Frequently Asked Questions about Dalit Women in Nepal
What are current statistics for Nepali Dalits?
Who are Dalits?
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Formerly called “Untouchables,” “Pariahs,” or Harijan (“Children of God”), Dalits are members of the lowest castes in traditional Hindu societies.
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Dalits chose the term “Dalit” for themselves because it means “oppressed” in Hindi; historically the upper castes have oppressed and mistreated them.
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Caste circumscribes one’s occupation and is handed down through generations. This means that Dalits have performed the least valued and most degrading occupational roles for thousands of years.
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Dalits make up 20% of the population of Nepal.
How are Dalits treated?
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Dalits suffer from caste discrimination and practices of untouchability. Historically they are deemed impure and lacking in humanity.
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Forms of discrimination may include physical abuse, denied entry into Hindu temples, exclusion from upper-caste homes, lack of access to water, unfair hiring practices, prohibitions against inter-caste marriage, and forced labor.
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Dalits encounter discrimination across all spheres of life, including social, cultural, political, economic, educational, health, and religious.
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The human rights of Dalits are denied in terms of economic livelihood and educational opportunities as well as social and political empowerment.
How are Dalit women treated?
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Dalit women must endure not only the above humiliations but also gender discrimination and traditional misogynistic practices.
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Dalit women and girls are not only treated unfairly outside the home but endure discrimination inside the home as well.
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Historically, Dalit women and girls have been denied access to economic opportunities, property ownership, and education.
What are current statistics for Nepali Dalits?
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In a country where 4 out of 5 people live in rural areas, only 10% of Dalits own land compared to 76% of the general population.
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The average Dalit earns 41% of the income of the average high-caste member.
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Almost half of Dalits live below the poverty line.
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The enrollment rate of Dalit children in primary school is only 20% (in sharp contrast to the national average of 94%).
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Only 4% of Dalits pass the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) exam required to graduate high school (compared to 18% of students nationally).
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The literacy rate for Dalits is 33% (exactly half the literacy rate for the general population of 66%).
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In terms of higher education, only 0.4% of Dalits have a Bachelor’s degree or above (while 3% is the national average).
