Government recognizes the Badi, outcasts born with no name and no rights
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - The Nepalese
government has granted for the first time property to a member of the Badi
minority of outcasts considered even below the Dalits
("untouchables"). In recent days, Nanimaya young woman of 36 from the
district of Rukum forced into prostitution for a living, received a piece of
land in her name. This will allow her to have a house and a field to support
her family.
For centuries, the Badi have served the members of higher castes as dancers and
entertainers at parties. However, in the Nepalese society "Badi" is
synonymous with prostitute. Most do not have parents, because they were born
from relationships with customers. Born without a name, they are not entitled
to citizenship, property, education, political representation. They are often
the slaves of families or high caste groups, who use the Badi - especially
girls and women - for any type of "entertainment". Composed of about
70 thousand people, only after years of appeals by human rights groups and non-governmental
organizations, the government has granted members of the community the status
of citizens. Since 2007, the Dalit Uplift
Group Coordination Committee, the group that campaigns for the rights of
Dalits, has been pressuring the Government to also grant Badi the right to own property.
Nanimaya've never knew her father, the same case for her daughter. "There
were so many customers - she says - I do not even know with whom I conceived my
daughter. For this reason we are all without a name, we are no-one's
children." She explains that for centuries the monarchy has denied them
all rights, including that of owning a small piece of land. This prevented any
emancipation. "Without proof of ownership - she says - those who buy land
or a house can not give it to their children." Nanimaya adds that the
small piece of land granted to her by the government represents a major
achievement for the Badi community.
Gopa Kiranti, Minister of Culture, says that the government is trying to solve
the problem of Badi, a tradition that has been rooted for centuries. "We
hope - he said - to grant them full rights as soon as possible."
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