Women for women

Written by

With the move towards grassroots organization and especially with the proliferation of civil society activities in the 1990s, the women’s movement in Nepal has grown leaps and bounds. The rise of women-led non-governmental organizations and advocacy forums raising issues of gender and women’s rights has critically transformed women’s lives across the country. Women’s groups have been been the main vehicle for issues of property rights, sexual violence, trafficking, economic empowerment, reproductive health, governance, representation, and political participation to gain ground. What we present here is merely a fraction of the immense archive of NGO and other civil society activities on gender issues.

Kavrepalanchowk | 1983 As one of the first officers of Women Development Division, Shanta Laxmi Shrestha meets local women of Kavre for the Production Credit for Rural Women Program. This program provided women access to credit with the vision that women’s economic empowerment will boost rural development. Shanta Laxmi Shrestha Collection/Nepal Picture Library

Kavrepalanchowk | 1983
As one of the first officers of Women Development Division, Shanta Laxmi Shrestha meets local women of Kavre for the Production Credit for Rural Women Program. This program provided women access to credit with the vision that women’s economic empowerment will boost rural development.
Shanta Laxmi Shrestha Collection/Nepal Picture Library

Women’s Security Pressure Group Collection/Nepal Picture Library

Kathmandu | 1984 Pages from a report written by Indira Shrestha on the cases of women in prison for abortion-related crimes. Indira Shrestha Collection/Nepal Picture Library

Kathmandu | 1984
A report written by Indira Shrestha on the cases of women in prison for abortion-related crimes.
Indira Shrestha Collection/Nepal Picture Library

Kathmandu | 1993
Members of Women’s Security Pressure Group take a rally. Chaired by Sahana Pradhan, the group started as a united forum of women activists, politicians, and professionals of all affiliations. It was founded in 1991 after the Home Minister of the newly established democratic government said that women should simply grow their nails and carry chilli powder when women activists petitioned him about the watershed case of a 11-year-old girl’s rape in Kathmandu. Seen in the photographs are Sahana Pradhan, Durga Ghimire, Astalaxmi Shakya, Savitri Jangam Thapa, and others.
Sushila Shrestha Collection/Nepal Picture Library

: Kathmandu | 1996 Charimaya Tamang at Nawa Jyoti Kendra shelter home in Kathmandu. Tamang was one of the girls rescued from Mumbai’s red light district following a raid and placed in a remand home by the Indian Police where they were routinely mistreated. After being brought back to Nepal, she poses in her favorite tailored dresses that she had to go through hoops to get the Indian Embassy to retrieve from the brothel. Tamang says, “It wasn’t greed but something else that made me want to have them back. I had put together few sets of jewelry and other things while in Mumbai. They belonged to me.” Charimaya Tamang Collection/Nepal Picture Library

: Charimaya Tamang after 1 week of rescue

Women’s Security Pressure Group Collection/Nepal Picture Library

Kapilvastu | 1995
Nepal Mahila Ekata Samaj joins a rally of landless people against an eviction drive initiated by the government, which was mobilizing elephants and military men to remove the squatter colonies in Terai. Nepal Mahila Ekata Samaj was an NGO set up to work specifically with landless and homeless women.
Nepal Mahila Ekta Samaj Collection/Nepal Picture Library

1995 c.| Kapilavastu. Bina Buddhacharya, active member of Nepal Mahila Ekta Samaj, attending a rally of sukumbasis (landless people) against an eviction drive initiated by the then democratically-elected government which was mobilising the military and elephants to burn and destroy the sukumbasis’ houses and farms in the southern tarai belt. Coming under the banner to unify campaigners working to recognize land rights and women’s rights, many organizations like the Nepal Mahila Ekta Samaj, worked to resist the government action which had negatively affected several thousands.
Nepal Mahila Ekta Samaj Collection/Nepal Picture Library

Women’s Security Pressure Group Collection/ Nepal Picture Library

Vienna | 1996
Usha Nepal represents Nepal at a United Nations summit on human trafficking.
Usha Nepal Collection/Nepal Picture Library

Mumbai | 1996
Activists meet with Mumbai Police to seek help in bringing back Nepali girls and women trafficked and sold into prostitution. In 1996, close to 200 Nepali women rescued and placed in Indian remand homes were brought back following the concerted efforts of activists like them. This action was done despite the heavy resistance from the government over the HIV pandemic.
Sushila Shrestha Collection/Nepal Picture Library

Sunsari | 2006
Women in Dharan attend a community awareness programme on employment and empowerment organized by Pourakhi Nepal, a member-based organization working on the rights of migrant women workers. Dharan is one of the largest remittance towns in Nepal.
Pourakhi Nepal Collection/Nepal Picture Library

[Feature Image: Women’s Security Pressure Group Collection/Nepal Picture Library]

These images are part of the ongoing Feminist Memory Project, which were under exhibition during Photo Kathmandu.

:::

We welcome your comments. Please write to us at letters@recordnepal.com.