Social Challenges of Dalit Community (A Case study of Rajhena VDC, Banke)

Abstract

The study was carried out at Rajhena VDC of Banke district. It is located at the central northern part of the Banke district. The research was aimed at studying at various socio-economic aspects of Dalits. Basically this study has been focused on social challenges of Dalits in economic, educational, health, hygiene, social discrimination and related to social movement of Dalits. The objectives of this study is i) To identify the income sources for livelihood of Damai, Kami and Sarki ii) To examine the factors of the social discrimination against the Dalits iii) To identify the status of the Dalits communities in education, health and hygiene sector iv) To suggest programmatic policy measures for the upliftment of the Dalit communities This study is based on social science methodology. The primary data were collected from field visit and secondary data were collected from various official sources and publications. The research design of this study is descriptive, analytical as well as exploratory. The sample size was determined by using simple random sampling. The sample size was 40 households from three wards, 2, 3 and 8 respectively. To collect the data, household survey, interview method, key informants interview and focus group discussion were made. The gathered data were analyzed and described through tabulation, percentage distribution in descriptive and analytical methods. Qualitative and quantitative data were presented as need to meet the objective. In the context of Dalit of Nepal, Dalits are categorized: one is politically coined and second is untouchable. Social condition of Dalits in Nepal is very poor condition where they do not have basic rights though their demographic number is in 2.6 million. Education condition is also very low, only 22.8 percent Dalits were literate. Caste based discrimination in the western part of Nepal is higher than the eastern part of Nepal. Among them women are highly exploited than men. Economic condition is also not left behind from the context of Dalits. Most of them were employed as a labour ,construction works etc. Life expectancy of Dalit is 50.8 years at national level in the political participation is in significant with the population size of Nepal. Land distribution among the Dalits is not well condition because most of the do not have their own land and the land which they have is not certificated and whatever they have, this land is not productive. In the one hand they are suffering from the land less problem and the other side they have low productivity problem.. Because of this they have been adopting their alternative occupation for sustainability. There are all together 8 caste groups in the Rajhena VDC. Male population is higher than the female population. Most of the Dalits have quitted their traditional work because of low market work. Most of Dalit families live in joint family where no facilities and very few people have been supporting for the large number of family members. Their sources of income are not supportive for their livelihood in this Rajhena VDC because they do not get work whole year. Their works are seasonal only. Their health, hygiene, education etc. are very poor. In comparison others, they do not have well condition of social status and other opportunities. in the participation field, they have given opportunities but not from the very beginning of work. They have to do only physical work rather than decision making works. NGOs and INGOs are also established to promote their life but most of them are centralized at the facilated places. They are not reached at them. Social discrimination is in the apex point where no one has given opportunity to enter inside the temple. Feeling towards untouchability is also very high. Now a days they are discriminated from three sides: Maoist, arm force and so called upper caste group. They do not raise their voices against to them because no one has listened to them. Who makes any complain to this person, either leave this village or suffer from them. Only one satisfactory situation is that they have the trend of sending their babies to the school for education but all most of them do not get opportunity to study for secondary level. They are also very committed on their tradition and culture. All the rite and rituals were made by them on the basis of their cultures which were followed by their ancestors.