government service and public affairs and self-employed in their own traditional occupation: agriculture, are facing more violence.
• The women whose work are stereos type and economic dependences, are suffering more violence and perceive such behavior as normal
• Dowry and superstitions are root causes of domestic violence occurenance deep-seated in Madheshi community.
• More negative impacts have been supposed to be generated on socio-economic life of victim women.
• Rising of awareness against the dowry and superstitions and access to government works, services and facilities have been one of substantial preventive measures of violence elimination in the society.
Chapter II
Review of Literature
2.1 Review of Literature related to Violence Against Women
Ms. Radhika Commaraswamy, the former UN Special Reporter on Violence against Women defined Trafficking in persons as recruitment, transportation, purchase, sale, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons: by threat or use of violence, abduction, force, fraud, deception or coercion (including the abuse of authority) or debt bondage, for the purpose of placing or holding such person, whether for pay or not, in forced labor or slavery-like practices, in a community other than the one in which such person lived at the time of the original act. Published figures suggest that between 5,000 and 7,000 Nepali are trafficked for sex work each year, and 200,000 Nepali women and girls are working in the sex industry in
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and Institute for Integrated Development Studies (2004) conceptualized trafficking could either be hard or soft. The former is conducted through force and false promises. In the case of the latter, the nuclear and/or extended family members play a role
SAATHI (1997) has carried out the works related to violence against women and girls (VAW & G). Such works are "Situational Analysis of Violence Against Women and Girls in
2.2 Review of Literature on Social Exclusion and Inclusion
Madhesh and Madheshi have been a major flaming problem in the current days for the present eight-party collaborative newly government after nineteen days' great revolution for establishing federal loktantrick inclusive democracy against feudal ,one-caste/class and region dominant democracy opening up possibilities for the transformation Nepal's decade–old violent conflict. Madhesh and Madheshi have been suffering from the vicious problem of their identification and recognition of their existence with their own distinct culture, customs, language and region. Many unrealistic questions have been raised from different geographical corners of the country by the feudalistic, high ranked bureaucrats, planners, decision makers and political party leaders "What is Madhesh ? , who Madheshi are? and hill people are also claimed themselves as Madheshi”. In this context, the clear statement made by Late H. Gurung has been seemed more relevant in order to know who Madheshi really are. He stated "In Nepalese politics, there are three major social groups that have been extremely marginalized by the state's biased monopolistic policy”. They are the Janjati, as ethnic groups on the basis of culture, the Dalits as untouchables on the basis of caste, and the Madheshi on the basis of geography (Gurung 2005)". Even though, he has defined Madheshi on the basis of regional discrimination and exploitation under the internal colonization by the state, but actually it is culture-custom- language- tradition and non-hill origin separable distinct community's characteristics through which every one can easily recognize or identify every where in the country as regionally excluded community. Such separable unique characteristics are the sufficient evidence of Madheshi identification rather than looking back for formal definition in their own native land,
'Marginal ' entity in any context is the one that counts the least in the 'mainstream' situation. This may apply to physical and biological resources or condition of the people and their sustenance systems (Chambers 1987 and Lipton 1983 quoted in Jodha 1992).In this context Late H. Gurung has expressed reality of exclusion problems deep rooted in culture, economy and political sector of feudal government and thus conceptualized the agendas for inclusion in terms of regional autonomy, proportional representation in every sphere of national life first time for the Madheshi community through the Social Inclusion Research Scheme of SNV in Nepal
Even though,
Madheshi women has been obviously excluded and are politically peripheral in the power structure since time immemorial and dominated by hill origin rulers reflecting well in the education, administration, economy, Judiciary- national legislation and police- army. The nominal representation in the candidates passing for gazetted post has been reveled from the fact that in 1984/85, the proportion of madheshi community in successful ones was only 8.5 percent and then this figure has also been drastically declined to 3.2% in 2000/2001 where as the Madhesh population has been increased 4.3 times during 1952/54 -2001 that is far greater than national increment (2.8 times)( Gurung 2006).
The major challenges of Madheshi women's violence i.e. there is rapid growth of un- accessibility in education, health, employment in one side and prevailing traditional belief of dowry system, preference of son in another side including the unpalatable work load of agriculture related work, household and reproduction responsibilities. These two situations have played a catalytic role in increasing the prevalence, intensity and severity of violence against madheshi women.
Violence Against women in Marginalized Madheshi community has been a sensitive issue for the planners and policy makers in Madhesh Region. Some works at national level have been carried out by the women-empowerment oriented agencies. Few of the works promoting the greater understanding the proposed problems under the study will have been reviewed.
2.3 Nepalese Contexts on Violence Against Women
Violence Against Women is a widespread in
The Nepal Human Development Report (2004 reinforces domestic violence to be a grave and unaddressed problem. But the government is still to enact a law to prohibit domestic violence and develop comprehensive legal and administrative measures to support women who have been abused in their own homes. Most perpetrators of domestic violence escape persecution under the Nepali criminal justice system. Though the National Human Rights Commission works actively on the issue, other human rights concerns in this war-torn country take precedence. Population Briefs, a newsletter of the Population Council (September 2005), reports a high level of physical abuse in homes among pregnant women in
Also, by law men are the sole inheritors of property. A law in 2002 did broaden women’s property rights but women cannot still sell, rent or otherwise transfer property without the consent of her spouse and sons. Little or no access to land restricts women’s ability to obtain credit, be financially independent and move out of violent relationships and homes.
Social, cultural, economic and religious factors reiterate male dominance and allow systematic discrimination and violence to pervade women’s lives. According to the Nepal Human Development Report 2004, women’s literacy rate is 35 per cent as compared 63 per cent for men; maternal mortality rates of Nepali women rank among the highest in the world; one out of every 185 women dies because of pregnancy and childbirth-related complications.
It is extremely difficult for a woman to prove that she is being abused within her home in
Chapter III
Research Methodology
3.1 Constraints and Considerations
In the process of designing the project on Violence Against Women in Madheshi Community (VAW- MC), an attempt has been made in selecting representative units from the known universe of Saptari District, Eastern Madhesh Region,
3.2 Study Design
Two types of study designs have been adopted for the selection of representative events, Target groups/Organizations and households occurring in multi-ethnic and religious groups of district population with the distinct spatial variation.
3.2.1 District headquarter- based information design
In the first round, district headquarter, Rajbiraj is entertained considering as research spatial unit where most of the relief and rescue places such as District Police Office, District court and District based I/NGO/GO such as Setu Samudaik, HUPEC and HUCODAN, are located and victims come into contact in getting rights or services of those incidents that has been occured in different parts of district areas such as settlements or communities related to VAW. Thus these district based offices are target organizations of violence related cases and victims to come into contact for relief and rescue in order to consume women human rights and welfare. VAW related data, facts and figures are recorded into case inventories sheets including its nature and status.
A) Case Inventory Sheet
Case inventory sheet that is prepared to record all possible existing incidents because of the fact that no factual numerical information regarding the record of different types of violence have been filed in Saptari district .Thus each and every search attempt is sought in order to find prevalence, intensity and severity of such violence occurred in the particular VDCs before doing in-depth study on specified VDCs. For this, following works are carried out:
Local newspaper one year back is scanned and picked out the number, types, place of event happened in Saptari district and doers of such incidents and filled up the Case Inventory Sheet –A given in Section-I of Appendix.
Illaka hospitals’ records of admission of victims are read out carefully and Case Inventory Sheet-B was filled up with those information (Section-I of Appendix).
The registered case of such events by Women's Cell of Nepal police in the district is reviewed and kept the record of such events in Case Inventory Sheet –C ( Section - I of Appendix).
The cases of victim women registered in the district court through the Women Cell have been reviewed and kept the record of such events in Case Inventory Sheet –D ( Section-I of Appendix )based on the prevalence, intensity and severity of violence occurred in the settlements of the district.
SETU SAMUDAIK, HUPEC and HUCODAN involved working in VAW have been intensively entertained with the aim of finding out the events occurred in the village (Case Inventory Sheet-E of Section-I, Appendix).
3.2.2 VDC- households based Information design
After the first round survey, case inventory sheets were completed based on the incidents happened in the past in different corners of the district and registered in different concerned offices. It guides to conduct the second round survey particularly in the selection of VDC where there are no any committees in order to look women’s violence. In this respect Women Committee Against Dowry has been formed by SETU SAMUDAIK Organisation and Para-legal Campaign Committee by HUPEC and Women rights and disputes mediation Committee by HUCODAN . but those vdcs having more prevalence and intensity of such incidence based on the nature, types and locations of settlements.
A) Selection strategy of sampled VDC in the district
Saptari district has the highest number of village development committees in the country (114) and so do the variability in different forms of such incidence. Aurahi VDC has been selected for household survey The followings are the major criteria considered in the selection of Aurahi VDC among the 114 VDCs in Saptari District.
• There are no any committees against women violence that have been formed till date by any organizations but highest prevalence, intensity and severity of incidence related to VAW-MC found in the first round survey.
• Diversified social–ethic groups such as Dalit,Janjati, middle cast , and higher class caste Brahmin/Chhetri were available
• Both religious groups: Hindu and Muslim are covered
B) Selection of sampled households/respondent from sampled VDC in Saptari district
The followings are the sampling strategy adopted to determine the sample size and its distribution among all social and religious groups identified mentioned above.
• Purposive sampling technique is adopted to select the household units from the VDC selected based on the criteria mentioned above.
• All together 100 households/respondents are entertained as the total sample size from the sampled VDC selected in the second round survey.
• Even though, 20 households/respondents from each five strata/layers of social-religious groups have been proposed to select as Quota sampling: Dalit, Janjati, middle caste, Brahmin/chhetri and Muslim, but due to unavailability of Brahmin/Chetri, its sample size was reduced to six only (Table 3.2.2).
• Snow-ball sampling procedure is adopted as the sample selection process to select victim/injured/ suffered women from specified groups/strata fixed in previous step.
Table 3.2.2: Distribution of total households and sample size
Social groups Castes Total households* Sampled households
1. Higher caste • Rajput,
• Brahman 6 6
2. Janjati • Tharu,
• Dhanuk 88 20
3. Middle caste • Teli, Baniya,
• Majhi, Rajdhob
• Kumhar, Yadav,
• Barhi , Hajam 318 30
4. Dalit • Khatwe,Dusadh,
• , Kami, Dom, Mushar
• Chamar 124 25
5. Muslim • Muslim 76 19
Total 612 100
*Voter List of VDC
3.3 Methods of Data Collection
Six methods of field data collection, namely observation, questionnaire, interview, focus group discussion, triangulation and key informants are used to suit the violence against women study objectives. Field observation and site visit is made in order to see the situation of such victim women in the society. Semi-structure and structure questionnaire are administrated to grasp the information regarding the socio-cultural- inherent characteristics of Madheshi women. The researcher have made interview with the stakeholders and target groups of the community with the pre-defined standard questionnaire.
3.3.1 Questionnaire survey
Questionnaire Survey is made to those respondents/households (100) selected above with filling up the standard questionnaire pertaining the objectives specified. Based on the questions are divided into three sections : root causing factors specifying socio-economic, cultural and demographic variables included attitudes and opinions; the effect of domestic violence on quality life of women and on children and preventive measures included reporting of one particular incident of VAW -MC. The questionnaire is comprehensive and easy to understand by both the interviewers and respondents. The questionnaire is pre-coded for the ease of computer processing and data analysis in SPSS.
3.3.2 Focus Group Discussions with agency involved in women's empowerment, welfare and right
In order to discuss and deliberate on the content and to exchange ideas and views of community people on the subject of VAW -MC, a half day-long focus group meeting is organized by the researcher herself. Women- teacher, women community worker and ward representatives, and health worker and representatives of various NGOs involved in working in related areas such as SETU SAMUDAIK, HUPEC and HUCODAN are entertained and actively participated in the focus group discussion. Focus Goup Discusion is made with two levels of organization groups: one is based on Community/village/settlement level or rural vdc and another is district level organization related to areas of VAW or urban. Focus Group Discussion is made with the community members/NGO members pertaining major causes, impacts, preventive measures, women participation and future needs of women community. Triangulation as a procedure of cross-checking is applied with the professionals, experts and women community worker, women representatives and beneficiaries groups in one place to make the true picture of violence incidents. The Government and Non-government Organisation working in favor of women rights and welfare protection and raised their voices against such events are undertaken in the Focus Group Discussion.
The organizations that are actively involved in women rights and welfare establishments in government and informal sectors at district level have been entertained in Focus Group Discussion (Photo 3.3.2) and the persons involved in excusitive bodies have been enlisted in Table 3.3.2
3.3.3 Survey of Key Informants and Case Studies
In addition to 100 filled questionnaires collected from the general respondent sample population and FGD, the research design also included interviews with members of the society most likely to come into frequent contact with VAW –MC cases and victims. Thus, community leaders, doctors, police officers and female lawyers are included in the survey as key informants (Photo 3.3.3). The researcher keeps some of the records of personal case studies events to complement the survey findings. The name and positions of key informants to whom discussion made have been given in Table 3.3.3.
Chapter IV
Nature and Forms of Violence Against Women
This chapter describes the nature, types and forms of violence against women in Madheshi Society. The analysis has been done on two ways: one is based on the district level information as such and another is sampled VDC, Aurahi. This has been essential for seeking the understanding of different types of violence incidence occurred against women empowerment
4.1 District Level NGO Based Information
Saptari as a district of Eastern Madhesh Region of
Human and Public Advocacy Center (HUPAC),Saptari is one of non-profit social organization basically operated its activities related to security system based Community Organization (Photo 3.3.2). Its major role is to formulate Para-Legal Committees at VDC and ward level of Saptari district in order to change women destiny through collective work for women rights preservation. Along with, this social organization also provides the training to committee members that have been formed in 22 VDCs of the Saptari District till date. Through these training, women are aware or getting knowledge about different types of legal measures mentioned in existing laws accordance the violence occurred against women. Table 4.1a shows the types of violence from which women in this district suffering from and such cases are filed to the concerned offices by HUPAC through the Para-legal committee working over the vdcs in Saptari District up to July, 2007. Facts presented in Table 4.1a clearly show that more than eighty-five percent of violence against women is related to family or domestic. These violence include polygamy, beating, scolding and disgracing of women in their own family basically happened by the family members particularly husband, brother of husband and father and mother in-laws. If spatial distribution concerns, it is found that Dharmpur and Kanchanpur VDCs located in east-north part of district has highest number of domestic violence.
Setu Samudaik is another social organization established four years back and conducted programs in 11 VDCs of district (Photo 3.3.2). These programs are basically related to against dowry that is deep seated social evil of the Madheshi Community in Saptari District. This community based organization has formed women groups against dowry practices in the society. Based on such sources Table 4.1b has been formed from the incidence of women violence cases filed to different concerned authority such as CDO,DSP office and District court in 2006 and 2007 June by the SETU Samudaik. Setu Samudaik filed cases one-third of total incidence that is related to rape of women considered as the extreme case of women social and personal prestige and stigma. A woman raped by more than a man is very severe has also been found in this district. If such types of rape case are analyzed by ethnically or socially, most of Dalit women are found as victims suffered.
Polygamy has been stood as second rank of violence case order that has constituted more than 20.0 percent of total women violence case filed by Setu Samudaik. Similarly Beating of wife has been seen as normal social practice that have been heard by many key informants in different sectors of social life such as education, health safety and security. Normal beating and verbal abuse were not recorded in any office and community. Only severe beating sometimes filed cases in human welfare organizations for their relief and rescue.
4.2 District Level GO Based Time Series Information
District Police Office, Saptari is most important government office in terms of dealing total violence occurred in district including women. Table 4.2 shows the incidence of violence against women recorded in the office at different time period. The period 2064/65 includes only four month’s record from Shrawan to Kartic of 2064 rather than whole year.
Table 4.2 exclusively indicates that suicide of women has been found as dominant type of women violence that ranges from 68.7 percent in 2064 to 88.6 percent in 2061. Second important form of the violence is rape of women cases registered in the office. Such type of violence has also been shown in highest in district based organizations. One of the remarkable fact is that polygamy as another form of women violence has not be filed case for the formal legal treatment even though it has been shown relatively higher in NGO based community organizations . It is due to mediating role of NGOs for the solution of these problems at community level rather than registering cases in concern government office. Time series data mentioned in Table 4.2 has shown the overall increasing trend of different types of women violence in Saptari district even though it has relatively low record in 2062. It is due to population increase and present condition of politics, economy and human development situation. It is great challenge for the community and the country to eliminate such violence through the adoption of proper mechanism.
4.3 Local Newspaper Based Information
Rajbiraj Today Dailly is the most popular local newspaper widely covered the local news of all types of violence happened in the local rural areas of the district as well. This newspaper of one year back from 2063, Kartik to 2064 Asoj(18 October,2006 to 17 October 2007) is thoroughly scanned by searching and picked out the incidence of women violence and filled up the Case Inventory Sheet- A( Section-I of Appendix and Photo 4.3).
Table 4.3: Types of violence against women
Psychological Violence (n=54,ƒ=7) Physical Violence (n=54,ƒ=44) Traditional practices
(n=54,ƒ=3)
• Sexual harassment in fair
• Money demand by Husband’s kidnapping
• Citizenship problem
• Force to suicide
• Torture • Murder
• Suicide
• Rape
• Beating
• Head injured
• Sexual exploitation
• Suicide by hanging
• Kidnapping
• Murder after rape
• Suicide by poison
• Gang rapping
• Severe attack on accusing of witchcraft
• Physical torture after kidnapping
• Affected by poison spread on crop
• Robbery of women’s ornaments
• Giving birth of a child after rape • Acquisition of witchcraft
• Polygamy rejecting Ist wife
Source: Rajbiraj Today Daily Newspaper
Table 4.3 has been prepared enlisting all types of women violence including its different nature. Altogether fifty-four cases representing women violence has been published in local newspaper that is assumed to only twenty percent of the total violence event occurred in the district. Out of three major types of violences, physical violence has been found as highest constituting more than 80 percent of the total women violence in the district. Remaining two types share only less than 20 percent of the total violence. Psychological and traditional types of violence have not been so much exposed upto the Newspaper level. It is adjusted in community and culture itself It is because of the Sensitive Issue in one side and Culture of Silence in other side.
4.4 Sampled VDC Level Information
Sample Survey at household level has been conducted to see the picture of violence after the district level information. Aurahi has been taken as sampled VDC and 100 households were taken as sample size with the varied number based on the ethnic, caste, social group and religion (Photo 4.4). Based on such sampled information, different types of violence have been analyzed in following ways.
4.4.1 Psychological Violence
Household survey clearly shows that eighty percent of the total respondents are in one way or another under the different types of violence. Only twenty percent reported that they are not suffering from any types and their forms of the women problem. Out of the eighty, sixty three are suffered from the different forms of psychological violence in which verbal abuse has been found as dominant one (52.4 percent) followed by mental torture (34.9 percent) ( Table 4.4.1)
4.4.2 Physical Violence
Physical violence has been reported as second type of
Physical Violence Sampled HH,
(n =80,ƒ=47)
Frequency Percent
Beating 21 44.7
Force to divorce 9 19.1
Force to go parent's house 8 17.0
Beating by drinking wine 9 19.1
women violence that shares more than fifty percent of total violence occurrence. Among different forms of physical violence, wife-beating is found as highest share. Such beating of women has been occurred due to the bad habit of alcohol item consuming by male. The male has forced some of the women to leave his house and compelled to live in their parent’s house and consume their resource and property rather than husband’s whenever the understanding between them has disturbed (Table 4.4.2).
4.4.3 Traditional Practices
Traditional practices Sampled HH,
(n =80,ƒ=54)
No Percent
Bonded labour 3 5.4
Accusation of Witchcraft 1 1.8
Polygamy 29 52.7
Dowry related violence 1 1.8
Untouchables 18 32.7
Being a single women 3 5.4
Polygamy in the sampled study area is reported as the most deep rooted social evil in the madheshi community that is scaled by the more than fifty percent of traditional violence suffered respondent and twenty nine percent of the total respondent surveyed (Table 4.4.3). Among 29 percent of the respondent, 22 percent has two wives and remaining has three wives.
Such problem of women has not been highlighted in the record of district based NGO such as HUPEC and Setu and also in the District Police Office and other concern offices. This problem has been occurred due to the weak economic condition and further traditional way of thinking. Box 4.4.3 shows how number of wives increased in hope of getting child after then the door of heaven will be opened for them.
Late H Gurung has stated that one of the deprived groups is Dalit who is marginalized from the main stream of the national development on the basis of caste. It has also been seen as social malady in the Madheshi community as in other communities in the country. Among the untouchable castes, Dom, Chamar, Dusadh and Khatwe are highly boycotted from the middle and higher social groups. Out of 25, eighteen respondents have reported that they are suffered from untouchability in spending their social life.
Chapter V
Factors and Causes of Violence Against Women
This chapter focuses an analysis of major-causes of violence against women inside and outside the family, in relation to women rights, welfare and empowerment for human resource development in the study area. Beside this, it also includes the violence process
5.1 Root causes of Violence Against Women
Every action must have a cause is well-known universal truth. Similar to this, these different forms of physical and social violence against women must have causes that have directly or indirectly influenced the incidence of violence. These driving factors or causes basically related to male personal prestige and its social stigma, social structure of society, traditional culture and practices. As other communities in the country, Madheshi is also one of them who do not open their mouth in spite of severe torture it is developed as culture of silence. Even though Madheshi women are symbol of silence against incidence of their torture, some of the root causes have been explored from different focus group discussion; interview of key informants; seminar and workshop against women violence reported in locally widely accepted newspaper. The followings are the root causes of violence against women, have been briefly explained
Most of literature makes the explanation and discussion of driving forces/ factors associated with the cause of violence. In this empirical research, the causing factors that compelled to occur such incidence in Madhesh region have been major objective to be explained and analyzed in order to reduce the magnitude and direction of such incidence of violence for making peaceful and violence less society
Table 5.1 shows the major factors/causes or problems of 80 sampled respondents out of 100, why they suffered from the violence either domestic or outside the family. The female respondent have been asked to identify reasons and rank three of them on the basis of the severity/intensity they perceived from the list of specified causes.
The driving factors or problems have then been weighted accordingly: in this case most intense factor that the victim woman perceives has been given the weight 3, the second most intense problem 2, and the third most intense problem 1. On this basis, a factor/ cause intensity index (FII) has been calculated, using the following formula (Dale 2004):
Factor Intensity Index = [( one x 3) + ( two x 2) + ( three x 1)/n
Where: one = frequency of the most intense factor
two = frequency of the second most intense factor
three = frequency of the third most intense factor
n = total number of the victim sampled respondent
Finally, the dominant factor/cause have been explored and shown in the last column. The lack of education and knowledge has been considered as most severe/intense factor among all those listed indicating the highest score of FII (2.00). Similarly, male chauvinistic attitude, economic problem and traditional practice are also found as the second (1.16), third (0.91) and fourth(0.57) most severe causes respectively by which the women in Aurahi VDC are severely suffered from different forms of psychological, physical and traditional violence.
The root- causing factors responsible for violence against women has been presented in Fig 5.1 illustrating how a husband enters into a many times marriage situation in which women have to tolerate/ bear the problems resulted from polygamy. Fig. 5.1 shows the various inducing factors pushing or affecting a man to commit multi-marriage and deteriorating of women socio-economic-health life in one side and decline of woman welfare & right in another.
The major driving forces induced to women violence have been explained in detail under sub-headings.
5.1.1 Lack of literacy and knowledge
Literate condition is the one of major indicator of knowledge and education in any society and region. In this respect, literacy condition of woman and her husband has to be explored and analyzed in micro-level and thus Table 5.1.1 has been depicted. This sampled VDC has wide spread of illiterate problem prevailing in rural people that is clearly indicated by the fact that 91 percent of sampled women is found to be illiterate and 14 percent is spending their life without husband as single woman (widow). If such fact is to be seen in case of their husband, it has been evident that more than 55 percent is illiterate. Thus illiteracy is explored as one of prime cause of women violence in rural madheshi community.
Polygamy cases that have been seen as social crime in this study area are the result of such ignorance of knowledge and education and in the belief of getting son as capital, number of wives have been increased so that the door of heaven will not be closed for them. Third wife was brought by a 60 yrs old man in order to have a son that was not given birth by previous two wives. Because of illiteracy, a large number of daughters have been given birth in hope of getting son.
The analysis of facts published in one year back Rajbiraj Today, Daily Newspaper reveals that more than 25 percent women violence particularly rape, sexual exploitation& harassment have been occurred due to the uncontrollable sexual temper of violent man and 20 percent was due to the robbery ,family conflict and ethnic clash
5.1.2 Patriarchal structure of society
Similar to Nepalese society, Madheshi community has been also dominated by male in form of husband, son, father-in-law brother-in-law etc. The decision either financial, social and resource use to run the family is not collective and cooperative but one- sided, male dominated. A single mistake committed by a wife, a mother or a girl has been a causal factor of their social, physical and psychological torture starting from verbal abuse to murder through different intensity of beating, scolding and disgracing. Woman was considered as a horse on which a male can ride whenever he likes to do rather than a life partner who can sometimes shows a bright way of family progress. Most of the women in Madheshi community are dependent in all respect of family development concern. Similar to Chinese proverb:
“ A wife married is like a pony bought;
I will ride her and whip her as I like”.
One of the proverbs traditionally practiced and still practising in Madheshi Community is
“ Dhol, Pashu Aur Nari,
E Sab Tajan Ke Adhikari”.
The traditional meaning of this proverb is that these three things Drum in Madhesh Dhol, Animal (Pashu) and woman (Nari) are subject to beating in order to control or rule over them. Most of women in this community are involved in domestic, household and indoor works such as cooking food, washing cloth, giving birth to child and caring it. They are rarely exposed to outside works in decision making, attending office,I/NGOs and establishing relation to other family, caste, religion, community and society. That is why the condition of Madheshi women is very worse than even in women of Dalit social group in Hilly region.
Two types of information have been analyzed in order to identy the patriarchal structure of the society in Terai as a major cause of violence against women: Household survey at VDC level and Newspaper based information at district level The dominancy of male has been reflected in different socio-economic activities of family requirements from fulfilling their basic need to family progress. Generally woman is not being asked to take the decision of any activities of their concern and also not allowed to participate in development program designed to benefit them. The mobility of a woman gets restricted by a vicious circle of threat to their purity and physical harm that is the same findings for overall communities in
Table 5.1.2 exclusively depicts the types of perpetrators who are involved in occurrence of women violence in the society. Even though the nature, forms and types of women violence reported in Newspaper are different in terms of intensity and magnitude from the household survey at VDC level ( Table 4.2 in Chapter IV, but in terms of perpetrators they are more or less same. The analysis at household level shows that 65 per cent of the perpetrators of violence against Madheshi women were reported as being from within the family, whereas only 35 per cent of the perpetrators were from outside the family. Such trend of pattern is similar with slight more (77 per cent) within the family and less (23 per cent) from outside the family in case of Nepalese women (Deuba & et al 1997). In the district, almost 15.0 percent violence has been done by the husband of victim women only, where as such figure seemed to be more in case of VDC level (48.75 percent). Similarly for 25 percent of the total women violence, community people are responsible for doing this incidence. One of the remarkable positive correlations has been explored in both sets of data for supporting each other.
5.1.3 Economic problem
All types of the violence either domestic or beyond the family have been basically rooted in economic condition of the society, community, religion and caste and particular household they suffer. Madheshi community in the country has been obviously suffered from the regional marginallisation since Rana rule not only in politics but also in economic structure. Such fact has been proved by reflecting the per capita income surved by The Nepal Standard Living Survey-II,2001. It has provided the latest information by caste/ethnic groups. The Newar ranks highest with an average per capita income of Rs 38,193 followed by high caste( Rs.24,399), Janjati( Rs.15,630), the Dalit(Rs.12,114) and the Muslim ranks lowest at Rs.11,014. It has clearly stated that Terai Janjatis(Rs 12,467) have lower average per capita income than Hill Dalit(Rs. 13,340) and Terai Dalit(Rs.10,889) are worse off than Muslim( CBS 2003) and It has been obviously concluded that the large number of Madheshi communities such as Yadav, Koiri, Teli, Gupta, Kanu Kalwar which are neither included in Janjati nor Dalit but called as Other Backward Castes(OBC) not falling in higher castes also are worst off than all above social groups.
Weak economic condition has been positively correlated with the incidence of violence against women that has been reflected in food sufficiency of the sampled respondent’s households. Table 5.1.3 & Fig 5.1.3 exclusively explains the fact that relatively more sampled respondent’s households are under the problem of food sufficiency than those non suffered .More than 50 percent respondents reported that they have their own food resource sufficient only for three months of the year. Chi-square test proved that there is significant dependency of incidence of violence against women on their situation of food sufficiency throughout the year.
5.1.4 Traditional culture and practices
Dowry and witch craft are major root causes of violence occurrence against women reported by many key informants in the field of health, justice and social workers in Saptari. These social evils are deep seated since long time in Madheshi community. Having son in this community has been perceived as wealth of that family and daughter as loan or deficit. They have positive attitude towards son’s education and health and in the same time it is negative for daughter. In marriage practice, bridegroom has been sold in cash by the hand of bridge’s father. One to five lakh NRs. was found in transition of such selling and buying of bridegroom for bridge. Some cases were reported related to wife murder event happened by family members because of the fact that she did not bring sufficient amount of dowry from her fathers’ house (Box 5.1.4).
Witch craft is another social and cultural evil practiced since longtime in Madheshi community. Most of people in western world thought that witch craft is traditional belief or religious superstition and actually it is not in society. But such Tantra Mantra or TUNA MUNA is still prevailing in society and many of people and animal have been died by this practice and still many people are being suffered. Such feelings have also been felt by the researcher herself during field survey. It is one of divine powers through which every evil work is being done to harm other person and property. Many cases were found related to acquisition of witch craft and women were suffered by mental and physical torture.
5.1.5 Lack of legal measures of violence protection
Legal measures are not sustainable and strong reported by the lawyers involved in Appeal and District Court of Women Cell in Saptari district. Punishment in terms of physical and financial is very nominal with respect to the nature, types and intensity of crime done by male to the female. Similarly punishment for the rape and murder of women are nothing but 5 to 10 yrs imprisoned rather than death penalty. Similarly in case of Witchcraft, there is no any legal options mentioned in existing constitution and it is very difficult to prove the person of accusation of witch craft.
In my career, I have seen many laws for establishing human rights but did not see that it is only one month imprisoned punishment for a man when he commits polygamy that is increased up to three years now, even it is not sufficient
- A legal practitioner
Most of the perpetrators from high social class and so called community leaders know most of legal options and its rate of penalty in different crime before doing that. But poor madheshi women are very far from the knowing of this legal treatment basically due to the lack of literacy and poor economic condition. Thus it has been emphasized by concerned key informants that legal aspect of violence against women should be strong based on written rule, laws and other options in Constitution.
Beside the adequacy of legal measures for the protection of violence against women, there is more discriminating laws against the women right protection still prevailing in the present constitution. Some of the them are as follows (DFID 2006):
• The rape of married woman technically creates an end of the family relation, because the husband is considered as an ex-husband by laws.
• Definition of Hakwala(owner) includes seven generations on the male side only rather than female.
• Tenancy right is transferable only to an unmarried daughter after she attains the age of 35 years.
Some of these discriminatory laws prohibit the utilization of women right and not strengthening them rather to increase vulnerable situation for the male dominated society.
5.1.6 Maoist Revolution and armed underground conflict group
Women in Madheshi community were very much affected by the Maoist revolution and under going existing conflict of different groups such as Terai Jantantrick Mukti Morcha Goit and Singh group, Cobra group, Virus group Nagraj group. President of single women group in Saptari district claimed through her paper in an interaction program that 86 women have been singled due to murder of their husbands by the existing ongoing struggle of Madheshi and Maoist movement.
Local Newspaper Rajbiraj Today has recorded that armed conflict violence includes all most 8 percent of total women violence in the last one year (Table 5.1.2)
Chapter VI
Effects of Violence on Women’s Life and Family and
Its Preventive Measures
In order to have a better understanding of the present scenario of women in madheshi community for protection of women rights ,this chapter begins with the analysis of consequences resulted from all types of psychological, physical and traditional practices. The other section deals with the preventive measures of violence against women.
6.1 Effects of Domestic Violence on Women development
There are many consequences of the violence against women on their different facets of life such as education, health and empowerment outside the society. Women in Madheshi community are not empowered since long time ago. They are very much depressed, unhealthy and dissatisfied towards the family, community and society. More than 36 percent of women in Saptari are suffered from falling of uterus that is reported by one of mediation persons in a district level workshop. If such analysis has to be done with respect to social and income groups, it was found that most of low income groups and Dalit are basically suffered. More than 85 percent of illiterate women, 46 percent of wage labor and 33 percent of those aged between 20-25 women were suffered from such falling of uterus disease.
One of key executive members of Setu Samudaik claimed in a seminar that in the name of dowry elimination, the inter-caste marriage without the acceptance of her father/guardian, 75 percent women’s family life is not success & suffered from painful actions. It has been reported that 50 percent of women have been trafficked in the name of self-determination of love marriage crossing over the caste. 56 percent of women have been suffered from domestic violence.
Within last two years, 66 percent women are victimized by the existing under-ground rebellion acts conflicts and remaining by the government army.
The major effects of violence on the women of the study area, Aurahi VDC occur through the negative changes in the personal carrier development, family progress interruption and social interaction with the community people. Regarding this perspective during the field survey, the victim respondents were asked how they mark the effects of violence in their intensity order of socio-economic and community life and basic human right and then explored the empirical findings. Intensity order of effects of VAW has been developed in order to identify the major aspects of quality of life in which the violence affect. The structure of this index is the same as used in identifying the root causes of VAW in Chapter V.
Fig 6.1: Effects of violence on individual victim, family &child & society
• Exclusion of family from society
• Difficult in practicing social behavior
• Place of happing incidence is blamed
• Marriage conflict
• Interruption of child development
• Economic loss of family
• No participation in decision making process
• Creating many conflicts in a family having more than a wife
• Unhappiness
• Feeling insecurity
• Leaving husband’s house
• Become mentally depressed
• Living with hunger, clothless & shelterless
• Unhealthy life
• Blaming of infecund
• Illiteracy
• Unempowerment
• Commit suicide
• Physical impairment
• Become helpless
Finally, the major areas of their effects for women right protection have been explored and shown in the last column of Table 6.1 and Fig 6.1 Unhappiness is explored highest intensity of effect they think among all those listed. This is supported by the highest score of EII (1.8). Similarly beside this, other five affected aspects have been explored from this analysis. They are becoming mentally disturbed, negative impact on child care, feeling of insecurity, emerging socio-cultural conflict and leaving husband’s home identified on the basis of higher score of EII as compared to average value (0.37) of all items mentioned in Table 6.1 The effects of Violence Against women listed in a large number as responses of basic women right have been grouped as the critical concern of all terain women and explained in detail under sub-headings. The grouping of all effects includes barrier of personnel carrier development, Interruption of family progress and emergence of social cultural conflicts.
6.1 .1 Barrier in personnel carrier development of a woman
In terms of basic human right conservation, women in Madheshi culture were very much badly affected in their personal carrier development. Such affected areas were reflected in indicators of human development that is crucial concern of human right strenghting agencies. One of the far most indicators is adult literacy. In this matter, the sampled survey clearly shows that 91 percent of women are illiterate that is far less than their husband (51.0 percent) in the same community (Table 5.1.1). If the occupational structure of these affected women is concern, it is found to be 3.1 percent who involved in government services at most as primary teacher and remaining are compelled to survive as wage labor particularly agriculture labor. Only 28.0 percent were in their own farming and household’s work. More than 70 percent victim women are under financial dependency.
The matter reflected in Box 6.1.1 and Photo 6.1.1 is the example of extreme effect of domestic violence created by family members. Not only this, 20 percent of women who are suffering from polygamy as the traditional practices had to leave their husband home and spending their life in their own parent place. How a married woman became nun (locally Sanyansi) from the event of polygamy in stead of spending peaceful life with her husband, has been truly reflected in Box 4.1.3
6.1.2 Interruption of family development
Lack of opportunities for personal development of a woman, the family progress and prosperity were not possible to develop where most of illiterate women are there in Madheshi community. It is told that mother is the first teacher of the school. The illiterate women were not asked to share the decision in family level decision making process. Socio-economic decision for family operation is only up to husband, son and parent-in-laws. It can be imagined how bad situation will be for those forcedly excluded from the family with a daughter of one year( Photo 6.1.2) .The major effect has been seen in the interruption of child development in terms of their proper education and health to be provided. These victim women are suffering from the livelihood problem for caring their son. They have neither filed the case legally so that they would get the share in husband’s property nor they have any job to solve the problem of food, fiber and shelter. Most of the victim women, are having a common husband, is compelled not to file the case under polygamy provision due to the social prestige and pressure. It seems natural in one side after the divorce, she will not have anyone to look after and she also is not independent in terms of financial situation. But it never is accepted on human welfare ground.
6.1.3 Emergence of socio-cultural conflict
Most of the victim women thought that response made by them against violence either occurred by husband or parent-in-laws are not accepted by the community people and such family people would not be looked by good eyes and but it is blamed. One of the community leaders regarding polygamy has expressed as below:
“ Mard Ke Dash Shrimati
Jana Brahama ke Dash Mukh”.
- Traditional Community Leader
It has been meant by the speaker that the husband ( locally called Mard) can able to drive up to ten (dash) wives like a Brahama(God) is having ten mouths( Mukh).
Beside domestic violence or beyond the family, some socio-cultural violences were also found in the sample survey. It is occurred between the touchable and non-touchable higher castes. Basically it was found with the Dom, Chamar, Mushhar and Bantar.
6.1.4 Health condition of women
VDC level sample survey indicated that 14 percent victim women are found as widow or single women. Their husband has died due to either health disease or social conflict. These single women are under the health disease stress. They can not solve this problem due to economic failure and their ignorance about health education.
If the district level information is concern, 48 percent women are affected by uterus falling that figure is 12 percent more than the neighboring district, Siraha. Such information is delivered by a mediating person, Rai in the workshop on Reproduction Right of Women
Single woman is very much affected by the acquisition of witchcraft and it is superstition widely practiced in the district that when a woman become widow then her dead husband will come and bite his wife in bad manner. Based on such belief, family members exploited widow sexually in the name of Tant and its treatment. In a conference on Single Woman, chairman of single woman association claimed that social security has to be ascertained in order to prevent such violence against woman.
6.2 Preventive Measures of Violence Against Women
“Prevention is better than Cure” is the proverb, widely accepted in health science and it can also be extended to the security science. All attempts either by government or society and community should be towards the prevention of the violence against the poor women rather than searching the possible ways to overcome the incidence of violence. The following measures have been forwarded to prevent the incidence of violence against women.
6.2.1 Adult literacy program
VDC level household survey may not be conclusive whatever the fact and figure have brought out regarding the violence against women for the strategy to be developed for the elimination of such violence. But one thing it is clear that such survey is must for the indication of events where and in what direction it is going on. In this respect, based on the women illiteracy (more than 90 percent) explored from the empirical research, Adult literacy program should be implemented in order to make them capable to read and write the simple books/booklet regarding violence incidence. It will help to protect the women from getting the advantage of their illiterate condition in most of the place such as government office and their working places where they do as wage labour, household labour and agriculture labour.
6.2.1 Mass awareness program
Saptari is one of peculiar districts in the country with respect to having the highest cases filed to the different concern officies. Among these cases, the violence against women is not less. In this stream, one of advocates says that as there are no special legal provisions to handle the case of witch craft, he feels that Mass/ Public awareness is the best solution. Mass awareness program should be conducted in two ways: one is regarding the importance of quality of life, human rights, women empowerment and another is against the social maladies such as dowry and witch craft. Such mass awareness program should also be designed for the male side because of the fact that most of the women killer explored from the empirical research are nobody but male.
6.2.3 Income generation program
Significant dependency of violence occurrence has been found on economic condition of poor madheshi women. Thus in orders to support the economic condition, income generation programs have to be operated to reduce the poverty situation and then economic dependency on the land owner and the employee. It will help to protect from those conditions where there is exploitation in the name of economic support to the poor.
6.2.4 Social security mechanism
From the key informants: lawyer, security staff, medical person and focus group discussion with the NGO, local newspaper based information and household survey, they all emphasized that women inside the family and beyond the family were not feeling safe and they are exclusively exploited by the family member and the community people. The situation of incidence forced them to suicide themselves. Thus social security mechanism should be developed in order to reduce the insecure feeling and empower them to protect the incidence against perpetrator.
6.2.5 Legal Measures Provision and its strict implementation
One of the remarkable facts that have been explored is the belief and faith of the victim women. Their faith towards the legal treatment of incidence of violence is gradually decreasing. In the answer of the question why they are not reporting the incidence of violence is the lack of trust in the law enforcing agencies and they are seemed as hopeless persons, power less and linkless to security and legal agencies. Thus their faith towards this is must to be raised not by creating controversial articles of law but by pure implementation in actual sense and practices. There must be visual impact of the treatment either by legal justice or by police that victim could see herself and let their communities see what is the effect of bad doing .
One of the significant laws and its provision that has been left in our Constitution is the law against witchcraft. The event remains in our society even though it seems as superstition by the concept of western world even though its fact and figure is challenge to come out. It is deep rooted associal malady and its legal provision has to be mentioned in Laws.
6.2.6 Regularity of Para-legal Committees at VDC level
Para-legal committee is one of the community-based efforts supported by UNICEF since 1999. Initially it was introduced as the part of anti-trafficking project in the UNICEF Country program of 1997-2001. Based on the review of the project, it was expanded to address all forms of violence, abuse and exploitation of children and women. Since 2002 UNICEF promoted VDC Para-legal committee as the core of violence in the approach of DACAW. These committees were repositioned as an integral part of District Protection System linking them with various support services providers, government agencies and NGOs at district level. Para-legal committee is a community-based security system performing four major activities: prevention, early detection, case follow-up and monitoring/reporting. These committees are the best medium for changing deep-rooted conservative beliefs and norms by raising awareness among the people in the community. Victim women and children of this district were benefited free legal aid by these committees. Mediation as an essential part of crisis management without letting the parties going to court is the prime task of Para-legal committees.
Presently this program is run as a project, but based on their previous work it should be turned into regular work by establishing a mechanism by the local authority under the Self Governance Act.
Chapter VII
Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations
7.1 Major Findings
7.1 .1 District level
• Saptari located in the eastern terai region of
• Saptari district is found having dominant form of physical violence in comparison to psychological and traditional practices representing more than 80 percent in total incidence of violence against women.
• Rape, suicide, murder, sexual harassment, robbery and kidnapping are widely spread among the different forms of physical violence in the district in which rape is found severe that shares more than 18 percent included more than 9 percent of gang rape raped followed by suicide (15 percent) murder (11.2 percent), sexual harassment (7.5 percent), robbery (7.4) and kidnapping(5.8 percent).
• Uncontrollable sexual temper and social conflict were identified as root-causes of rape and sexual harassment where as family conflict, dowry, unsimilar caste marriage, politics and sexual interest were the prime causes explored for the incidence of murder in the district.
• Husband, state police force and armed conflict groups are found involved as perpetrators in the incidence of murder of women, in general 15.0 percent, out of total perpetrators of violence incidence are no body but their husband only. Community male members are identified as Rapist in the district incidence.
• The women from other backward castes (OBC), Dalit and Janjati are in rank order of mostly affected social groups by the incidence of violence that constitutes 31.0 percent, 24.0 and 20.0 percent respectively. Dalits are found as highest at risk social group in terms of extreme type of violence such as rape, suicide and murder as compare to others. Beating of wife, getting injured, citizenship problem and sexual exploitation are relatively found more in other social groups. If caste/ethnic concern, Brahmins are more hazardous not by extreme nature of violence but by other form of social maladies such as robbery, kidnapping, getting injured by family clash and polygamy.
• Sixty-nine percent of the total incidence occurred in the district are age specific to the range from 10 -29 yrs of victim women and rape ,suicide and murder have been confined to this same age group in which most of the Dalit women are suffered.
• With respect to spatial distribution of incidence of violence against women, rural areas located in eastern part of the district for example Fatepur, Sakarpura and Portaha are found as relatively more concentration of such incidence as compared to the other areas of the district. Rajbiraj as headquarter of the district is not less in this concern.
• In response to temporal situation, from 2061 BS and onward, its trend has been gradually increasing that constitutes only 30 percent of incidence that occurred in the district is registered in the District Police Office.
7.1.2 VDC level
• Out of hundred respondents interviewed in household survey, 80 percent women are under the stress of violence in which 14 percent are single women/widow.
• VDC level sample survey reveals that psychological violence and traditional practices are major forms of violence relatively prevailing more in rural areas than that of physical one. It is quite reverse than those in Newspaper based information. It supports the fact of cultural silence
• Verbal abuse is found as dominant form of psychological violence that constitutes 52.0 percent followed by mental torture (34.0 percent). Beating of the wife is identified as most severe form of physical violence representing 45.0 percent of the total physical violence. Similarly polygamy and untouchables are the deep-rooted social maladies that shares 53.0 percent and 33.0 percent respectively. Polygamy that is less exposure in the district level sources such as Newspaper, NGO & the government office support the character of Madheshi women as commonly accepted social practices.
• If it is come into across the social groups, Dalit is found at high risk that constitutes 24 percent followed by other backward caste group (22.0 percent) and Muslim (15.0 percent and Janjati (14.0 percent). Beyond the psychological violence in general Janjati is suffered more by physical where as Dalit is by traditional practices.
• Lack of literacy and knowledge, patriarchal structure of society and traditional culture and practices are identified as root-cause of different forms of incidence of violence against women in the sampled VDC.
• More than 90.0 percent sampled women are illiterate, more than 50 .0 percent are under the starvation or threat of food material throughout the year and only one percent is employed in government job, more than 40.0 percent are engaged in ancient deficit agriculture ,10.0 percent in traditional occupation and reaming are in wage labor. These facts and figure are crucial for accelerate the incidence of violence against madheshi women directly or indirectly.
• The present constitution has lacking off sufficient regulatory legal measures with respect to social maladies like acquisition of witchcraft in one side and even existing laws and regulations are discriminative supporting the male dominancy in patriarchal structure of madheshi society.
• Barrier in personnel carrier development of a woman, interruption of family and child development, emergence of socio-cultural conflicts, unhealthy condition of woman are major effects or consequences of violence in Madheshi society.
• Women rights, welfare and powers in madheshi society are in getting down and have to be empowered for the establishment of equitable classless society.
• Adult literacy programm, mass awareness programm , income generation program social security mechanism and regularity of Para-legal committees at VDC level are the sustainable measures in order to prevent the incidence of violence against women in madheshi society.
7.2 Policy Recommendations
The findings of the present research will have important and relevant policy implications in order to formulate policy, program and strategy for women development of Madheshi Community. Although Saptari as one of the districts of entire Terai or Madhesh region including a case study of Aurahi Village Development Committee, a small part of Madhesh has been taken for the sample study, the findings will have a wider substantial relevance to adopt preventive strategy of violence against women and its empowerment strategy and policy development. Basing on the research findings, the following recommendations are put forward with regard to women led equitable human society establishment and Madhesh development.
7.2.1 Policy related to Women Empowerment
Women in Madheshi community do not get chance & opportunities to exercise and consume their human rights, skills, knowledge and power because of the unfavorable characteristics of the society itself such as forceful attack on women, gender biased traditions, superstition and mental stress based culture, feudalistic mentality of men, social insecurity, restricted mobility. Empowerment of Madheshi women is an essential task for the central government including madhesh federal state that is prime agenda of newly federal democratic republican,
• Formation of women groups based on economic activities
Women in rural Madhesh are totally lacking off their groups in order to express their difficulties facing inside home and beyond the family. Women groups on varied economic activities should be formed under the provision of self-governance act for the generation of collective power against social maladies such as wife-beating, drunkenness, anti-alcoholism and personal health problems in one side and become financial independent through skill and knowledge exchange based on economic activities promotion.
• Active participation in community-based development decision
Women’s participation in community’s concern issues is found negligible assuming that attending meetings is wholesale authority of male i.e. father-in-law, husband or son. Thus provisions of active participation in decision-making process of community problems such as health- sanitation, improvement of trails, road and sewage, formation of embankment and plantation, irrigation and construction and improvement of temple and monastery buildings should be made under self-governance act. Such participation enables them to express their skill, knowledge and views against curbing, gambling and domestic violence and child marriage - labor in one side and compelling their husband to involve households chores giving their wives time to attend meetings.
• Guaranteed of mobility in safe environment
Women in Madheshi community are fully prohibited or restricted from moving beyond the confines of their village in the name of their purity and physical harm; the possibilities of their interacting with outsiders usually made them gossip. Thus their mobility beyond the home such as visiting government offices, health centers and CBOs should be made by guaranteeing the social security. Such mobility enriches their capacity, knowledge accordance the problem facing and enables them to spend their own life style as an independent person.
• Ascertaining the rights over the resources
Women in Madheshi community do not have socio-cultural rights and control seen in practices over the resource and properties they own. The family decisions either financial or resource based is basically limited to household head usually male as a bonafied earning member. Thus the provision of women’s access, rights and control over the resource should be made in such a way that each and every decision about potential long-term socio-economic activities such as launching a small enterprise, vegetable farming, pursuing credit, purchasing gold and land, selling agriculture product and children’s school enrollment and attendance have to be made by consulting their wives in safe environment. Such process enhances the economic empowerment of rural poor women in Madheshi community.
7.2.2 Policy Related to Rehabilitation of Victim of VAW
After the occurrence of the incidence, victim should be provided relief and rescue for overcoming the injures on the background of humanity and welfare. The following important points are put forward based on the suggestions derived from field study at district as well as VDC level.
• Victim support program
Victim support package should be developed at local level planning units under the provision of self-governance act. Such program should include emotional - legal counseling, safe houses and shelters, prompt access to medical and police service, crisis intervention including offenders and other family members of the victim.
• Establishment of women cell in concern office with sufficient training and orientation
It was found during the interaction & focus group discussion with the key informants that there were lack of separate women cell in District -
• Strengthening legal measures
The public thinking on prompt legal actions towards law enforcing agencies as characterized as After Death Doctors has to be raised up to the substantial level by establishing the Family Court for expediting arbitration of such cases.
• Controlling measures for drunkenness and alcoholism
The bad habit of consuming alcohol even in the rural areas has been rapidly increasing due to the creation of small market centers and globalization impacts of urbanization and then their effects on increased incidence of violence. Such users should be strictly banned by awareing them showing their negative impacts on human health.
• Development of network on VAW
The Network of Violence against women should be developed at National level, Federal state level and local level by making the triangulation of MOH, MOE, M0H and NGOs , lawyers & medical practitioners association for building of collective efforts for overcome of grief’s of victims.
• Expansion the support of NGOs and CBOs
Setu Samudaik,HUPAC and HUCODAN are the non-profit NGOs working in favor of victim suffered from domestic violence, child marriage and labor. These NGOs should be expanded by supporting financial aid all over the Village Development committees in the district.
References
CBS/NG, 2004,
CBS/HMG, 2005,
CSRC, 2003, Land Rights in
Deuba ,A.R & et.al. 1997. A situation Analysis of Violence: Against Women and Girls in
Deuba ,A.R & et.al. 2001. A situation Analysis of Violence: Against Women and Girls in
Dale , Reidar 2004. Development Planning Concepts and Tools for Planners, Managers and Facilitators Zed Books Ltd,7 Cynthia Street London,NI 95E and Room 400,175 Fifth Avenue, New York,NY 10010,USA.
DFID, 2006, Unequal Citizens : Gender Caste & Ethnic Exclusion in Nepal, Summary A copublication of The World Bank and the Department For International Development,UK, Kathmandu, P.O. Box 106.
FWLD & UNICEF 2006. "Sahayogi Pustika Foundation for Women & Law Development.l
Gurung, H 2006. "From Exclusion to Inclusion: Socio-Political Agenda for
Gurung, H 2006. Social Inclusion and
Gurung, H 2005. "Trident and Thunderbolt: Cultural Dynamics in Nepalese Politics" presented at Conference on the The Agenda of Transformation:Inclusion in Nepali Democracy,
INSEC 2005. Nepal Human Rights Year Book Informal Service Centre, Kalanki Rudra tar,
SIRF, 2007. "From Exclusion to Inclusion: Socio-Political Agenda for
UNDP. 2004.
UNDP/NPC. 2004.
Jodha.N.S.1992. Mountain Perspective And It's Utility: A framework for Development Strategies. The Himalayan Review Vol.
Yadav .R.P.2006. Madhesi: A Disadvantaged Social Group The Organisation Vol. 9 Issue 2 April-June 2006 Organisation Development Centre Inc(ODC Inc. kathmandu ,
Appendix
Section-I
Case Record Inventory Sheet: A (local newspaper)
(This sheet is used to keep the record of incidence of violence against women in the district, Saptari that are published in local newspaper at district headquarter, Rajbiraj)
S.N. Date of incidence occurred Name, caste, ethnic of victim Address of victim Nature, types of incidence Name, caste, ethnic of perpetrator Legal steps implemented
1.
2.
3.
Case Record Inventory Sheet: B ( Health post and Zonal hospital)
(This sheet is used to keep the record of incidence, violence against women from health post, sub-health post and zonal hospital, Rajbiraj where victims admitted after the incidence for rescue, relief and treatment)
S.N. Date of admission Name, caste, ethnic of victim(patient) Address of victim(patient ) Nature, types of incidence How happened: Accident or Incidence Status of patient: improved or Not
1.
2.
Case Record Inventory Sheet: C (Local police office or Women cell in district police office)
(This sheet is used to keep the record of incidence violence against women in the district/vdc, Saptari from police office in local level or women cell in district police office at district headquarter, Rajbiraj)
S.N. Date of admission Name, caste, ethnic of victim Address of victim Nature, types of incidence Name, caste, ethnic of perpetrator Status of legal steps implemented
1.
2.
Case Record Inventory Sheet: D (District Court)
(This sheet is used to keep the record of cases related violence against women filed in the VDC office or district court, Saptari at district headquarter, Rajbiraj)
S.N. Date of case filed Name, caste, ethnic of victim Address of victim Nature, types of cases Name, caste, ethnic of perpetrator Legal steps processed
1.
2.
3.
Case Record Inventory Sheet: E (I/NGOs)
(This sheet is used to keep the record of incidence violence against women dealt by the AMA SAMUH or district based NGOs, at district headquarter, Rajbiraj)
S.N. Date of incidence occurred Name, caste, ethnic of victim Address of victim Nature, types of incidence Name, caste, ethnic of perpetrator Legal steps implemented
1.
2.
Section-II
Questionnaire for household survey on
Violence against women:
A case study of ……..Village Development Committee in Saptari district,Eastern Terai Region
(The study is conducted with the aim of exploring nature, type, the root causes, and consequence of violence against the women in Saptari district. Individual information is confidential and will not be released to any person or organization. The gathered data will be quantitative /qualitative analyzed and used for research purposes only)
Q1. Background Information
V.D.C. …………………… Ward No. ………… House No. ………… Village ………… Name of the respondent ………………………………………….. Religion ……………Ethnic/caste ……………… Dalit /Janjati/ middle caste/Brahmin/ Chhetri…………….
Total No. of Family ………… Male ………… Female …………
Total cultivated land in kattha……………………………………….
Q2. Demographic Information
S. No. Relation with HH Sex Age Marital Status Occupation Education level
Primary Secondary
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Q3. Emigration Information:
Have your family members gone abroad ? 1.Yes………………2.No ...................
S.N Name Relation with victim Destination Age Sex Marital
status Education Contact process Time spent in destination
Telephone letter
1
2
3
Q4. How long have you been married and what types?
Time period ( yrs) 1.Wife………………… 2. Husband ……………………………
Types of marriage 1.Arranged………………2. Others …………………………
Q5. Would you specify your present marriage frequency including your husband also?
A). Husband : 1st……………2nd……………………..3rd ……………………….
B). Wife : 1st……………2nd……………………..3rd ……………………….
If it is not your first marriage, please specify the major causes:
a) Death of the first husband b) dowry related issue c) lack of children preferably son. d) fall in others’ love e) Others
Q6. Would you tell the expenditure (amount) spent by your parent in your present marriage?
Total :………………………………………………………………
a) dowry(Tilak):…………………………b)decoration ………………………..
c)guest(Janti) service………………………… d)girls item………………………….
Q7. Would you tell the food situation of your family with respect to your production?
a) Insufficient around the year b) sufficient c) surplus
If it is deficit, specify the magnitude in months: a) 1-3 b) 1-6 c) 1-9 and c)1-12
Q8. Would you like to mention the major occupation of your own and your husband?
Husband (please ) Occupation Wife (please )
1 Farming 1
2 livestock 2
3 Poultry 3
4 Small scale business work 4
5 Sewing & weaving 5
6 Wage labor 6
7 Foreign employment 7
8 Household work 8
9 Others 9
Q9. Would you like to mention the economic status of your own and your husband in terms of economic dependency?
A). Husband: 1 economically dependent……………2 economically independent
A).Wife: 1 economically dependent……………2 economically independent
Q10. Did you suffer from any incidence of violence in your own life?
i) Yes ………..ii) No…………….
If yes, please specify the form of incidence, its perpetrator and its cause
Psychological Violence (please ) Perpetrator specific cause (please mention)
1.Mental torture
2.Emotional torture
3.Verbal abuse
4.Sexual harassment in the work places
5.Forced to commit suicide
6. Force to divorce
Other (specify)……………..
Physical Violence
1.Beating
2. Burning
3.Sexual Exploitation
4.Torture in police custody
5.Abortion
7.0ther(specify)……………
Traditional practices
1.Bonded Labour
3.Accused of Witchcraft
5.Forced Abortion
6.Polygamy
7.Dowry/related violence
8.Untouchability
9.Others……………………
Perpetrator:
Husband……1 family member……2 Community…..3 Out of community……4
Q11. What is the root causes of such incidence of violence mentioned in Q10?. Specify in intensity order: 1(first), 2(second) and 3(Third) ?
a) Lack of education & knowledge…………….. b) Male chauvinistic attitude
c) Economic problem……………d) Traditional culture………e) others……
Q12. What are the consequences of such incidence of violence mentioned in Q10?.
Effect of violence on women(please ) Effect of violence on women(please )
Feeling of insecurity Physical impairment
Unhappiness Irresponsible towards family progress
Negative psychological impacts Leaving husband’s house
Loss of interest in career development Commit suicide
Become mentally disturbed Others (specify)
Negative impact on child care
Q13. What are the effects of such incidence of violence mentioned in Q10 on family development? Specify in intensity order: 1, 2 and 3?
a) Interruption of child development…………….. b) Economic loss
c) Disturbance of women progress……d) Loss of social prestige ………e) others……
Q14. Do you take /report any actions to possible place/authority against the incidence of violence happened with you for rescue and relief?
a) Yes………..1 b) No ……..2
If yes, to whom you report
Rescue & relief place/authority (please ) Rescue & relief place/authority (please )
Report to community leader Respond verbally/physically
Social worker Seek help from Local Political Leaders
Ignore the incident Seek help from CBOs i.e. AMA SAMUH
Tolerate it quietly Report to police
Inform relatives/friends Others (specify)
File the case
Q15. If you don’t report, what are the factors/causes that prohibit victims to perform actions against such violence of incidence in the family/society?
Factors/causes prohibiting actions against
incidence of violence (please ) Factors/causes prohibiting actions against
incidence of violence (please )
Financial dependency Social pressure, e.g. family prestige
Lack of education Negative attitude of concerned authorities
No link/power to concerned places Unable to report and no helping person
Tradition/Culture Lack of trust in the law enforcing agencies
To keep marriage intact for children Attitude of male domination
No place to go to/ Lack of support systems Others (specify)
Fear of repercussions or reaction
No power/link to concerned authorities
Q16 What is your opinion on reporting and tolerating any physical and traditional violence occurred in the family/community?
Physical violence to be reported (please ) Traditional to be tolreted(please )
Strongly agree Strongly agree
Agree Agree
Disagree Disagree
Strongly disagree Strongly disagree
Don’t know Don’t know
Q17. How do you prefer to have the means of protection and support for the victims of violence in the community?
Preferred Types (please ) Preferred Types (please )
Crisis intervention services Safe house provision
Emotional Counseling Awareness programme
Family mediation Victim support programme
Legal counseling Improvement of laws & restrictive provisions
Free legal service Economic support
Hotline telephone service Others
Medical service facility
Q18 What are your suggestions to prevent/eliminate the incidence of violence from our community/ society? (Priority order)
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Section III
Focus Group Discussion on Violence Against Women in Saptari district
(Check lists/Guidelines for CBOs i.e. AMA SAMUH/ MAHILA SAMUHA)
1. Define incidence of violence against women
2. List different forms of violence against women occurred in the Family/ community /society
3. List the different causes of incidence of violence against women in your community
4. Give opinion about Dowry (Tilak/Dahej) system/practices suffered by your community and its impact on violence against women
5. Give opinion on accquision of Witchcraft and its relation to violence against women
6. Mention kinds of support and services do you provide to victims of violence
7. Describe measures to be taken to prevent violence against women
8. Give opinion of general public/society, police and other concerned authority regard violence against women
9. List any other organizations in your work area with the victims of violence against women
10. Describe the problems faced by your organizations in attempting to address the issue of violence against women
11. Specify the ethnic/caste groups of severely suffered from violence against women
Schedule for Key Informant Survey on Violence Against Women in Saptari district
(Guidelines for Health in-charge, CMA and medical doctor)
1. Female frequency daily injured from incidence of violence
2 Types and nature of their injuries
2.1 Small injuries
2.2 Big injuries
2.3 Broken limbs
2.4 Rape
2.5 Burnt
2.6 Poison suffered case
2.7 sunk in pond case
2.9 Others (specify).
3. Give opinion regarding the victims of telling the true cause of their injuries
4. Spell out the opinion handling domestic assault cases differently from the normal assaults.
5. Measures to be done in order to maximize the efficiency of the medical personnel while trying to solve cases of violence against women
6. Services provided by the police are sufficient or not
7. Encounter any political pressure while dealing with cases related to violence against women
Schedule for Key Informant Survey on Violence Against Women in Saptari district
(Guideline for Police staff in local police station)
1. Types of incidents of violence against women which you have encountered
2. Frequency of the cases of violence against women reported to the police within the last one year and its time of reporting
3. Steps to be taken when you are called to a domestic dispute in which the woman has been assaulted
Report the case to a superior
Separate the abuser from the victim
Mediate the case on site rather than court
Others
4. Helping steps when a woman does not want to file a case
5. Various circumstances filing a case
6. Formal or informal groups and agencies responding to and investigating violent incidents against women
7. Special training to deal with and investigate cases of violence against women
8. Keeping record of all cases of violence against women
9. Organizations i.e. AMA SAMUH supporting victims of violence
10. Immediate steps to be taken in order to improve the efficiency of the police staff in dealing with this issue and providing service regard to counseling
{Source: SIRF}
No comments:
Post a Comment