Text: Pawan Bimali
Photography: Roman Koblov
The situation of the Nepalese is severe. Except for a limited number of privileged people, most of the population has no access to basic needs. Poverty and illiteracy are some of the main problems. Nepal faces the following challenges in particular:
2. Subjection to children’s rights violations
3. Loss of parents (due to conflict)
4. And people are forced to join armed groups
More than 80% of the Nepalese population depends on agriculture. The traditional farming methods, irrigation problems and lack of fertile land yield less production than needed to survive. Since other job options are rare, the people have no income sources to support their families. Therefore, the people are poor and they cannot ensure their basic needs. Hunger-stricken families cannot afford enough food for the children. Pregnant women rarely have access to nutritious food so their babies are deprived of healthy development. Malnutrition, mental retardation, physical disabilities and other health related problems affect all people due to insufficient food. Also, the majority of the population is illiterate so they are uneducated about what a healthy diet is made of. Their unawareness of healthy food habits only enhances the problems.
There are dozens of ethnic groups who lead a nomadic lifestyle in various parts of the country. They keep on moving from one place to another in search of food for their animals, and for themselves. The changing weather forces them to move from one place to another, sometimes even daily. They live a very difficult life, lacking the basic necessities: food, clothing and residence. They have no private property, jobs, education, health and other necessary facilities. Both the mother and infant mortality rates are alarming. Flu, pneumonia and other types of air- and waterborne diseases are fatal to them. For any kind of health problem, they rely on witch doctors and believe in superstition.
There are also those from conflict zones who are displaced and homeless. These people are still waiting for peace and reconciliation so they can return home to their regular lives. At present, different ethnic and regional armed groups are actively challenging the ongoing peace process.
In order to overcome these problems appropriate planning from governments and local authority is needed. Farmers need to be introduced to advanced farming, such as fruit farming, dairy products, herb farming and proper utilization of the available resources. However farmers cannot initiate these projects on their own; they need money and technical support. The Nepalese government must be pro-active and accountable to start such projects. By helping the farmers, their incomes can increase and they will also create more jobs for other people. By providing more jobs, people can begin to pay for their families’ food and health care. Nepal is a troubled country but has much room for improvement, A little bit of foreign help can go a long way.
Pawan Bimali is Nepalese and has an MA in Peace Studies from the European Peace University. He is currently working as an activist for children’s rights in Nepal.
