Transaction Search Form: please type in any of the fields below.
Date: April 25, 2024 Thu
Time: 10:27 am
nepal
Time: 10:27 am
nepal
Results for nepal
209 total results foundAuthor: Bashford, Peter Title: A Sense of Direction: The Trafficking of Women and Children from Nepal Summary: With a growing awareness that beliefs, attitudes and the popular stance on trafficking of women and children from Nepal were second-hand, outdated and partisan, played down by government and overblown by others, the trustees of Asha-Nepal decided they needed a first-hand, current and thoroughly researched report. This report is based on meetings with Nepali non-governmental organisations (NGOs), international NGOs (INGOs), government departments, victims of trafficking and other stakeholders, plus field studies, all carried out in Nepal and India during Oct-Dec 2005. In addition, material has been gathered from reports by stakeholders published during 2005, further communications with NGOs and INGOs involved in counter-trafficking in SE Asia postfield visit, and other relevant reports. We originally planned to issue this report in March 2006 due to the volatile political situation at that time, we held the report back. Now that democracy has been restored, we are optimistic that the findings and recommendations herein may reach a more receptive audience and help inform policy changes within government as well as the wider NGO and NGO community. The brief was not to go over old ground but to look at the current situation and key causes for the continuation of trafficking of women and children from Nepal. Prior to the field trip the following areas were identified as key to the research project: - The reasons behind trafficking and key target groups - The cause of re-trafficking and what happens to rescued and returned women and children - The problems of transition from institutionalisation into meaningful employment and a place in the wider community - Human rights abuse (state, community, institutional, international) - Awareness campaigning and furthering international awareness Within the first two weeks of work in the field it was recognised that the scope was too restrictive and that major concerns in additional areas needed to be included to create relevant recommendations. These were: - Correct application of law - Networking and cooperation between NGOs and the responsibilities of INGOs and international donor organisations The proposed outline of the report comprised: - An outline of each of the main problem areas listed above - Statistical evidence gained from all parties interviewed and/or submitted from relevant parties (statistics to be included only if produced within the previous twelve month period) - Case studies covering the five key areas, along with testimonials from trafficked women and children covering trafficking, induction, conditions of brothels, rescue, repatriation and life and problems after rescue/return - A bibliography of published works and unpublished works relevant to the current situation and past works recognised as of importance to the background of trafficking in the region - Key organisations and how to contact them After completion of the field trip, we included the following additional material: - Details on the Nutt/Badi situation - The need for improved networking - HIV/Aids Details: Olney, UK: Asha-Nepal, 2006. Source: Accessed April 13, 2018 at: https://childhub.org/en/system/tdf/library/attachments/ashan250806.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=17605 Year: 2006 Country: Nepal Keywords: Child Trafficking (Nepal) Shelf Number: 117326 |
Author: Saferworld Title: Public Safety and Policing in Nepal: An Analysis of Public Attitudes Towards Community Safety and Policing Across Nepal Summary: This report highlights the attitudes, expectations and concerns of the Nepali public regarding security and policing and how these might be addressed. The research involved questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussions with over 3000 members of the public and finds that despite the end of the conflict between the Maoists and the Government, concerns over crime and violence remain high. Details: London: Saferworld; Kathmandu, Nepal: Interdisciplinary Analysts, 2008. 46p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2008 Country: Nepal Keywords: Fear of Crime (Nepal) Shelf Number: 118580 |
Author: Interdisciplinary Analysts Title: On Track for Improved Security? A Survey Tracking Changing Perceptions of Public Safety Security and Justice Provision in Nepal Summary: This report updates an earlier 2007 survey that analyzed public perceptions of security and security provision in Nepal. Results are based on a nationwide household survey (3,000) respondents, in-depth interviews and desk research. The study found that support for the police and other state agencies appears to have increased. However, there is less optimism about the direction in which the country is going, and many people are frustrated that political disagreements have slowed down progress in implementing real changes. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: Interdisciplinary Analysts; London: Saferworld, 2009. 50p. Source: Internet Resource Year: 2009 Country: Nepal Keywords: Police (Nepal) Shelf Number: 118579 |
Author: Mulmi, Rajendra Title: Youth Perspectives on Security Sector Transformation in Nepal Summary: Nepal is one of the countries characterized by a youth bulge and suffered a decade long armed conflict. Although youth (15-29 years of age) comprise a significant 30% of the overall population, their voices of have been largely excluded from arenas of debate and decision-making. The decade long armed conflict has adversely affected youth, compelling many to either join the insurgency or to flee from their communities. Youth were one of the most affected populations by the violence and insecurities during the insurgency. Even after the formal end of the Maoist's people's war, youth in Nepal still continues to be either used or victimized in many big and small violent movements such as those organized by Madhesis and ethnic groups and other criminal armed groups. In the era of rethinking security as a broader concept of human security, it is recognized that 'the narrative of human security should be grounded more firmly in the lived experience of people who are insecure'. Thus, it becomes imperative to understand youth perspectives on security transformation to reduce both the victimization and use of youth in violent conflicts. One of the very few research carried out with this purpose in Nepal is by International Alert and Friends for Peace (FFP) in 2007. The research carried out in two districts in Eastern Terai had an overarching aim to strengthen youth voices on community security needs and perspectives across different identity lines in the Eastern Terai. The research was a very good initiative in exploring youth perspective of community security but was exclusive to the concerns of the youth of Eastern Terai. Thus, there is still a need and a gap for an inclusive research to unveil the voices of youth from all segments of the society. This research aims to contribute to the ongoing debate and discourse related to the processes of the security sector transformation from a youth perspective. The research in particular explored youth perspectives to security and the security sector transformation by examining the following four key questions: 1. What is meant by security? How do young people understand security? 2. In what ways and how have the youth been affected by the (in)security issues? What are young people's perceptions of them being participants or victims of armed conflicts? 3. What role do various actors play in the public security sector? What role do youth play in public security? 4. How do youth think can the situation of violence and insecurity be transformed in the context of Nepal? Details: Santiago, Chile: Global Consortium on Security Transformation, 2010. 25p. Source: Internet Resource: New Voices Series, No. 7: Accessed November 2, 2010 at: http://www.securitytransformation.org/images/publicaciones/184_New_Voices_Series_7_-_Youth_Perspectives_on_Security_Sector_Transformation_in_Nepal.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Nepal Keywords: Gangs Shelf Number: 120165 |
Author: Frederick, J. Title: Trafficking and Exploitation in the Entertainment and Sex Industries in Nepal: A Handbook for Decision-Makers Summary: This report calls for immediate action to end commercial sexual exploitation and abuse of children under the guise of ‘entertainment’ in Nepal. The handbook also highlights how internal trafficking within Nepal is as problematic as trafficking of women and children to India. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: Terre des hommes Foundation, 2010. 131p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 14, 2010 at: http://www.childtrafficking.com/Docs/handbook.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Nepal Keywords: Child Prostitution Shelf Number: 120500 |
Author: Onslow, Charlotte Title: Breaking Patterns of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: Security and Justice Provision in Post-Conflict Nepal Summary: Following the 10-year conflict between the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and the government of Nepal, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections signalled the start of the peace and recovery process. Security provision and enabling access to justice are generally seen as core functions of the state, as well as fundamental building blocks for good governance, stability and socioeconomic development. The development of an adequately functioning, accessible and accountable security and justice system is therefore a critical component of the international community’s support to Nepal’s postconflict reconstruction process. At present, the EU and six key donor countries are providing ongoing support to the strengthening of the security and justice systems in Nepal. Sometimes termed justice and security sector reform (JSSR), donor support in Nepal comprises the following thematic focus areas: improving police effectiveness; establishing civilian oversight of the security forces; and strengthening the legal framework of the security and justice sectors as a whole. If investments in the security and justice sectors are to take hold and be sustained in the long term, these reforms should contend with and adequately address the diverse security needs of Nepalese communities and citizens. Yet, four years after the peace process began, Nepali women, men, communities and the private sector continue to experience a multitude of distinct and often overlapping security threats. Current analysis by International Alert highlights the following five broad areas of security concerns in Nepal: an increase in armed groups; proliferation of small arms and light weapons; rise of crime (theft, physical assault and drunken disorder); political strikes (bandhs); and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Among women in Nepal, sexual and domestic violence is identified and perceived as the biggest risk to their security and one that is yet to be tackled effectively by the security and justice sector. The purpose of this case study is therefore to provide further insights into women’s experiences in three different districts with the provision of security and justice in Nepal. In addition, it offers a number of recommendations to international donors, particularly the EU, to ensure that the security and justice sectors in Nepal become more responsive to women’s security concerns and priorities. The analysis and key findings are based on research conducted between April and May 2010 by Alert and Shanti Malika, a national-level network of Nepali women’s organisations. Details: Brussels: Intiative for Peacebuilding, International Alert, 2010. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: IFP Gender Cluster Country Case Study: Nepal: Accessed April 29, 2011 at: http://www.international-alert.org/sites/default/files/publications/1211IFPnepalgender_2.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Nepal Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 121579 |
Author: Maiti Nepal Title: Youth-Led Study on the Vulnerability of Young Girls Working in Restaurants, Bars and Massage Parlours in Kathmandu Summary: For many reasons, a significant percentage of the rural population of Nepal is migrating to cities in search of livelihoods and a better future for themselves and their families. While this general phenomenon is evidenced in all developing countries, it is especially conspicuous in Nepal, where there are only a few major cities, the most prominent being the capital, Kathmandu. A large number of girls and women who travel to Kathmandu in search of work ultimately find jobs in dance bars, massage parlours and cabin-style restaurants. Nepal has imposed legal restrictions on the commercial sex industry. Any act related to commercial sex work and pornography is considered a public offence. Despite these efforts, recent research and news reports have identified several areas in Nepal where the sex business is flourishing. Specifically, establishments billed as dance bars, cabin restaurants and massage parlours represent locations where sex is sold. Research reports state that young girls working in these places are at risk of exploitation and abuse and the alarming growth in the number of these establishments across the country indicates that many more young girls may become vulnerable to commercial sexual exploitation and other forms of harm. Young people from the organizations Bishwas Nepal, Child Workers in Nepal Concerned Centre (CWIN) and Maiti Nepal, affiliated with the Youth Partnership Project for Child Survivors of Commercial Sexual Exploitation in South Asia (YPP), developed and conducted a survey in an effort to identify factors causing young people working in Kathmandu cabin restaurants, dance bars, massage parlours and dohori restaurants to be vulnerable to exploitation and harm. The research also aimed to develop an understanding of the awareness of young people working in these areas of their potential vulnerability. Finally, the research attempts to explore possible effective measures for improving and ensuring the protection of these young people. Details: Bangkok: Maiti Nepal, 2010. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 29, 2011 at: http://www.ecpat.net/ei/Publications/CYP/YPP_Research_Nepall.pdf Year: 2010 Country: Nepal Keywords: Child Prostitution Shelf Number: 121898 |
Author: Interdisciplinary Analysts Title: Armed Violence in the Terai Summary: Since the signing of a comprehensive peace agreement in 2006 Nepal has been in a delicate state of peace. While most international and domestic attention is devoted to the political situation in Kathmandu, one region, the Terai, has experienced a post-war rise in violence and a proliferation of armed groups. Since 2007, the Terai has witnessed bombings, shootings, abductions, extortion, armed crime and domestic violence making it the most insecure region in Nepal. The report seeks to explain these trends and give an impression of the state of security in the Terai during 2010. It finds that while violence continues to take place, several indicators and widespread popular perception suggest that the overall security situation is improving. Based upon the results of a household survey, focus group discussions and interviews conducted in 2010, most people feel that their community is safe, it is safer than the previous year and they are not concerned that someone in their household would become a victim of crime. Research also suggests that neither weapons ownership nor crime rates are as high as popularly perceived and, in fact, are surprisingly low. However, the report also underscores that optimism must be tempered by caution. A lack of accurate and reliable data and monthly fluctuations in the number of violent incidents make it hard to assess whether security is definitively improving. The improvement in perceptions of security is also not uniform – women and those living in the border areas are far more likely to feel unsafe at home or in the community. Most importantly, research found that many of the factors that drive insecurity are also still in place and remain salient. So long as phenomena like the proliferation of armed groups, the politicisation of crime, the criminalisation of politics, socioeconomic exclusion, limited border controls and weak state security provision remain unaddressed, any improvement in security is conditional and prone to reversal. When viewed within the wider context of political uncertainty and events such as the deadline for a new constitution (28 May 2011) and the rehabilitation of former combatants, the ongoing salience of these and other factors helps to explain why this report found that optimism over improved security was accompanied by an unease that the situation may turn for the worse with relative speed. Details: London: Saferworld, 2011. 81p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 10, 2011 at: http://www.saferworld.org.uk/downloads/pubdocs/Armed%20violence%20in%20the%20Terai%20Aug%202011%20reduced.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Nepal Keywords: Guns and Violence Shelf Number: 122688 |
Author: National Human Rights Commission (Nepal) Title: Trafficking in Persons Especially on Women and Children in Nepal: National Report, 2009-2010 Summary: Trafficking in Persons in Nepal is rooted with patriarchal and feudal structure in the country. At the same time, the studies in the situation of trafficking especially in women and children show that the problem of trafficking has extended from rural to urban areas, and from India to other countries in the context of social, political and economic development of Nepal. However, due to the clandestine nature of the crime and lack of an effective national institutional reporting system, it has been difficult to monitor the updated numerical situation of trafficking and impact in combating trafficking from policy, program and judicial efforts. Nevertheless, NHRC has started publishing National Report on Trafficking in Person, especially women and children since 2005 by collecting information from the respective GOs and NGOs and present the report as a national effort to combat Trafficking in Person. This is the fourth Annual National Report published in the series. We are happy to share that a well coordinated institutional approach through consultation programs, annual report forms, research studies and interviews to prepare the report from national perspective has gained strengthen and made it possible to bring out this report as a national priority and concern. The Report presents the statistical situation of Trafficking in Persons in Nepal as proxy indicator based on the annual data derived from reported cases in the police and NGOs with its changing dimension by magnitude, profile, route and mode of trafficking. The report deals with internal migration and foreign labor migration in the context of an emerging socio-economic scenario of development in the country and its link with trafficking vulnerability of women and men. The report reveals that the nexus between labor market and trafficking vulnerability demands effective implementation of the laws and regulations in the country of origin and the country of destination to ensure the right to work and justice to trafficked victims. International advocacy and commitment work as the promotional tool for the purpose. Details: Lalitpur, Nepal: National Human Rights Commission, 2011. 172p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 12, 2012 at: http://humansecuritygateway.com/documents/NHRC_TraffickinginPersonsEspeciallyonWomenandChildreninNepal.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Nepal Keywords: Child Trafficking Shelf Number: 123562 |
Author: Centre for Research on Environment Health and Population Activities (CREHPA) Title: The Anti-Trafficking Program in Rural Nepal: Assessment of Change in Awareness and Communication among Adolescent Girls, Peers and Parents in Baglung District, 2002 - An Endline Survey Summary: In recent years, millions of women and girls have been trafficked across national borders and within countries. The global trafficking industry generates an estimated US$5 to 7 billion each year, more than the profits generated by the arms and narcotics trades (Widgren 1994). Over the last decade, the growing trafficking problem in South Asia has been particularly acute in Nepal, one of the least developed countries in the world, with 42 percent of its citizens living below the poverty line. While there are no reliable data on the magnitude of the trafficking problem in Nepal, the most widely quoted sources estimate that 5,000 to 7,000 girls are trafficked from Nepal to India and other neighbouring countries every year, primarily for prostitution: 200,000 Nepali girls and women currently are working in the sex industry in India (UNIFEM 1998, UNICEF 1997). Another study postulates that 20,000 minors are brought into India from Nepal for sex work every year (Haemeed 1997). The occurrence of trafficking in Nepal is generally attributed to widespread poverty, lack of female education, low status of girls and women and social disparities rooted in ethnic and caste groupings. Women living in an environment of restricted rights and limited personal freedom with few employment opportunities may decide that out-migration is their only hope for achieving economic independence and a higher standard of living. Those who are victimized by traffickers experience abuse, exploitation and greater vulnerability to human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The effort to abolish trafficking in Nepal intensified after the restoration of democracy in 1990. Since then, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations have started initiating programs to address and combat trafficking of girls. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: Centre for Research on Environment Health and Population Activities (CREHPA), 2003. 88p. Source: Final Draft Report: Internet Resource: Accessed February 10, 2012 at http://www.childtrafficking.com/Docs/crehpa_2003__anti_trafficki.pdf Year: 2003 Country: Nepal Keywords: Crime Prevention Programs Shelf Number: 124070 |
Author: Ringdal, Charlotte Title: Small Hands Should Play, Not Work: A Theoretical Analysis of Interventions in Child Labor Summary: Twelve hours a day, 7 days a week, there are 150 million children below the age of 15 working to make the clothes we wear, the carpets on our floors and the phones in our pockets. Most of these children do not have a choice: the alternative is worse. In this thesis, I use economic models to study how interventions (such as increased educational opportunities, firmer legislation, international conventions and product labeling) affect the incidence of child labor. I find that most interventions are likely to reduce the incidence of child labor either at a national level, a local level or in a specific industry. Some interventions (such as bans) are more likely to reduce the welfare of children than others (such as increased educational opportunities). It appears that if households do not chose by themselves to withdraw children from the labor market and are not given any form of compensation for lost income, the welfare of households (and thus the children as well) is reduced. Having this in mind, I take a closer look at one intervention in the carpet sector in Nepal: the Nepal GoodWeave Foundation. This organization labels carpets that are exported to countries such as Germany and the U.S. I find that GoodWeave is successful in reducing child labor in the factories that carry their label. At the same time, the organization helps to maintain the welfare of the children through education programs, in addition to preventing child labor by offering the children of carpet workers access to kindergartens and schools. Unfortunately, the scope of the program is too small to eliminate child labor throughout the carpet sector in Nepal. Details: Bergen, Norway: University of Bergen, 2011. 102p. Source: Internet Resource: Master's Thesis: Accessed March 30, 2012 at: http://www.cmi.no/publications/publication/?4395=small-hands-should-play-not-work Year: 2011 Country: Nepal Keywords: Child Labor (Nepal) Shelf Number: 124778 |
Author: Evans, Catrin Title: Trafficking in Nepal: Intervention Models A Comparative Analysis of Anti-Trafficking Intervention Approaches in Nepal Summary: This report on current intervention models is part of a larger research study entitled “Intervention Needs for the Prevention of Trafficking and the Care and Support of Trafficked Persons in the Context of an Emerging HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Nepal.” The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) supported this comprehensive study under the Population Council’s Horizons Program. The Population Council in turn subcontracted The Asia Foundation in Kathmandu to conduct the research. The objective of this report is to “document and analyze current intervention models for the prevention of trafficking and the care and support of trafficked persons in Nepal.” Between August and September 2000, two researchers interviewed four key informants, one donor agency, two international and eight local NGOs based in Kathmandu. All of these individuals and organizations support or implement antitrafficking programs, or have extensive knowledge of trafficking-related issues in Nepal. This research aims to understand current perceptions of trafficking and identify the assumptions that explicitly or implicitly inform intervention approaches. A comparative analysis of different intervention approaches (including their content and process) was made using a human rights framework. Issues of feasibility, coverage, effectiveness and sustainability were considered. Finally, lessons learned are highlighted. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: The Asia Foundation, 2000. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2012 at: http://asiafoundation.org/publications/pdf/435 Year: 2000 Country: Nepal Keywords: Human Trafficking (Nepal) Shelf Number: 125152 |
Author: Shah, Ojwasi Title: Perceptions of public security and crime in the Kathmandu Valley Summary: Recent media reports suggest a growing trend of criminal violence, especially in the Kathmandu Valley, the largest urban area in Nepal. However, little research has been undertaken to understand what factors are fuelling crime, violence and insecurity. This research seeks to take the first step in filling this information gap, and provide an initial analysis of different stakeholders’ perceptions of crime, violence and insecurity at the community level in the Kathmandu Valley in the post-conflict era. It aims primarily to inform policy and programming of key stakeholders involved in public security, crime and conflict prevention in Kathmandu Valley, and to stimulate a discussion that might lead to more in-depth research and analysis being carried out. Findings are largely drawn from the perceptions and attitudes of communities, security agencies, civil society, government and the private sector gathered through focus group discussions and interviews, but also secondary data, such as media reports and police crime statistics where relevant. The key findings outlined in this briefing, based on the perceptions of research participants, include: 1] the continued role that political youth wings play in undermining security in the post-conflict era, 2] a growth in the prevalence of organised crime, 3] threats to personal safety posed by an increase in randomly targeted violent crime, 4] emergence of newly formed criminal groups, 5] tensions between ‘original’ inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley and ‘rural-urban migrants which are undermining people’s perceptions of public security. Details: London: Saferworld, 2012. 12p. Source: Saferworld Briefing: Internet Resource: Accessed June 19, 2012 at http://www.saferworld.org.uk/downloads/pubdocs/Public%20Perceptions%20of%20Security%20and%20Crime%20in%20the%20Kathmandu%20Valley%20English.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Nepal Keywords: Armed Conflict (Nepal) Shelf Number: 125380 |
Author: Poudel, Meena Title: Dealing with Hidden Issues: Social Rejection Experienced by Trafficked Women in Nepal Summary: The Trafficking of Nepalese women to various parts of India for sexual purposes has a long history and is an extremely sensitive issue. Despite the focus by non governmental organisations and various plans being formulated by the Nepalese government to ameliorate the problem of trafficking of women, the situation of returnee trafficked women is largely unknown. Analysis of the lived experiences of Nepalese trafficked women shows that trafficking is linked with gender, migration, poverty, work, sex, money, power and violence. Women may be able to escape trafficking physically; however legal and social labelling of women continues to affect all aspects of their lives. These labels are linked with the women’s perceived sexuality and build on sexual trauma and violence the women encounter in trafficking. After leaving trafficking settings these processes of social labelling often negatively characterise women as ‘bad women’, as morally and socially degraded and/or as a criminals responsible for HIV/AIDS transmission. Trafficked women are eventually blamed for bringing ‘shame’ to their families and society at large. These consequences are not desirable, but are imposed by Nepalese society, and contribute to various forms of samajik bahiskar (social rejection) enforced on women on their return disqualifying them from achieving the formal citizenship that they are entitled to. This samajik bahiskar sets trafficked women apart from other women and prevents them taking part in religious ceremonies within the family and communities; setting up businesses and cooperatives; accessing services and resources for example health, education, daily wages and legal assistance, and receiving skills training. This study examines the processes and consequences of samajik bahiskar experienced by trafficked women in Nepal and how these processes interact with the socio-cultural context of Nepal from the perspectives of trafficked women who have returned from various trafficking settings in Nepal and India. This study also explores the contexts in which women are stigmatised, labels are attributed to them, samajik bahiskar is constructed, the consequences are experienced and tactics and strategies employed by trafficked to resist samajik bahiskar in the cultural context that women have returned to. Details: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK: Newcastle University, School of Geography, Politics and Sociology, 2009. 326p. Source: Internet Resource: Dissertation: Accessed June 27, 2012 at: https://theses.ncl.ac.uk/dspace/bitstream/10443/1030/1/Poudel%2010.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Nepal Keywords: Human Trafficking (Nepal) Shelf Number: 125413 |
Author: Informal Sector Service Centre Title: A Study on Violence due to Witchcraft Allegation and Sexual Violence Summary: Nepal, as a member state of the United Nation, has ratified various International human rights treaties and convention related to the rights of women which explicitly shows Nepal’s commitment towards protecting and promoting the rights of women. However, the situation of women doesn’t seem satisfactory. More than 50 per cent of Nepal’s population is women but their status is still very poor. They have a lower status than men in each aspect of the Human Development Index. Illiteracy, patriarchal society and the economic dependency of women on man create grounds for male domination over woman. Accusations of the so-called practice of witchcraft, rape and incidents of sexual violence are some of the examples of violence against women which occur in Nepalese society. Women are able to gain 33% seats in the Constituent Assembly, but their voices are still suppressed and issues of women have not been sufficiently raised in the Constituent Assembly. The lack of effective laws, the poor implementation of existing laws and the unaccountability of the government authorities also contributed to the occurrence of violence against women. However, the pro-active role of the court and progressive decisions in some cases concerning women rights present a cause for hope. Still, so many improvements are required to prevent violence against women. In the year 2011, it was recorded that many women and girls were abused after being blamed of practicing witchcraft. Similarly, many more were made victims of rape and sexual abuse. The incidents of rape, sexual violence and accusations of the practice of witchcraft can be reduced by the combined efforts of multiple stakeholders. The role of civil society and human rights organizations remain crucial in this regard. A Study on Violence due to Witchcraft Allegation and Sexual Violence; 3 INSEC has presented the overall description and details of incidents of rape and sexual violence, and accusations of the practice of witchcraft practices in this report in the context of 102nd International Women's Day which I felt could be important means by which to assess the situation of women in Nepal and the respective authorities in addressing these problems in society. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: INSEC, 2012. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 11, 2012 at: http://www.humansecuritygateway.com/documents/INSEC_AStudyOnViolenceDueToWitchcraftAllegationAndSexualViolence.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Nepal Keywords: Rape Shelf Number: 125983 |
Author: Ryckmans, Jean-Christophe Title: The Street Children of Nepal: Anthroposociological Study of Social, Cultural and Communicational Practices Summary: This study is based on ten years of observation and intervened on with the street children and youth who are “isolated” on the street and excluded from all parental or family support. They are either plastic pickers, thieves, beggars or money collectors in public transportation on means. These youth, these children are living on the fringes of the Nepalese society with their own habits, dreams and perspectives… This book has been structured in the following way: first, an introduction which explains the general situation on of the street childhood in Nepal and, paradoxically, the huge difficulty to “theorize” or generalize it. This introduction will open up new paths that the following chapters will take. It will set out different points of view (seven) which we considered useful to understand the street child in the complexity of his identity and of his everyday life. Thus, seven chapters which will deal with several different ways of looking at the street child, at a street group or, in a utopian way, at the street childhood in Nepal. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: CPCS International, 2012. 304p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 10, 2012 at: www.cpcs-int.org Year: 2012 Country: Nepal Keywords: Begging Shelf Number: 127194 |
Author: Cochran-Budhathoki, Karon Title: Calling for Security and Justice in Nepal: Citizens' Perspectives on the Rule of Law and the Role of the Nepal Police Summary: This report presents the findings of a mixed method survey of attitudes among the people of Nepal toward security and the rule of law. Eight thousand members of the general public and well over four thousand members of specific professions were asked about their perceptions and experiences regarding access to justice and security. One subject that received close attention was whether the institutional mechanisms of the Nepal Police (NP) limit or enhance the public’s sense of security. The survey was conducted by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in collaboration with 20 local civil society partner organizations. Together, they mobilized 101 local surveyors in 21 districts across Nepal. In all, 12,607 respondents answered a detailed questionnaire. Of those, 4,597 respondents drawn from six targeted groups or professions (the NP, civil society, the Government of Nepal, political parties, the business and industrialist community, and the legal profession and judiciary) also responded to a separate questionnaire. Furthermore, 15 focus group discussions (FGDs) involving 364 participants were held, and interviews were conducted with 118 high-level government officials, political party leaders, and civil society leaders. Survey development began in 2009 and delivery occurred between August and October of 2009. FGDs and interviews followed from January to June, 2010 using a constant comparison method of data analysis, culminating in the publication of results in early 2011. This relatively lengthy timeframe was purposefully designed in order to maximize the opportunities for local and policy-level stakeholders to participate in the survey and to develop their working relationships. While some local security issues erupted and others diminished across the interaction period, the survey results accurately reflected public opinion on the attitudes among the people of Nepal toward security and the rule of law. Details: Washington, DC: United States Institute of Peace, 2011. 182p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 16, 2012 at http://www.usip.org/files/resources/Security_and_Justice_in_Nepal.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Nepal Keywords: Police-Citizen Interactions Shelf Number: 127215 |
Author: Karki, Sachchi Title: Assessing Armed Violence in Nepal Summary: This first issue of Rupantaran, (‘transformation’ in Nepalese), highlights key issues surrounding armed violence in Nepal and considers current development solutions. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: Nepal Armed Violence Reduction Working Group, 2012. 8p. Source: Rupantaran, Pilot Issue: Internet Resource: Accessed January 13, 2013 at http://www.eldis.org/vfile/upload/1/document/1210/eldis.upload.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Nepal Keywords: Armed Groups Shelf Number: 127277 |
Author: Gurung, Sundip Title: Silent Sufferers: Street Children, Drugs, and Sexual Abuse in Kathmandu, Nepal Summary: Objective: To observe socio-demographic distribution among street children in Kathmandu, and to identify associations between drug use and sexual abuse with regards to socio-demographic variables and predictive variables. Design and participants: A cross sectional study was conducted among 248 street children in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2009. Children were recruited on purposive sampling method and were asked about socio-demographic factors, drug use, sexual abuse, visits to/contact with family, gang involvement, and years spent in the streets. Results: There were significant differences among boys and girls with regard to ethnicity (p=0.002) and main source of income (p=<0.001) as well as with regard to drug use (p=<0.001), gang involvement (p=<0.001), alcohol consumption (p=<0.001), contact with family (p=<0.001), and sexual abuse (p=<0.001). After controlling the potential confounders, an association was observed between drug use and source of income among the boys [begging, OR of 4.9 CI (1.4-17), and thief/pick pocket, OR of 4.8 CI (1.1-24)]. Similarly, there was an association between drug use and alcohol consumption [Casual drinkers, OR of 3.2 CI (1.4-7.4), and regular drinkers, OR of 8.1 CI (2.0-32)]. Conclusion: The study provides important information on how distribution pattern of socio-demographic factors and predictive variables differ among boys and girls in street of Kathmandu. It also provides the information on association of drug use with regards to some of the socio-demographic factors and predictive variables. Details: Umea, Sweden: Umeå International School of Public Health, Epidemiology and Global Health, 2011. 34p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed March 18, 2013 at: http://www.phmed.umu.se/digitalAssets/91/91830_sundip-gurung.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Nepal Keywords: Begging Shelf Number: 128009 |
Author: Gurung, Bhim Title: Tiger Human Conflicts: Investigating Ecological and Sociological Issues of Tiger Conservation in the Buffer Zone of Chitwan National Park, Nepal. Final Report Summary: Historically, there was contiguous forest all across the terai region of Nepal and tigers were distributed in high densities. The situation changed during early 1960s because the tiger habitat in the terai was drastically reduced as a result of human resettlement program. The destruction of habitat and fragmentation lead to the sharp decline in tiger population. Sport hunting and poaching also contributed to its decline. Like other tiger range countries Government of Nepal worked to overcome this crisis since early 70s. Protected areas were established, strict protection was adopted, and stiffer wildlife laws against wildlife criminals were endorsed. To further increase the land base for tigers buffer zone community forests around the parks and reserves were promulgated and moreover, Nepal initiated an ambitious Tarai Arc Landscape project not only to increase land base for tigers but also to restore connectivity between reserves. Tiger conservation effort in Nepal has been successful. After establishment of protected areas in the early 1970s tiger numbers increased and since late 1970s numbers have been stable in protected areas. Density, based on mean female home range size, is the highest anywhere. The improvement of habitat quality in the buffer zone of Chitwan National Park and elsewhere across the terai has increased the overall land base where tigers reside. Breeding has been recorded at five sites outside of protected areas. Such increase in habitat use by tigers in the multiple use buffer zone community forests resulted in conflict between tiger and human. Over the last quarter of a century 88 people have been killed by tigers in and around the park. The trend of human loss has been increased significantly from an average of 1.5 persons per year (1979 – 1998) to 8.25 per year since 1999. The increasing trend of people killed was significant in the buffer zone but not inside the park. A total of 37 tigers were involved in killing 88 people. Of these, 17 were removed because of their man-eating behavior. The number of problem tigers removed per year increased dramatically in 2004-05. Four relevant factors were associated with man-eating tigers: (1) injured or aged tigers find it difficult to kill natural prey, (2) imbalance between tiger and prey base, (3) aggressive tiger behavior and, (4) defensive or accidental killing. Management actions were not taken against if it appeared that tigers killed humans accidentally; however, if possible the tigers that turned into deliberate “man-eaters” were removed. A high percentage (38%) of humans killed by tigers occurred in the south sector of the park, i.e. Madi Valley. This study focused on the status of tigers and its prey in Chitwan National Park and in the Madi Valley buffer zone. Tiger and prey were relatively more abundant in the park than buffer zone. However, the disturbance factors, measured as encounter rate of livestock and human were significantly higher in the park than the buffer zone. Reduced human activity in the buffer zone as compared to the park is because there is a stronger incentive to local people to control local use of buffer zone forest. Support of local people is critical in tiger conservation in the human dominated landscape. To understand the perceptions of Madi population towards tigers and its conservation, a household questionnaire survey was conducted. Majority of the people in Madi valley did not like tigers in the neighboring forests because of threat to people and livestock. However, just less than half of the people liked tigers because of ecological, utilitarian, and moral values. To mitigate the conflict the study recommends establishing a system to regularly monitor tigers in cooperation with the local “Bagh Heralus” attached to each community forestry user committee. Each committee in cooperation with Park staff would supervise the “Bagh Heralu” and the overall goal of the tiger and prey monitoring program would be to understand the activity pattern of tigers living in the buffer zone, implement a tiger conservation awareness program designed to educate local people on tiger biology and research, and to create a problem tiger response team to act immediately and efficiently to assist in conflict situations. Local participation between local user groups in Madi valley and park staffs is also needed to reduce grazing along the southern border of the park. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: WWF-Nepal Program, 2006. 72p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://www.panthera.org/sites/default/files/STF/2005-0013-014.2.pdf Year: 2006 Country: Nepal Keywords: Forest Management Shelf Number: 128099 |
Author: Yadav, N.P. Title: Forest Law Enforcement as an Underlying Driver of Forest Governance in Nepal Summary: Historically, forest of Nepal is exploited by rulers of the state for revenue generation and political interest. Although strong and protection oriented forest laws with judicial power to district forest officer has been formed but it was not enforced effectively, consequently deforestation and illegal logging continued. Since 1980 the participatory forestry emerged and restoration of forest cover in the hills and the relation of people and department of forest improved. DoF staff changed from policing to service providers. People oriented bylaws and guidelines prepared by the ministry of forest and several donors and NGOs involved in forestry sector for facilitating community based forest management. To some extent the process of community based forest management has brought positive impact considering the different dimension of forestry benefits. However over all forest governance is becoming poor due to weak forest law enforcement at different level. The annual deforestation rate and different form of illegality are increased and also foster corruption. Government mode of forest operation is command and control, hierarchical, bureaucratic and informal rules of the game is often take precedence. The outcome of this system became in favour of politically and economically powerful people. Local interests marginalised, passive forest management due to lack of specific plan, ‘timber men and politicians’ become de facto owners of the resource and state foresters become their agents–professionalism is undermined etc. The legal ownership on Nepal's forest is mainly lies communal and government authority with essence of common property that hinder good governance. The major characteristics of ‘good governance' are such as participatory decision-making process, accountability, transparency, responsive, effective and efficiency, equitable and inclusiveness which are weak in forestry institution because of vested interest of stakeholders. Over all the status of law enforcement for forest protection in Nepal is very weak; and legal instruments for penalties and punishment are largely ineffective. Weak forest law enforcement is an underlying driver of poor forest governance that causes forest degradation and corruption. The government mechanisms have been unable to control forest encroachment, illegal logging and wild-life poaching, which resulted in a substantial loss of forests cover and wild lives. The Quality of forest administration and plan based forest operations is important for good governance. To a great extent, the new concept is emerging to involve many more actors for improving forest governance. In particular there is a realization that plan based, multi-stakeholder processes and joint monitoring are key drivers to improve forest governance. The participation of multi-stakeholders in the process of decision making and implementation of forest operations is elements that support to improve forest governance and reduce corruption and crime in forestry sector. Details: Nepal: Forestry Nepal, 2013. 9p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 23, 2013 at: http://www.forestrynepal.org/images/publications/Yadav_2012_forest_governance.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Nepal Keywords: Deforestation Shelf Number: 128101 |
Author: Tuladhar, Sabita Title: Women's Empowerment and Spousal Violence in Relation to Health Outcomes in Nepal Further Analysis of the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey Summary: Empowering women and addressing gender-based discrimination are key elements of the development agenda of the Nepal government and integral to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Spousal violence is one of the forms of gender-based violence prevalent in Nepal. The objective of this study is to understand women’s empowerment and spousal violence in relation to health outcomes of women and their children. The study analyzed data on 3,084 currently married women age 15-49 from the 2011 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). A composite Women’s Empowerment Index (WEI) was developed that included five variables: i) household decision-making, ii) ownership of land or house, iii) membership in community group, iv) proportion earning cash, and v) women’s education. The WEI classified women into three empowerment levels, whereby 17, 48, and 35 percent of married women were in high, moderate, and low empowerment levels, respectively. Variations in women’s empowerment were distinct by age, caste/ethnicity, and wealth quintile. The WEI is used to analyze spousal violence separately and jointly in relation to health outcomes. Twenty eight percent of women reported having experienced spousal physical and/or sexual violence at least once during their lifetime. In the bivariate analysis, women’s empowerment was inversely associated with greater odds of having experienced spousal violence. After controlling for age, wealth, caste/ethnicity, and ecological zone, however, women's empowerment was not significantly related to the odds of spousal violence. This finding may suggest the extent to which violence is a multi-faceted problem affected by a wide variety of contextual and situational factors. Utilization of four or more antenatal care visits, the recommended international standard, was significantly greater for highly empowered women, even after controlling for spousal violence and socio-demographic characteristics. Less empowered women and women who had experienced spousal violence were also more likely to have anemic children. Children of women who had experienced spousal violence had lower odds of being immunized, even after adjusting for related factors. These findings suggest that women’s empowerment and spousal violence appear to have important implications for the health of women and their children. It is recommended that a holistic approach to improving the health of women and children in Nepal incorporate multi-sectoral programming to promote women’s empowerment and reduce gender-based violence. Details: Calverton, Maryland, USA: Nepal Ministry of Health and Population, New ERA, and ICF International, 2013. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 12, 2013 at: http://www.measuredhs.com/pubs/pdf/FA77/FA77.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Nepal Keywords: Domestic Violence Shelf Number: 128350 |
Author: Nielsen Company Nepal Pvt. Ltd. Title: Mapping and Size Estimation of Most-At-Risk-Population in Nepal-2011. Vol. 1 Male Sex Workers, Transgenders & Their Clients. Summary: Nepal conducted a mapping and size estimation exercise of Most At Risk Population (MARPs) in consideration of the epidemic’s nature, availability of limited information on the MARP groups of Female Sex Workers (FSWs), Male Sex Workers,Transgenders and their Clients (MTCs), and Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) as well as the need for a more robust and evidence informed response to HIV for maximizing results. Details: Nepal: National Centre for AIDS and STD Control, Nepal, 2011. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2013 at: http://www.aidsdatahub.org/dmdocuments/MTCs_final_report.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Nepal Keywords: AIDS (Disease) Shelf Number: 0 |
Author: Racovita, Mihaela Title: In Search of Lasting Security: An Assessment of Armed Violence in Nepal Summary: This study, conducted together with its Kathmandu-based partner, Interdisciplinary Analysts, presents original research based on a national household survey covering more than 3,000 respondents as well as focus group discussions and key informant interviews in Nepal’s Hill and Terai regions, as well as data collected from official, non-governmental, and international sources. Since the end of the conflict Nepal has seen fluctuation in the incidence and severity of violence, with relative calm punctuated by bouts of violence in response to political events. While data shows several improvements in the security landscape, Nepal continues to be plagued by high volatility and uncertainty related to political and ethnic crises. The Special Report finds that: Despite persistent volatility, a majority of survey respondents were confident that security situation had recently improved in their area. Property crime was identified as the most common concern, across surveyed areas. Those with a steady source of income, or those carrying money or valuables were more likely to fall victims. Urban spaces and the Kathmandu Valley display higher concentrations of insecurity. Armed violence in Nepal is generally low-tech, using crude or makeshift weapons, such as bicycle chains or sticks, as well as traditional bladed weapons, improvised explosive devices, and home-made firearms. Based on self-reported and perceived ownership, between 41,000 and 84,000 households in the surveyed districts are estimated to own firearms. Overall police performance, accountability, and responsiveness were rated fairly high, with more than 80 per cent of respondents stating that they would seek help from the police in the event of an attack. However, many interviewees expressed concerns about police efficiency, citing lack of training, political interference, and a lack of standardized service as key issues. Details: Geneva, SWIT: Small Arms Survey, 2013. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Special Report May 2013: Accessed May 15, 2013 at: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/C-Special-reports/SAS-SR20-In-Search-of-Lasting-Security-NAVA.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Nepal Keywords: Armed Violence Shelf Number: 128731 |
Author: Bhattarai, Babu Ram Title: Human-Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) Conflict in Bardia National Park, Nepal Summary: Human-wildlife conflicts are common phenomena from the past and have become significant problems throughout the world. Big cats, which play a vital role in maintaining the ecosystem balance through prey-predator interaction, are now on the verge of extinction since they require large habitats, but much of their habitats have been fragmented and degraded. Therefore, frequent encounters with humans and their livestock have caused human-carnivore conflicts which result in retaliation killings. The high rate of human population growth and the successfully restored habitat in the community forests of Nepal have accelerated the conflicts due to the dispersal of tigers into these forests where they share these resources. This study aimed at exploring the human-tiger conflict in terms of livestock depredation, human casualties, retaliation killing and poaching of tigers and their prey base. It assessed the tiger conservation perceptions and tolerance level of the local people to losses caused by tigers and the roles of different stakeholders in tiger conservation through mitigating human-tiger conflict. It explored strategies of conflict reduction for tiger conservation. The study was conducted in six Buffer Zone User Committees of The Bardia National Park, Nepal. I interviewed 273 heads of household, 10 nature guides, eight BZUC presidents, nine protected area managers and two local government representatives from March to May of 2009. The average livestock holding among the respondent households was found to be 6.70 head of animals per household and the depredation rate due to tigers was 0.25 head per household per year. The consequential result was a 6% loss of stock over the past three years. The less-prey density area was associated with a high livestock depredation rate for cows/oxen and goats/sheep. Twelve people were killed and four injured in tiger attacks between 1994 and 2007. The perception relative to tiger conservation was found to be positive and people could tolerate the loss of livestock to some extent but not human loss or casualties. Six tigers were released from the habitat due to human-tiger conflict in between 1989 and April 2009. The interview results demonstrated that the tigers were killed primarily for trade of its body parts. Half of the respondents suggested tigers should be conserved in the national parks and reserves. The livestock grazing and human intrusion into tiger habitat and poor husbandry are causes of conflict. Conservation education along with adequate and prompt compensation against damages and regular monitoring of tigers may help to reduce human-tiger conflicts. As well, functional coordination between all stakeholders is recommended to conserve tigers. Details: Greifswald, Germany: Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences Institute of Botany and Landscape Ecology, 2009. 104p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed July 3, 2013 at: http://www.botanik.uni-greifswald.de/msclenc/downloads/Masterarbeiten_pdf/2009_Bhattarai.pdf Year: 2009 Country: Nepal Keywords: Animal Poaching Shelf Number: 129250 |
Author: Racovita, Mihaela Title: Risky Business? Crime and Security Perceptions in the Nepali Private Sector Summary: The volatile political situation in Nepal was the largest obstacle to business activities in 2012, according to the majority of businesses surveyed as part of a study by the Small Arms Survey's Nepal Armed Violence Assessment (NAVA) project. Direct losses from crime are relatively small compared to the indirect costs of instability. The findings of a survey of 160 businesses working in Nepal's seven major industrial corridors are presented in a new Issue Brief from the Small Arms Survey and the Nepal Armed Violence Assessment, Risky Business? Crime and Security Perceptions in the Nepali Private Sector. Risky Business explores the security perceptions and experiences of Nepali businesses from 2007 to 2012, and investigates major challenges to doing business, types and frequency of crime, actors and instruments of violence, losses experienced, and steps taken to prevent crime. Since 2007, Nepal's war-damaged economy has shown positive signs of growth and renewed investment. At the same time, the volatile political situation and persistent criminal activities continue to take their toll on the business sector. The Small Arms Survey and the Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) undertook the study to generate knowledge about the challenges faced by the business community, and the extent to which crime affects business in the country's key industrial areas. The survey also found that businesses generally have a positive view of formal security measures, and appreciate police efforts to fight crime. Often businesses take additional measures to deter or prevent crime, such as employing security guards. A number of the businesses surveyed expressed an interest in public-private partnerships on security. Details: Geneva, SWIT: Small Arms Survey, 2013. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Issue Brief No. 3: Accessed March 21, 2014 at: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/G-Issue-briefs/NAVA-IB3-Risky-Business.pdf Year: 2013 Country: Nepal Keywords: Crime Statistics Shelf Number: 104120 |
Author: Sijapati, Bandita Title: Trafficking and Forced Labour in Nepal: A Review of the Literature Summary: This book reviews the current state of knowledge on various aspects of trafficking and forced labour in Nepal. The first part analyses issues related to different forms of labour exploitation. It identifies the main obstacles to addressing associated problems and also highlights some of the best practices, before concluding with recommendations that could help make planned interventions more effective. The second part consists of a detailed annotated bibliography of 256 books, papers and articles on the subject. It is divided into four broad categories of trafficking, forced labour, migrant labour, and traditional forms of bondage. The authors believe this will serve as a handy resource to both researchers and practitioners. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: Himal Books for the Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility, 2011. 220p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 15, 2014 at: http://www.ceslam.org/docs/publicationManagement/Trafficking_Forced_Labour_Nepal.pdf Year: 2011 Country: Nepal Keywords: Forced Labor (Nepal) Shelf Number: 132679 |
Author: KidsRights Title: Behind Closed Doors: Child Domestic Labour, with a focus on the Kamlari system in Nepal Summary: Behind closed doors, all over the world, there are children as young as five years old working long hours for little or no pay - domestic slaves with no way out. The International Labour Organization estimates that 11.5 million children worldwide are child domestic labourers (ILO, Child Domestic Work: Global estimates 2012, 2013). There are crucial distinctions between child domestic work and child domestic labour. According to the ILO, work becomes unacceptable and is classified as labour when the child is under the age of 12; or under 15 years old and working more than 14 hours a week; or under 18 and working in hazardous conditions or more than 43 hours a week. Many countries still fail to recognise that child domestic work can under these circumstances be classified as child labour. Child domestic labour breaks numerous internationally-recognised child rights, depriving children of their childhood and their education, and placing them in dangerous and abusive situations. But worse still, in bonded child labour, the child is often a form of payment for a pre-existing family debt, and is not at liberty to leave. In 2000, Nepal abolished the Kamaiya system of bonded agricultural labour, where families of the low-status Tharu tribe would be put to work to pay the never-ending interest on historical debts. After the abolition of the Kamaiya system came the Kamlari system, where these same families, now homeless and destitute, sold their daughters into domestic service, believing they would have a better life and a good education. That better life and good education was a fiction peddled by the middlemen who sold the Kamlari girls into a life of servitude. Plan International estimates that "between 10,000 to 12,000 girls are currently working as domestic servants under the Kamalari system", based on a survey from 2011. These girls are living a life of bonded child domestic labour, working long hours, separated from their families, unable to gain a basic education and subject to all sorts of abuse, or even death. Despite laws against bonded labour in Nepal, little has been done. Middle and upper class professionals were responsible for eradicating the system, but middle and upper class professionals also happened to be benefiting from it. In May 2013, campaign groups, including former Kamlari girls themselves, united to carry out a ten-day protest, calling on the Nepalese government for immediate change. They secured a significant number of promises, including an official announcement of the abolition of the Kamlari system on 18 July. That announcement has yet to be followed by legislation, but NGOs are actively rescuing Kamlari girls and accessing resources to support them. But there is much still to be done in Nepal. Although the state has signed up to key international conventions and has enacted the relevant national laws, the burden of implementation seems to fall to NGOs. The abolition of the Kamlari system remains an aspiration, not yet reinforced with legislation. And impoverished Tharu families still need to be rescued from the desperate circumstances that made the system possible in the first place. Details: Amsterdam: KidsRights Foundation, 2014. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 22, 2014 at: http://www.kidsrights.org/Portals/1/About%20us/KidsRightsReport-Behind%20Closed%20Doors%20digitaal%20final.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Nepal Keywords: Child Domestic Labor Shelf Number: 133087 |
Author: Maharjan, Ram Krishna Title: Child Marriage in Nepal: Research Report Summary: Child marriage is a global problem which affects millions across the world but especially girls in South Asia. The Government of Nepal has signed many international instruments designed to tackle this problem and has passed a law forbidding child marriage but has found it difficult to eradicate the phenomenon due to weak enforcement and low levels of awareness. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: Plan Nepal, 2012. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 25, 2014 at: http://www.wvi.org/nepal/publication/child-marriage-nepal Year: 2012 Country: Nepal Keywords: Child Marriage (Nepal) Shelf Number: 133421 |
Author: Paudel, Lekh Nath Title: The Highway Routes: Small Arms Smuggling in Eastern Nepal Summary: The Highway Routes: Small Arms Smuggling in Eastern Nepal, a new Issue Brief from the Small Arms Survey's Nepal Armed Violence Assessment project, examines various dimensions of the illicit trade in small arms in eastern Nepal, based on fieldwork conducted between December 2013 and April 2014, including over 100 interviews with representatives of law enforcement and the underworld. The Issue Brief analyses the sources of illicit small arms, the methods of smuggling and routes used, illicit trade and related activities, and the consumers and other actors involved, as well as relevant government policies. Its major findings include: ##Most firearms circulating in eastern Nepal are trafficked via the open border with India rather than the more heavily regulated frontier with China. They transit through towns and cities in the border areas to the main destinations of Kathmandu, Dharan, and Chitwan. - The trafficking of small arms in Nepal is predominantly an 'ant trade', carried out by individuals or loosely organized groups. ##Criminal elements increasingly prefer to rent rather than own illicit firearms because it reduces the likelihood of arrest. - The illicit traffic in small firearms is dominated by craft (country-made) and counterfeit guns. ##Government and police efforts to curb the trafficking of small arms and ammunition have included a range of legal and policy responses, with mixed results. 'Buy-and-bust' sting operations have succeeded in arresting and disbanding a number of smuggling rings, although some maintain that it is generally the carriers who are arrested rather than the main organizers. Details: Geneva, SWIT: Small Arms Survey, 2014. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed November 20, 2014 at: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/G-Issue-briefs/NAVA-IB4-Highway-Routes.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Nepal Keywords: Illicit Trade Shelf Number: 134165 |
Author: Miklian, Jason Title: Illicit Trading in Nepal: Fueling South Asian Terrorism Summary: A tight-knit network of informal traders is exploiting a vacuum of law enforcement in southern Nepal to generate significant operating capital for the Pakistani militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The traders employ the same money laundering techniques as others in Nepal did a decade before, as the legal loopholes, lack of infrastructure, and widespread corruption that created these opportunities were not addressed. Nepal and India continue to focus on individual criminals in their attempts to shut down the networks, rather than reforming the structural conditions allowing the networks to operate. As a result, the traders operate in an environment conducive for the creation of vast sums of informal wealth with few barriers to operation and at little risk. Short-Term Suggestions 1) Arrest the criminals without destroying the hawala system. Large scale raids are counterproductive, as most overseas workers require hawala to support their families. Reform can be achieved by integrating legitimate hawaldars into the formal banking sector, provided they comply with transparency and recordkeeping guidelines designed to decrease the likelihood that they are unknowingly laundering money. 2) Improve Indo-Nepal bilateral relations through border security. India and Nepal should jointly consider how border security policy can be more than a zero-sum game. Mutual cooperation on border security strategy benefits both bilateral relations and internal stability. Frameworks whereby either country could propose a joint operation on an ad hoc basis, keeping authority clearly under control of the host country, can build trust without encroaching upon sovereignty. Further, the link between corruption and national security needs to be recognized and problematized. 3) International actors can contribute to Nepal's security at border points by providing logistical support, providing equipment and securing directed funding to modernize and bolster existing checkpoints. The United Nations should maximize Nepal's request for increased border security assistance. Countries hosting direct flights to/from Kathmandu should increase scrutiny of incoming passengers for illicit materials. Long-Term Suggestions 1) Roll back the growing culture of corruption. Nepal's culture of corruption is pervasive at the individual, local, regional, and national levels. Practical measures can reduce demand, but punitive approaches may backfire in a society where the judicial system is itself corrupt. Nepal has steadily deteriorated in both real and comparative terms regarding corruption indicators, but leadership-by-example can be a powerful attitudinal tool for change, and need not involve massive bureaucratic undertakings. 2) Comprehensive banking sector reform would include a trident of reforms to prevent graft, institutionalize checks and balances for day-to-day operations, and increase the availability of services in areas currently underrepresented. However, opening more bank branches catering to microcredit needs can be counterproductive. Indian efforts to push more money flows through the formal sector could also be adopted by other countries. 3) Create and enforce anti-corruption and pro-transparency laws. The challenge of prosecuting transgressors is immense, as suspects are put into the hands of a poorly-paid, corrupt judicial system that lacks legal precedent and impartiality for its most difficult cases. Solutions must also incorporate Nepal's youth population as stakeholders, emphasizing rule of law over militancy, informal trade and corruption. 4) International donors should continue to tie funding to the implementation of banking, money laundering and counter-terrorism measures that raise Nepal's laws and oversight to international standards. Although conditionalities are unpleasant, they have a proven track record in Nepal of forcing needed legislation on the agenda in Kathmandu. Details: Oslo: International Peace Research Institute (PRIO), 2009. 19p. Source: Internet Resource: PRIO South Asia Briefing Paper #3: Accessed January 28, 2015 at: http://file.prio.no/Publication_files/Prio/Illicit%20Trading%20in%20Nepal%20(South%20Asia%20Briefing%20Paper%203).pdf Year: 2009 Country: Nepal Keywords: Black Markets Shelf Number: 134446 |
Author: Saferworld Title: "How can you be a marda if you beat your wife?" Notions of masculinities and violence in Eastern Nepal Summary: Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) remains one of the biggest safety and security challenges in Nepal. Many programmes and policies seeking to reduce and prevent SGBV focus on the needs and rights of girls and women. However, there is a very limited understanding of the role of masculinities in the contexts, and whether and how they link to violence, particularly SGBV. Saferworld, in collaboration with The Society Touch and Youth Development Centre, with funding from the Foundation to Promote Open Society, has carried out participatory learning research in selected districts in Eastern Nepal, exploring notions of masculinities among young men and boys, how these notions shape their relationships towards others, and young men's experiences and attitudes towards violence, including SGBV. The research process had a strong focus on allowing learning and reflection among the participants. Our findings show that young men feel huge pressures and frustrations negotiating their positions in society. The tension between expectations and what is achievable give rise to complicated responses in young men as they live lives in an uncertain and changing context. The research also shows that the association of violence, including SGBV, with masculinities needs to be approached with great care. Most respondents did not see violence, including SGBV, as a part of the masculinity they would aspire to. However, they did see various forms of violence as a consequence of certain situations, pressures and expectations from society, which are themselves in part created by ideas of masculinity. Our research findings led to several recommendations, including: - Men are part of the gender equation, and young men can and should be effectively involved in efforts to address gender inequality and SGBV. Effectiveness might increase by bringing men, women and sexual and gender minorities (SGM) together, rather than working with one gender group in isolation. - Further efforts are required to reduce social stigmatisation of survivors of sexual violence, who are often blamed for inviting sexual violence upon themselves, and to address their needs. All forms of SGBV, including against SGM, need to be challenged, including 'eve-teasing' and sexual harassment through mobile phones and social media. - Security provision and implementation of legislation that prohibits sexual harassment and other forms of SGBV should be strengthened, and security providers and other agencies should be enabled to address SGBV in a more proactive and gender-sensitive way. Details: Kathmandu: Saferworld, 2014. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 20, 2015 at: http://www.saferworld.org.uk/resources/view-resource/836-ldquohow-can-you-be-a-marda-if-you-beat-your-wiferdquo Year: 2014 Country: Nepal Keywords: Gender-Based Violence Shelf Number: 135260 |
Author: Kumar, Manoj Title: Identifying Effective Measures to Combat Organized Crime in Post-conflict Nepal: A Case Study from Kathmandu Summary: In 2006 the Comprehensive Peace Agreement was signed between the state of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal (also known as the Maoists). This agreement signified the end of a decade long armed conflict and Nepal transitioned into a post-conflict phase. Since the signing of this agreement, Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, has witnessed a tremendous rise in organized crime and there has been a relatively low level of public trust in the police. Ineffective mechanisms used by the police to deal with organized crime have caused public trust and confidence to decline further. Although a number of studies have been made to understand the security situation in Nepal, no studies have been conducted that focus on the growing levels of organized crime, specifically in Kathmandu. This study focuses on identifying the factors responsible and the measures that can be adopted to deal with organized crime in Kathmandu. This study also makes an effort to understand the trends and patterns of the organized crime, which is critical to gain a comprehensive understanding of the security of the nation. This study is based on the rising trend of organized crime and low levels of security caused by organized crime in Kathmandu. Both qualitative and quantitative data was gathered for this study. Results from the desk review of secondary data and the opinion survey conducted with police officers serve as quantitative data while data gathered from focus-group discussions and reflection sessions serve as qualitative data. The research activities were structured in three cycles. The first cycle included the crime data analysis of the five years before and the five years after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). In the second cycle, two separate focus-group discussions were held where the findings of the opinion survey were further discussed with two police groups; one with the senior police officers and the other with junior officers participating in the Post Graduate Diploma in Police Sciences (PGDPS) Course. Research findings show that the Nepal Police are encountering compounding problems due to the post-conflict situation and that the measures used by police to deal with organized crime are impeding the ability of the police to gain support and cooperation from the public. Details: Siem Reap, Cambodia: Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, 2012. 60p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 20, 2015 at: http://www.centrepeaceconflictstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/Identifying-Effective-Measures-to-Combat-Organised-Crime.pdf Year: 2012 Country: Nepal Keywords: Law Enforcement Shelf Number: 136108 |
Author: Gupte, Jaideep Title: Key Challenges of Security Provision in Rapidly Urbanising Contexts: Evidence from Kathmandu Valley and Terai Regions of Nepal Summary: We know that urban violence not only affects people's health and wellbeing, it has a devastating impact on the social fabric and economic prospects of entire cities. It can also set recursive cycles of vulnerability in motion - violence-affected individuals find it increasingly harder to be gainfully employed, while poverty is sustained through inter generational transfers. However, the mechanisms through which violent crime and urbanisation are interconnected are not straightforward. While higher rates of violent crime are generally seen in the larger urban centres, not all urban centres experience similar degrees of violence. That is, the security and insecurity outcomes in a city are the result of a complex range of socioeconomic, political and demographic factors, which can vary temporally, spatially, as well as be significantly different for different individuals or groups. Importantly, rapid urbanisation also brings with it a unique set of challenges, which has the potential to overwhelm key government services, including policing and security provision. Details: Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies, 2014. 63p. Source: Internet Resource: Addressing and Mitigating Violence, IDS Evidence Report No. 69: Accessed August 24, 2015 at: http://www.ids.ac.uk/publication/key-challenges-of-security-provision-in-rapidly-urbanisig-contexts-evidence-from-kathmandu-valley-and-terai-regions-of-nepal Year: 2014 Country: Nepal Keywords: Urban Crime Shelf Number: 136569 |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: "Like We Are Not Nepali": Protest and Police Crackdown in the Terai Region of Nepal Summary: Starting in late August 2015, protests over Nepal's new constitution in the southern Terai region turned violent, with protesters in some instances attacking defenseless police, and police in many instances using excessive force. Some 45 people were killed. The protesters, from long-marginalized Tharu and Madhesi communities, objected to the proposed new constitution, notably its delineation of federal provinces that many believed would further entrench their marginalization. "Like We Are Not Nepali" documents 25 of the killings, including of 9 police officers and 16 members of the public, in five Terai districts between August 24 and September 11, 2015. Human Rights Watch found no evidence that any of the victims was posing a threat to another at the time he was killed, indicating that the authorities violated international standards on the use of force in policing. Human Rights Watch calls on Nepali officials to ensure that security forces immediately cease the use of disproportionate force against protesters and establish an independent mechanism for investigating the killings. It urges protesters and protest leaders to take all feasible steps to ensure that all protests are peaceful, and fully cooperate with the authorities in ensuring those responsible for serious crimes are brought to justice. All sides to the underlying political dispute, including protesters and the government, should avoid any action which could incite communal tensions. Details: New York: HRW, 2015. 52p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2015 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/nepal1015_forupload.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Nepal Keywords: Police Misconduct Shelf Number: 137144 |
Author: Pradhan, Uma Title: Preparatory study for situational analysis of commercial sexual exploitation of children in Nepal : a preliminary report, January 2015 Summary: This report documents the key findings of the 'Preparatory Study for Situational Analysis of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Nepal'. This study aims to provide a preliminary insight on the current situation of CSEC in Nepal so as to provide the basis for the national-level research on 'Situational Analysis of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children in Nepal'. The study was conducted from November 2013 to February 2014. This report is organized into nine chapters. Chapter one sets the context for the current research. It presents the prevalence and policy context of CSEC in Nepal. In Chapter two, report highlights some of the conceptual issues around Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC). Chapter three and four discusses the methodology for the research and various challenges during the research process. Chapter five traces the journey of children to CSEC. In Chapter six, the report discusses 10 different manifestations of research. Chapter seven attempts to trace linkages between various manifestations of CSEC. In Chapter eight, the report presents the main themes emerging from the research. The final chapter lists some of the main stakeholders for action against CSEC in Nepal. Details: Kathmandu : CWIN : ECPAT Luxembourg, [2015]. 95p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 12, 2016 at: http://ecpat.lu/sites/default/files/resources/Nepal_Preparatory_Study_CSEC.pdf Year: 2014 Country: Nepal Keywords: Child Pornography Shelf Number: 138641 |
Author: Dangol, Buddhi Ratna Title: Illegal Wildlife Trade in Nepal: A Case Study from Kathmandu Valley Summary: Illegal wildlife trade is burgeoning issues in the world. Many research and reports have revealed that an extent of illegal trade is expanding despite there are national and international laws including conventions. This study provides a general overview of illegal wildlife trade such as wildlife species, suspects and convicted perpetrators, and law enforcement in Kathmandu Valley. All information is based on wildlife seizures and arrests in the valley of the period from 2003 to 2013. The information comprises of 167 wildlife crime cases against 414 individuals representing from 52 districts among 75 districts of Nepal. All the cases have been prosecuted under National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1973 and District Forest Offices have adjudicated over the cases as quasi-judge. Though there are wide ranges between minimum and maximum punishments in the law, court decision of some cases has gone beyond the laws such as under and over law punishments. There seems a need of law amendment for covering all type illegal wildlife trade and maintain equal justice for all, which will strengthen to fight against illegal wildlife trade in the country. Details: Oslo: Norwegian University of Life Sciences, 2015. 64p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed May 4, 2016 at: https://brage.bibsys.no/xmlui//bitstream/id/335210/Dangol_2015.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Nepal Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade Shelf Number: 138927 |
Author: Shrestha, Mohan Bikram Title: Wildlife Crime Scenario: A Case Study of Kathmandu Valley Summary: Society and natural environment are two components of nature. The interaction between these two components existed since the human species appeared in this planet. In the past as well as in the present due to the degradation, deforestation and fragmentation of forest blocks many wildlife species have lost their natural habitats and are in the verge of extinction. Illegal wildlife trade is one of the threats for the survival of endangered species; especially the trade of flagship species products is in ever-increasing trend. In recent years, the increased value and demand of wildlife derivatives for traditional medicines and fashion accessories have significantly contributed to wildlife poaching and illegal trade throughout the world. Multiple stratum and network of poachers, middlemen, domestic and international traders are supporting the illegal wildlife trade syndicate and have expanded at national, regional and international levels. The intermittent confiscation of wildlife derivatives such as rhino horn, tiger-otter-leopard skin, bones, musk pods and other trophies by the police and forest officials have proved that the illegal network is constantly active in wildlife trade and trafficking in Nepal. So it is a huge challenge for the conservation stakeholders to control illegal trade of endangered and protected flora, fauna and their parts. Wildlife Conservation Nepal (WCN) is one among the many stakeholders working in the field of protection and conservation of endangered species. It is among one of the few organizations monitoring illegal wildlife trade ever since its establishment. It is established with a view to protect and conserve natural heritage and disseminate information on environment and wildlife issues. It conducts field level activities to safeguard wildlife species in their natural habitat. It designs and conducts researches, trainings and workshops and enhances the capacity of enforcement officials in combating wildlife trade. And moreover, it provides leadership trainings and generates awareness amongst young individuals and students so that wildlife is protected in their natural habitat. This study is about the current wildlife scenario of illegal wildlife trade in Kathmandu. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: Wildlife Conservation Nepal, 2012. 18p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 4, 2016 at: http://www.wcn.org.np/ Year: 2012 Country: Nepal Keywords: Illegal Wildlife Trade Shelf Number: 138928 |
Author: Regmi, Smriety Title: Trends and Control Efforts of Illegal Wildlife Trade in the Kathmandu Valley Summary: Illegal wildlife trade has increased the threats to overturn decades of conservation gains on global ecosystem. The study area, Kathmandu valley has been used as a major hub for trading endangered wild animals. However, very little research has been done on it which is focused only on the trends. The research intends to analyze the trends of illegal wildlife trade as well as find its causes, past efforts to control it and the probable control measures. Primary data was collected by key informant interview, direct observation of convicts' interrogation, etc. and secondary data was gathered through relevant documents, articles, websites, etc. The trend of illegal wildlife trade has been fluctuating in Kathmandu valley which follows the path of political consistency. Greater population density, easy transportation access and many transit points have made the valley safer for illegal traders to conduct their activities. 174 cases of illegal trade with 418 arrestees were registered from the year 2060 to 2071 B.S. in the valley with maximum no. of cases in 2069 B.S. Skins of deer and tiger besides leopard are traded most from the valley. Strong law enforcement, regular monitoring and interagency cooperation along with employment opportunities, people's participation and mass awareness can help to control the illegal trade. Details: Kathmandu: Institute of Forestry, 2015. 29p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed June 8, 2016 at: http://www.forestrynepal.org/images/thesis/BSc_Smriety_Regmi.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Nepal Keywords: Endangered Species Shelf Number: 139321 |
Author: Human Rights Watch Title: Summary: Thirty-seven percent of girls in Nepal marry before age 18 and 10 percent are married by age 15, in spite of the fact that the minimum age of marriage under Nepali law is 20 years of age. Boys also often marry young in Nepal, though in lower numbers than girls. UNICEF data indicates that Nepal has the third highest rate of child marriage in Asia, after Bangladesh and India. In interviewing dozens of children and young people, Human Rights Watch learned that these marriages result from a web of factors including poverty, lack of access to education, child labor, social pressures, and harmful practices. Cutting across all of these is entrenched gender inequality, and damaging social norms that make girls less valued than boys in Nepali society. Details: New York: HRW, 2016. 131p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 13, 2016 at: https://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/report_pdf/nepal0816_web.pdf Year: 2016 Country: Nepal Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Shelf Number: 145535 |
Author: Laxminarayan, Malini Title: Can Conflict Resolution Reduce Fear in Crime Victims? A case study of Bhutanese refugees in Nepal Summary: Over 50 million people have been displaced from their homes into refugee camps in countries around the world. Accounts of insecurity in refugee camps are pervasive. This insecurity is due to crime, the presence of military elements and (forcible) recruitment of refugees into rebel and military movements, and high rates of sexual and gender-based violence. Concern over personal security and fear is often high in these settings. Refugees’ experiences of persecution contributes to this fear and can combine with experiences of victimization to increase fear in camp settings. At the same time, research on justice and legal processes suggests that conflict resolution procedures that respond to criminal behavior may, when well conducted, play a role in alleviating fear. This working paper examines different aspects of conflict resolution within Bhutanese refugee camps in Nepal and investigates, using research conducted in 2011, the role of these factors in reducing fear among crime victims. The findings show that several factors relating to both legal processes and outcomes play a significant role in reducing fear among victims. The implications of these findings are discussed. Details: The Hague: Hague Institute for Global Justice, 2015. 23p. Source: Internet Resource: Working paper 12: Accessed December 15, 2016 at: http://www.thehagueinstituteforglobaljustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Bhutanese-Refugees-Nepal.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Nepal Keywords: Conflict Resolution Shelf Number: 146160 |
Author: Pant, Hitesh Title: Zero poaching and social sustainability in protected areas : a study of Chitwan National Park, Nepal Summary: Protected areas (PAs) embody a historical legacy of value contestation and human exclusion. While the rise of community-based conservation in the 1980s sought to reconfigure this mechanism by running a counter narrative arguing that biodiversity conservation and development were mutually reinforcing objectives, exclusionary PAs continue to maintain a strong position in the conservation discourse. The militarization of PAs as a response to the rise in global poaching has allowed state and non-state conservation agencies to wield extensive power as a moral imperative to preserve iconic species. This undertaking is notable in the recent "zero-poaching" campaign, which aims to shut all incidences of illicit mega-fauna poaching within national parks. Supported by prominent conservation groups, the campaign has been able garner momentum after Nepal, one of its member countries, declared four non-consecutive years of zero poaching in its PAs. While conservation groups in Nepal repeatedly stress that they work in tandem with local groups in park buffer zones to deter wildlife crime and support community development, the mechanisms of these social transformations are less evident in the campaigns' media reports, and their modes of operation less scrutinized. Drawing on concepts developed from Antonio Gramsci's studies on cultural hegemony, I review the historical development of anti-poaching from its roots in England in the 18th century to its internationalization in the mid twentieth century. The modern turn towards heightened militarization as a win-win solution for conservation and development is specifically studied within the context of Nepal's Chitwan National Park (CNP), which has been globally recognized as a model for species protection after achieving successive years of zero poaching. I apply a document analysis to test the extent to which CNP adheres to zero poaching’s objective of local participation and inclusive development. Both state and non-state organizations have utilized the mass media to promote the idea of community-led conservation, but the park’s five year management plan reveals that it fails to fully incorporate guidelines from the zero poaching toolkit. Zero poaching marks a turn within international conservation to mainstream an anti-poaching strategy that follows on sustainability’s criteria of transdisciplinary research, mainly by promoting a management technique that aims to account for different value systems, views and interests of stakeholders across the supply chain of wildlife crime. However, to turn into a counter-hegemonic force in conservation, it needs to become a reactionary agent against the old framing of human-wildlife conflict and poaching that still inhibits holistic social sustainability in its target regions Details: Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies, 2016. 43p. Source: Internet Resource: Thesis: Accessed March 6, 2017 at: http://lup.lub.lu.se/luur/download?func=downloadFile&recordOId=8893925&fileOId=8893927 Year: 2016 Country: Nepal Keywords: Animal Poaching Shelf Number: 141355 |
Author: Ghimire, Anita Title: Understanding intimate partner violence in Nepal through a male lens Summary: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a major public health and human rights issue in Nepal, and is rooted in a wider context of high gender inequality. Nepal ranks 108th out of 152 countries on the Gender Inequality Index, and while there is no global index for IPV, data from Nepal’s most recent (2011) Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) shows that 33% of women aged 15-49 who have ever been married report that they have experienced IPV, while 17% have experienced it in the past 12 months (Ministry of Health and Population [MoHP] Nepal, New ERA, and ICF International, 2012). IPV is an emerging area of research in Nepal, with most studies (e.g., Atteraya et al., 2015; Dalal et al. 2014; Tuladhar et al., 2013) using DHS data to analyse its scope and trends, rather than conducting IPV-specific national surveys. Other studies have focused on small geographical areas, and rarely distinguish between the very different perspectives and experiences of men and women. While there is ample thematic evidence on areas such as sexual violence by intimate partners (see, for example, Adhikari and Tamang, 2010), there is a lack of evidence on the factors that perpetuate IPV, on the impact of intervention programmes on men, or that reflect both male and female perspectives. This short report aims to fill that knowledge gap, drawing on primary qualitative research in 2016 that provides unique insights on the multi-level influences – including household-level power imbalances and community level norms that devalue women and girls – which shape the attitudes and behaviour of boys and men around IPV. The findings discussed in this short report are part of a broader regional study of the perpetration of IPV by men and boys across South Asia, being conducted in Bangladesh and Pakistan in addition to Nepal. The definition of IPV used in this study is set out in Box1. Objectives of the research Given the knowledge gaps on the dynamics of IPV as they relate to male perpetrators, including attitudinal, programmatic and policy issues, this study has three objectives. 1. To understand the multi-level drivers of male perpetration of IPV in Nepal, including the relative importance of conservative gender norms. 2. To investigate how broader political economy dynamics shape the attitudes, behaviours and service provision related to IPV. 3. To determine the types of policy and programming that exist to tackle male perpetration of IPV, and the associated implications for policy and practice to strengthen responses to IPV. To address these objectives, this short report first provides an overview of the conceptual framework that is applied across all three focus countries in South Asia, followed by a methodology section setting out the study sites, the programmes reviewed, and the tools and instruments used. Following an overview of existing evidence on the patterning and prevalence of IPV in Nepal, the short report then discusses the individual, household and community level influences that shape experiences of IPV among both perpetrators and survivors. We then discuss formal and informal responses before we conclude with a discussion of the policy and programming implications emerging from our findings. Details: London: Overseas Development Institute, 2017. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 31, 2017 at: https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/resource-documents/11399.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Nepal Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 144672 |
Author: Ghimire, Anita Title: Understanding intimate partner violence in Nepal: Prevalence, drivers and challenges Summary: A relatively supportive policy and legal environment has driven progress on gender equality in Nepal in recent decades. This has contributed to a relaxation of some discriminatory gender norms, although other norms remain 'sticky', reinforcing unjust practices towards women and girls. Gender-based violence (GBV) – including physical and sexual abuse, forced eviction from the marital home, polygamy and marital rape – is an area where recent socioeconomic changes and changing social norms have had mixed results. GBV remains prevalent and ingrained in much of Nepali life, and intimate partner violence (IPV) as a subset of GBV remains little understood or explored. Indeed, the gender roles and responsibilities assigned to men and women make it difficult to conceptualise IPV as a problem. Despite efforts by government and non-government programmes to engage men and boys in addressing GBV, there is widespread reluctance to discuss issues deemed to be 'women’s' problems. Although younger boys may believe that GBV is wrong, this does not necessarily mean they will refrain from inflicting violence when they reach adolescence and adulthood. And while people generally (and women in particular) are now more aware of their rights and are taking actions against GBV, reporting rates remain very low. This report describes findings from a research study in two districts (Kapilvastu and Rupandehi) in the Western Development Region of Nepal in 2016. It explores the incidence and forms of IPV and the role of social norms in driving IPV. It also assesses the effects of two programmes that focus on changing men and boys’ attitudes towards IPV and GBV: one government-run programme and one implemented by an international non-government organisation (NGO) in partnership with local organisations. Aims of the study The study aimed to: • understand the role of social norms in driving male perpetration of IPV • find out how broader political economy dynamics shape attitudes and behaviours on IPV and service provision • find out what kind of policy and programming exists to tackle IPV. Our conceptual framework builds on an integrated ecological model, emphasising the interaction of factors at each level – the individual, the family, the community, and broader society – and the ways in which they contribute to IPV. We also focus on the role of meso-level institutions, the vital intermediaries through which national-level resources and priorities for addressing IPV are refracted. Details: London: Overseas Development Institute, 2017. 78p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 31, 2017 at: https://www.odi.org/sites/odi.org.uk/files/resource-documents/11381.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Nepal Keywords: Abusive Men Shelf Number: 144673 |
Author: Amnesty International Title: Turning People into Profits: Abusive Recruitment, Trafficking and Forced Labour of Nepali Migrant Workers Summary: In the absence of decent work opportunities at home, millions of Nepali citizens have turned to the global economy for employment. With more than 400,000 people leaving every year for jobs abroad, migration is a key source of income for the country. But although wages sent home by Nepali migrant workers make up almost a third of the country's GDP, a shockingly low proportion of the Nepal government's budget - less than one percent - is allocated annually to government departments mandated to protect the rights of labour migrants. Poor government oversight over the recruitment of Nepali workers for foreign employment have opened up countless possibilities for fraud, extortion, trafficking, and exploitation of people desperate for work. This report provides fresh evidence that despite recently-introduced government reforms, entrenched patterns of abuse of Nepali migrant workers remain unaddressed. During recruitment processes, local agents and recruitment agents in Nepal are still able to deceive and exploit migrants without significant fear of being caught or punished. New government policies meant to improve the protection of migrant workers' rights, and drastically reduce what recruitment businesses can charge workers, have not been adequately resourced, monitored, or enforced. Migrants remain at risk of crippling indebtedness, forced labour, and various forms of exploitation throughout the migration process. The report makes recommendations for the Government of Nepal, governments of destination countries and businesses to ensure that migrant workers are treated with respect and dignity, and that their migration experiences are not marked by deception, indebtedness and coercion. Details: London; AI, 2017. 88p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 6, 2017 at: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/asa31/6206/2017/ne/ Year: 2017 Country: Nepal Keywords: Forced Labor Shelf Number: 145935 |
Author: Ryckmans, Jean-Christophe Title: The Abuse of Street Children in Kathmandu: A Research on Children's Experiences of Psychosocial, Physical, and Sexual Abuse Summary: The daily struggle that Jean-Christophe Ryckmans and his NGO Child Protection Centers and Services (CPCS) undertake in favor of street children in Nepal in general but principally in Kathmandu seeks to break the infernal cycle of violence and abuse that is the unfortunate every day existence of these children. For these children, this social and societal problem is about their stolen childhoods, the confiscation of their dreams and the exposure to dangers that no child on this planet should have to endure! The publication of the study on "The Street Children of Nepal" is an eye-opener which should increase awareness of this global problem and pilot research for a durable solution so that the Title of Jean-Christophe's book (2007) "L'Espoir Au Bout De La Rue" will one day soon become a reality. Jean-Charles DEMARQUIS (French Ambassador to Nepal) Details: Nepal: Child Protection Centers; Voice of Children, 2008. 146p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed September 28, 2017 at: http://cpcs.international/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/the-abuse-of-street-children-in-kathmandu_en_2008.pdf Year: 2008 Country: Nepal Keywords: Begging Shelf Number: 131394 |
Author: Child Protection Centers and Services (CPCS) NGO Nepal Title: The Street Children of Kathmandu: Study, approaches and comments on the daily life of street-based children of the Nepalese capital Summary: They are called Raju, Dinesh, Sunita, Bikram, or Akash. In the company of many others they spend their childhood and adolescence living on the streets of Kathmandu. In turn, they warm their frozen hands on the hot coals of a furnace, in turn they sing alone in the dark deserted streets scavenging for any profitable waste, in turn they hassle a passer-by to beg a couple of rupees, in turn they are happy when they fill their empty stomachs with a hot meal, in turn they are sad for having lost a precious trinket, in turn they laugh at the new pleasures that city life has to offer them, in turn they cry remembering the villages they left behind, in turn protector, in turn raped, in turn a player, in turn beaten, in turn a good prince, in turn hunted, in turn living and in turn dead - but in each step, each dream, they remain children and free. Who are these children? Where do they come from? How can they live without parents at such a young age? Are they tempted by soft or hard drugs? What dangers will their lives encounter? In what type of social context do they grow up? Are they surrounded by an education system? These are seven questions that this book will try to illuminate. Other than answers, in this book you will find a new approach to these various questions, mixed with emotions and life experience, as there exists neither theory nor formula to try to understand the magical, tragic and worrying lives that defines the street and the micro-society which the children establish. The service and street workers of CPCS estimate that the number of children living on the street is between 800 to 1100, for Kathmandu alone and its valley. This information has been confirmed by most of the major organisations and other research. This study focuses on these children in particular, as we remain convinced that caution should be used with regards to the multiple "categories" that illustrate the link between the children and the street. The contextual and situational differences between "street children, children in the street, street-working children, street-living children, children with a street-relationship, urban children at risks, etc" appear in effect to be more pertinent in detailed expert analysis than actual reality. This book is based on a survey carried-out with 430 children, 430 lives. In particular, it is the result of an unfinished common working platform between more than 40 people and more than a dozen Nepalese and international experts. The hope is that this book will convey helpful new elements, clues and suggestions that will prove useful not only to NGOs and social workers but also to the general public, as our aim is to reach as many audiences as possible. We remain convinced that it is through a society as a whole, and not only just organisations or governments, that we can bring about an improvement to the condition of these lives and ultimately the social rehabilitation of these children. With this in mind, we have attempted to base ourselves less on the statistics and analysis of data, but rather concentrate our research on children's interviews, illustrations and photos, and in particular on the advice of recognised Nepalese social workers and international experts. At first sight, they may appear to be a certain confusion as the reader is taken on a journey through scientific analysis, essays, witness accounts, and documents. Nevertheless, this confusion permits us to understand the complexity of the situation and the diverse analyses possible. Details: Dillibazaar, Kathmandu: CPCS Nepal, 2007. 194p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 13, 2018 at: http://cpcs.international/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/the-street-children-of-kathmandu_en_2007.pdf Year: 2007 Country: Nepal Keywords: Begging Shelf Number: 149114 |
Author: Racovita, Mihaela Title: Women in State Security Provision in Nepal: Meaningful Participation? Summary: Measures in Nepal have helped the country increase the number and scope of inclusion of women in its security sector; but female security providers continue to face challenges. Women in the police, army and armed police force tackle crime and insecurity in its various forms, but also serve as role models in their communities. A new analysis from the Small Arms Survey finds, however, that barriers to female participation remain, ranging from continuing demands in the home to persistent gender discrimination inside institutions and within society more broadly. More can be done by the institutions in question to become more gender-responsive and ensure that women's participation in these structures is, indeed, meaningful. The Briefing Paper Women in State Security Provision in Nepal: Meaningful Participation? assesses the progress of the Nepali government in including women in security provision, looks at the evolution of female participation in the formal security sector, and explores the motivations and deterrents involved for women considering joining. Details: Geneva, SWIT: Small Arms Survey, 2018. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Briefing paper: Accessed March 26, 2018 at: http://www.smallarmssurvey.org/fileadmin/docs/T-Briefing-Papers/SAS-BP-Nepal-Women-State-Security.pdf Year: 2018 Country: Nepal Keywords: Female Officers Shelf Number: 149565 |
Author: Burns, Danny Title: Patterns and dynamics of bonded labour, child labour and child marriage in the Nepali Eastern Terai: Findings from life story analysis Summary: This is a report of the analysis of multiple life stories collected across the Freedom Fund slavery and bonded labour hotspot in the Eastern Terai of Nepal. Life stories were analysed by NGO fieldwork staff and community representatives at the Collective Story Analysis workshop held 5-9th March 2017. Where appropriate we add reinforcing material from the scoping study, which took place in February 2016. We outline the major findings and key system dynamics that emerged. The life story collection and analysis process is the first of three research components in the IDS research on the Freedom Fund slavery and bonded labour hotspots. Alongside the life story work a parallel participatory statistics process has been carried out. These two components will generate action research groups, which will collect further data, generate solutions and test these in community, NGO and policy domains. The life story collection and analysis method used for this research is a systematic approach to understanding the context in which Freedom Fund partners are working but it does not allow us to generalise beyond these participating communities, which have generally been selected because local civil society organisations believe that workers and their families in these areas are in greatest need. The prevalence data in these areas have been examined in another, separate and linked study. It does not allow us to make inferences about the overall conditions in the industry, though it does show the severity of problems occurring in these selected areas. All real names in this document have been replaced by codes that will be pseudonyms in the final report. Details: Brighton, UK: Institute of Development Studies, 2017. 27p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 26, 2018 at: https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/bitstream/handle/123456789/13398/Nepal_Life_Stories_report_FINAL_301017.pdf?sequence=1 Year: 2017 Country: Nepal Keywords: Bonded Labor Shelf Number: 153103 |
Author: Bhuju, Ukesh Raj Title: Report on the Facts and Issues of Poaching of Mega Species and Illegal Trade in their Parts in Nepal Summary: Background The study undertaken by Transparency International Nepal (TIN) with the support of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Nepal aims to uncover the facts and underlying issues related to the poaching of mega mammals in Nepal and the illegal trade in their parts. The methodology included review of policy and legal documents, snow balling techniques (nine consultative meetings), and field visits to 42 sites in 14 districts. Eighteen focus group discussions and 50 interactive interviews were conducted with 63 Community and Civil Society Members, 25 Conservationists, Scientists and Others in addition to 26 Government Administrators, six Intruders and Prisoners, and 39 Protected Area Managers. The report contains five chapters: 1: Background, 2: Assessment of the Status of Poaching and Illegal Trade, 3: Review of the Institutional and Legal Framework and Gaps, 4: Investigation and Analysis of Poaching and Illegal Trade, and 5: Conclusions, Recommendations and Action Plan. The study focused on two major mega fauna species namely rhinoceros and tiger. Assessment of the Status of Poaching and Illegal Trade The rhinoceros and the tiger are the two mega-fauna species. Loss of habitat coupled with other human induced activities has posed grave threats to these species. Since the beginning of the national park system, the rhino population has increased from 120 and 147 in 1972 to 544 in 2000. This number has declined to 408 in 2008 in Chitwan. Poaching of rhinos for horn is the major cause of this decline. Altogether 130 breeding tigers have been recorded in the lowland protected areas and surrounding forests in 2005. Poaching and habitat destruction are the major cause of decline in their population. Review of the Institutional and Legal Framework and Gaps The major policies, strategies and plans pertinent to wildlife protection are National Conservation Strategy for Nepal, Nepal Environmental Policy and Action Plan, Revised Forestry Sector Policy, Nepal Biodiversity Strategy and Its Implementation Plan, and the Species Action Plans. The major Acts and Regulations pertinent to wildlife are the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act and its Regulations, Forest Act and its Regulations, the Buffer Zone Regulations, Conservation Area Management Regulations. The other relevant acts and regulations are in the domains of environment protection, import and export control, police, custom, treaties and transborder cooperation. The major gaps in Nepal's legislative provisions include: - Unidirectional policy making process, - Non- specific mandates of government agencies, - Information sharing is not institutionally built, - Rewards and recognition are inadequate, - Non-existence of anti-poaching squads outside protected areas, - Rank and status conflicts among government officials. Investigation and Analysis of Poaching and Illegal Trade Poaching and illegal trade are not only related to conservation but also to economic, political and social sphere. Involvement of a wide range of people was found in poaching. It is not just the poor who are supposedly 'poaching' for livelihood, but elites are also involved. In some cases, middlemen have exploited locals' poor socio-economic conditions. The complex issue of poaching and illegal trade is further complicated by procedures of punishment and penalties. According to conservationists, poaching will continue along with the demand for wildlife products. Illegal traders are benefiting not only from the porosity of international borders, but also by the limited knowledge of personnel at custom and check posts. At the same time, illegal traders even threaten government personnel. Patrolling and surveillance are inadequate to keep wildlife safe due to lack of resources for anti-poaching units. Army personnel feel that their current strength in park/reserve is not adequate. Security in the field is poor. Guard posts are inadequate in the field, and also in vulnerable areas. Human-wildlife conflict is very high in and around protected areas. Local communities have reacted revengefully. However, several local youths have organized antipoaching groups to curb wildlife trade and poaching. The incentives of reward have increased local involvement in antipoaching activities. NTNC has a supportive role in areas of research, monitoring and database maintenance. The National Forensic Science Laboratory (NAFOL) and the police have limited forensic capacity. The long-term goal is DNA testing, but the laboratory is not a priority of the government. Although wildlife protection is not a priority for the police, on several occasions police cooperation has resulted in arrest of illegal traders and confiscation of wildlife parts. The buffer zone program has been the most successful tool in raising awareness of local people around the park area. The program was considered to be an effective solution to wildlife crimes. However, in spite of public awareness programs and incentives to the local community, there are cases in which families are involved in poaching and illegal trade in wildlife. Benefit-sharing in buffer zone are not directly linked with antipoaching activities. The factors hindering antipoaching include insufficient resources, political intervention, non-coordination among key players, poor tools of investigation, and irregularity of transborder meetings. Similarly, legal weaknesses include high degree of discretionary power exercised by the chief warden and district forest officer, and bureaucratic hurdles to release Rs50,000 as reward. Details: Kathmandu, Nepal: Transparency International Nepal, 2009. 61p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 17, 2018 at: http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/index.php?s=1&act=pdfviewer&id=1315014970&folder=131 Year: 2009 Country: Nepal Keywords: Conservation Shelf Number: 153862 |