Why the difference?

This week was euphoric for us Nepalese, as the Nepali lads brought home gold after knocking down the hosts India in the 12^th South Asian Games final at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Guhati. Nepal won the title after 23 years since the 6^th SAF Games in 1993, and in the midst of the match fixing scandal, this win has promised a hopeful beginning for Nepali Football.

Team Nepal received grand welcome from the entire country as they arrived back home on Wednesday. I myself got a glimpse of the victory rally at Gaushala, where the heroes were waving from the Nepal Army truck towards the passionate fans. Oh it was amazing! I got goosebumps after hearing the roaring chants from the crowd! Nepal! Nepal! Aru bela j bhae ni, 'khelkud' le chai khatrai patriotic feel dincha! I couldn’t help but get down from the bike and take a picture. Here’s the shot I took.

It was also very generous of the Government to announce Rs. 5 lakh for each gold winner. Some of the health institutions even declared that they would be providing free health services to the players in the football team. Such reward definitely boosts the morale of the players and inspires them to thrive for even better performance.

However, it was saddening to not see the other gold medalists; Nima Gharti Magar (for Wushu) and Phupu Lhamu Khatri (for Judo) receive similar kind of treatment. Phupu Lhamu Khatri left for Hungary from Guhati itself. However, Nima Gharti did arrive at the airport but only handful of people including her family and friends were there to welcome her.

The Nepali women football team also exhibited an extraordinary performance in SAG. Though they had to settle for silver, their journey up to final has inspired many Nepali women including me. But no signs of rally or felicitations from any government officials was seen when they arrived home.

I think such differential and discriminatory behavior towards the players lowers their spirit and even make a negative impact upon their performance in future. I can confidently say this because most of us can relate this with our daily life experiences. I remember my school days, when my parents got me a watch for getting good marks in math. That got me all motivated to do better because I knew, the next time if I get better marks, I was going to get a bicycle (which I never did lol). At present, I am no longer a school going student, but I do have similar story to share. My boss recently told me that he does not even have to read the report I write, because he believes that I am good at it. Well, it was just a simple verbal statement he made, but that made me feel confident as well as more responsible towards every work I perform in the office. Be it a small or big achievement, every single one of us needs a push, a motivation once in a while to keep us going.

I hope the government will realize the importance of non-discriminatory motivation of the sports persons as these rewards and encouragement undoubtedly serves as a positive reinforcement for making them work relentlessly to put out a performance that is going to make the country proud.

I say kudos to all the players who represented Nepal in SAG. You have made us proud!

Nima Gharty Magar

Phupu Lhamu Khatri

Women Football Team arrive home
PC: goalnepal.com

Women’s Reproductive Health in the Rubble - Aftermath of the Nepal Earthquake 2015

“A 5 year old girl allegedly raped by a 42 year old man sheltering in the same football ground where the victim's family had been living under the tents in Khushibu, Naya Bazar in Kathmandu.”

“A 16 year old girl raped in Duwakot, Bhaktapur”

“A disabled woman in Sindhupalchowk...”

“A girl in Kavre...”

“A woman in Nuwakot…’ and many more.

“Nepal quake survivors face threat from human traffickers supplying sex trade. In the brothel the women and girls are forced to have unprotected sex with up to 20 or 30 men a day, seven days a week.”

The massive earthquakes that hit Nepal on April 25 and May 12 have resulted in thousands of deaths, disabilities and displacement of populations. People are forced to live out in the open, under tents and tarpaulin. According to UNFPA, more than two million women of reproductive age are affected by the disaster. The UN reports suggests that the displaced women and girls living in the temporary shelter and camps are vulnerable to sexual exploitation, rape, girls trafficking and other forms of gender-based violence, which is without doubt, increasing the risks of unwanted pregnancies. In addition to all these risks, the destruction of infrastructures by the earthquake has halted the provision of reproductive health services. With the alarming rate of sexual violence during the post-disaster situation, and the lack of access to reproductive health services, the number of unsafe abortions is likely to increase due to unwanted pregnancies.

Although majority of the health facilities have been destroyed by the earthquake, there are organizations and youth networks continuously working to reach out to the women and girls with reproductive health services. Various organizations have distributed “Reproductive Health Kits, Dignity Kits” for addressing the emergency reproductive need of women in earthquake affected areas. The ASAP team also aided the affected women through the Nepali Youth Champions by lending a helping hand to maintain their reproductive health status through a supply of Hygiene Kits.

It is an undoubtable fact that, supply of essential RH commodities (Sanitary pads, emergency contraceptives and medical abortion pills) combined with awareness raising activities can be an effective measure for maintaining menstrual hygiene, preventing the risks of unprotected sex, unsafe abortion and preventing and responding to gender based violence even during the crisis situation. Though there are numerous factors that put women’s Reproductive Health at risk, coordinated effort to fight back RH issues and Gender based violence can definitely help the women in Nepal rise from the rubble. 

Wrote this piece after the devastating earthquake in Nepal on 25th April, 2015. [Posted in the Asia Safe Abortion Partnership (ASAP) Blog on 6th November, 2015]