Role of Women in Household Decision Making in Tharu Community Barahathawa Municipality-15 (Pipara Bhita)

Abstract

Women in Nepal, as elsewhere, hold the triple work responsibilities of reproduction, house holding and farm work. However, reproduction is not treated as work and house holding is not considered as productive work by government system. They are also suffering from the discriminatory practices in opportunity for education, personal mobility, which is required among other for skill development and independent decision making. Tharus are one of the indigenous people of Nepal living in Terai. They are mostly concentrated in Seti, Bheri, Lumbani, Narayani, Koshi and Janakpur zones or, in the western, mid-western and far western of Terai. They have scattered in the northern parts of Uttar Pradesh state in India along the Terai of Nepal. They usually live very close to heavily forested regions.They have their own dialect customs behavior pattern, life style and socio-culture of socio-economic life. Their dressing pattern is different from other ethnic groups of Nepal. A great majority of the Tharus are very hard working tenant cultivators. They are always engaged in agriculture. Most of them have been greatly exploited by ruthless zamindar and rich landlords. Their agricultural activities keep them isolated from outside world in their own localities. In the Tharus society, women play important role in decision making. Although the senior male members of a household have the final authority in matters concerning family, property and major household expenditure, they do not dare to impose their on the other household member. Rather all adult members of the household moreover, on certain occasion the senior males of a household, who are supposed to give the final decision just endorse the decision of their females.

It can also conclude that females have low socio-economic status and thus lag behind men in household decision making. So it is essential to improve their ability and capacity to participate major the decision making process. This study shows that female have to work more in household having less decision making. Though they have responsibility to complete the work, they have no chance to decide for it. If there is any difficulty to complete the work, they cannot decide at that moment, they have to ask for it. The Tharus women are basically followed their traditional rules and regulations. Even now, there is little change in the status in Tharus society of Pipara Bhita.