Socio-economic study of Dalits ( A case study of Dalits of Halawar VDC of Dang district)

Abstract

Abstract The present thesis entitled "SOCIO-ECONOMIC STUDY OF DALITS: A Case Study of Dalits of Halawar VDC of Dang District" is the partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Arts in Rural Development. The general objective of the study is to find out the socio-economic condition of Dalits of the study area. The caste system exists in every country around the world, maybe not like in Nepal but in one way or another. The existence of superiority and inferiority due to skin color, religion, economic status, and social status is seen all over the world. The caste system was not created by some person like a king, but rather it developed out of a practice of a society over several thousands of years. Dalits are found in all the seventy-five districts of Nepal and their population is 2,341,030. Dalits are religiously discarded, socially oppressed, economically exploited, politically suppressed and educationally deprived. Due to all these reason, they remain backward and far from modern development initiatives. The study is based on both descriptive and exploratory methods. Both primary and secondary data have been used in the study. Primary data have been collected using households survey, interview, observation and focus group discussion. Ward number one and two are purposively selected for the study and 50% households of Dalits have been selected as the sample for the study. The selection of the study households has been done by using random sampling. After analyzing the data, poverty, education, culture, self-consciousness, leadership quality, discriminatory practice and gender balance are concluded as the socio-economic issues of the Dalits in the study area. Dalits does not have proper knowledge about their health and sanitation due to the lack of education and awareness. They still have old beliefs, tradition, values and go blindly with superstition. Literacy rate is very poor among the Dalits population. They do not know the importance of education. They utilize their indigenous skill and knowledge to fulfill their domestic requirements since the skill of these people do not play significant role to bring change in their economic status. The Nepalese society is deeply influenced by the caste discrimination and untouchability. Dalits are suffering from this tradition in Halawar VDC also. The development activities and motivation activities to them and awareness increasing programme to Dalits are playing vital role to change their attitudes and concept. The caste discrimination is gradually decreasing after the restoration of democracy. Finally, it can be concluded that the socio-economic condition of Dalits is not satisfactory because of illiteracy, poverty, low level of awareness, lack of self consciousness, discrimination and lack of leadership quality. However, awareness level is increasing among the Dalits.