Anima Poudel

Nepal, CAHR, Spring 2018

I am Anima Poudel, a women’s rights activist from Nepal. I also have a keen interest in environmental rights and its protectionas I believe the environment and human rights go hand in hand.‌

I completed my Bachelors in Development Studies at Kathmandu University and I am also a licensed trekking guide. Nepal is still a patriarchal society. We, women have to face a lot of criticism no matter what we do. If we travel with men, we are perceived as “bad woman”. Many people still believe that the role of women is to work in the kitchen and get married before the age of 30.

Being the daughter a priest’s family, I was to be the good daughter as described by the society. I was not allowed to choose any profession where I would have to travel. I took my trekking licence without my elders knowing it. In addition, it is rare for the daughter of an Aryan family to be involved in such profession. Through travelling I observe the issues rooted deep in the Nepalese society. Many of the problems are connected to religious norms and values which has been misinterpreted by the society and people take it casually which I believe is wrong. In addition to all these, women including girls and children are subject to restrictions on their mobility, access to a healthy diet which cause death in extreme cases. Though I have heard and studied about this in my degree course, experiencing it in reality is far more like a nightmare. Such experiences only made me stronger and more rebellious. I myself have been the victim of harassments which made me realize I wanted to be a women’s rights activist.

Although I started to work in the social field in 2010, my journey to being a human rights activist began when I was 12 years old as I saw discrimination based on caste, gender, religion and class. I was kind of a rebellious child. I let my friends come to my house and enter inside the kitchen. In 2010, I got a chance to volunteer in one of the international campaign organized by Action Aid. The campaign theme was March against Monsanto whose focus was to block the entry of foreign seeds into Nepal. I had to do it without my family knowing about it because volunteers are not paid. I was satisfied though. My grandmother was not happy at all and soon they began to search for a husband for me, which I did not want. Again, in 2012, I became a part of Safe City Campaign, which was about the harassment of women and girls in the public spaces. Through this campaign, I met many influential Nepalese people. I understood my rights as well as the rights of all women and girls. For me women always seemed to be content but not happy deep inside. Many untold stories were shared.

Sometimes, I had to work for late hours, which is unusual for Nepalese people. I was being followed several times. I did not have any idea who they were but it became frequent. All these incidents have changed and shaped me to the person I am today. I started working as a consultant, facilitator in Activista Nepal, where I worked on women leadership. From 2015, I began to travel on my own to different parts of Nepal. In 2017, I got a chance to volunteer where I had an opportunity to observe one of the highly mentioned, but little worked on, issues of Nepal, Chhaupadi (Menstrual Taboo). I lived through it; saw how people practice it and what difficulties women and girls have to go through it while practicing it. As Nepal is a landlocked country, roadway is the only cheapest means but it is dangerous to travel and work, especially solo. Many women become the victim of harassment. While travelling to many districts, I myself have faced the problem. In addition, it is not only with people but also with natural disasters. Traveling and working in remote places in Nepal is always a risk. Though I have worked in many organisations, many people are still indifferent to other’s pain and suffering. Many organisations just take a project and do not work well. It is our duty to inform the Government about the issues of contemporary society.

Though I have worked in many organisations, I have not worked with a wage due to which I have had issues with my family. Even today, my dad and my grandmother do not talk to me properly. They want me to settle down and stop causing more financial trouble in the family.

I plan to team up with people who can work genuinely and I already have managed to team up with a few young energetic people of Nepal.

I was someone who was seeking for an opportunity to expose my work, which I do not have back in Nepal. I got an opportunity to come as a fellow in CAHR. Now, I see things differently. I come from a different culture and society where women are supressed. Here things are different. Everyone is free here. Everyone has a voice here. This fellowship has given me chance to move out of the social structure that I was living in and compare between the two different worlds. Women have a voice here in the UK, they are free to choose anything, do anything unlike in my country. Going out in night does not matter here. My co-fellows and staffs are motivating and supportive. The best thing about this fellowship is that I can learn both academic and in a practical way. All the trainings, seminars and workshops are making me confident and skilful. I also intend to boost my confidence through this fellowship and work for creating a just society where females are treated as equally as males in society. I hope to live in better and inclusive Nepal.