PRAGMATISM

IN THE RIGHT OF

CHILDREN AND WOMEN

Mr. Pabitra Gurung

dcgrg@yahoo.com

…… 13 years old girl, suspected ……., is killed ……

…… two children killed by playing with left bomb ……

…… 17 children, including 10 girls, rescued from a circus ……

…… superstitious beliefs imperil women’s lives ……

…… miles to go …… for gender parity ……

From last few years, these headlines related to some terrible incidents continuously covered the national daily newspapers. Nevertheless, with the least discomfort, it gives an idea about the existing situation of women and children in our country.

Conventionally, our society has been prone to pointless and detrimental conservative thoughts. The lack of apposite education and responsiveness are the principal causes. More than 10 million children have been psychologically scarred by the trauma of abduction, detention, sexual assault and brutal murder of their family members. That’s the reason why it is extremely important for everyone to be conscious on the rights of each individual.

At present our society is progressively realizing need to safeguard the constitutional rights of children and women. Children being freed from carpet factories, daughters getting education, priority in jobs to women and vulnerable groups, are some example of realization and adaptation of optimistic attitude. Nevertheless, with the exaggerated political violence, many incidents are still occurring that violate the rights of children and women. It’s true in Nepal that massive differences are occurred in ways of thinking between those living in the urban areas and those living in the rural. Rural people undergo from the short of apposite education and knowledge, many organization were even formed for the provision of providing services to bolster girls and children. However, sadly they are not functioning that well. This surely is changing, yet, at a painfully slow rate.

There is a strong perception in modern society that children are our future treasure; thus, we believe if children are properly taken care today, they will take good care both of us and our country tomorrow. There is a general phenomenon in the world that children are a part of social life. However, we do not respect children the way we ought to. This is primarily because of the fact that the general population is living in marginal life. Children are innocent, pure at heart and they know no manipulations. They respect adult views and listen to them carefully, but they wish the similar behavior from adults too. Their analysis a problem and situation may be similar or different to adults, but they also have their own perception and understanding about issues surroundings them. They can also contribute for the solution of many problems.

Nepali society has been practicing a closed system of social justice. In such a system, incidents of incest, rape, child marriage, domestic violence, or other forms of gender discrimination are very common. And women face discrimination in fields of property, employment, marriage, divorce, sex-right, legal and court procedures and above all nationality. However few drops can count in this context but in realism no law has yet been enacted to concentrate on such tribulations. The government should impede practices that treat women as subordinate beings, domestic servants and sex slaves. It is the duty of the modern welfare state.

The rights of children and women are not only a legal provision to be respected. It should be a way of life for every Adult Citizen. Exploitation of children and women is not only a violation of human rights; it is equally a crime against humanity. Unless the violation of the rights of children and women is prevented, we can not think of peace, justice, and prosperity. If we do not have culture to respect our children, we cannot build up a civilization in ourselves and in our society. We can not bring changes in the lives of children and women unless we change own our attitudes and behavior. We need to find a way out to involve them more in resolving problems related to them.

Empowerment of people and building a people sociable and just society without any kinds of favoritism associated to sex, gender, religion, caste and class. It’s a forward looking movement for the progress and prosperity of the people, children and women also can play a momentous role in this course of action. For this, we are required to relinquish our conventional attitude towards them and find a progressive alternative with their vigorous association.

Apposite education is the only preeminent solution to conquer all these problems for responsive service delivery. So the government must bring a tangible policy to enhance the overall education and awareness level among the people. It would have been better had there been a provision for both fellowship and scholarship comprehensive package to encourage enrollment of bolster girls and vulnerable children. The scholarship in kind had encouraged their parents too and improved in the women and children’s enrollment rate in education. But needs of society is different in different regions; such program could not be carried out in other regions without properly identifying their problems. Henceforth the determination of problems is indispensable. Only after that, assignments of suitable remedial measures to enhance their livelihoods should be made. It is vehemently required to give consent only to those organizations who have concluded packages and also provides regular monitoring and evaluation.

Apart from this, there is needed to develop such a culture in the society for the prohibition of the physical exploitation of children in war and internal conflict. Although, government has introduce the policy of providing citizenship in the name of mother and the developmental organization has instigate the packages for reduction of women’s drudgery and children’s exploitation through their active involvement in community activities, but still problem lies in translating the commitments into action.