Women of Nepal

Durga Sob

President of the Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO)

Born in July 1969, in Doti district

Durga Sob was born in 1969, the third of four children, in a remote village of Doti district which lies in far western Nepal's mountainous region. Born in a culturally backward society as a daughter of the lower ('untouchable') cast, she has bitter memories of discrimination during her childhood. These memories have been her inspiration to fight for improvements on how her caste is treated and perceived by society.

Sob belongs to the 'Sunar' community of traditional goldsmiths. Her father took the traditional line and traveled far and wide for his work as a goldsmith. He had two wives and lived with his second wife, though Sob's mother was his first.

The first milestone Sob achieved was when she was admitted to school at the age of nine. She still appreciates her mother's struggle during that time as it was a rare and difficult feat for a single Dalit parent to admit her daughter to school. Villagers in such remote areas would generally insist their daughters engage in household work, sending only their sons to school. But Sob's mother broke custom and completed all household chores alone leaving Sob free to be educated.

As Sob's father lived with his second wife, her mother cared for all four children with no help, taking the responsibility of both father and mother. Her own relatives discouraged her from sending her daughter to school and Sob was the only girl to attend from her community. All other girls in her community were forced to marry in their early teenage years.

Given such a rare opportunity, Sob passed her School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examinations from Padhma Public Secondary School in Silgadhi, district headquarters of Doti, in 1984. The backward nature of the community made it difficult for anybody to pass the exams. Sob dreamed about higher education. Of 70 students, Sob was among only 11 who passed the send-up exam, and the only one to pass from the Dalit community.

In her school days, Sob assumed leadership while playing with friends, competing with boys and playing boys' games, rather than shying away from such activities like other girls. But friends and teachers' alike were less than encouraging, forcing her into lesser positions due to her status as a Dalit girl.

After completing the SLC, Sob left her village for Dhangadi in Kailali district to study Commerce at Kailali Multiple Campus. At the campus, Sob experienced a sense of relief from discrimination against her status as a woman from a lower caste. However, she was unfortunately unable to complete her course and instead began teaching at her relative's primary school.

When Sob was 17 she travelled to Kathmandu in search of opportunities in terms of jobs and education. Despite her efforts she was refused admission to any college. Politics and nepotism were the tools of college admission in the capital, neither of which she had. She later cleared her Proficiency Level Certificate (PLC) from Tribhuvan University (TU) in private from the Faculty of Humanity.

After completing her PLC, Sob wished to study her bachelor's degree at Padma Kanya Campus. Again, she experienced difficulty with admission. Meanwhile, she searched for a job to help support herself, which proved even more difficult than being granted college admission. In 1989 she finally obtained a position at Action Aid while studying her bachelor's level.

Sob's job at Action Aid involved record-keeping of official data. She was so happy to receive her first salary of Rs 1300, a huge amount for her, and continued her service with the organization until 1994. She was finally admitted to the course of Political Science and History at Padma Kanya Campus with the help of Kamala Pant who was president of the campus' student union.

She completed her bachelor's degree in 1992, after which she joined her master's course of Social Science at TU's central college. Facing social discrimination again, the issue of untouchability pervaded her mind and she became determined to work to eradicate such discrimination.  

Sob began her social work while studying the ninth grade, running a Chelibeti Class (Class for girls), teaching women and girls of her district under the Seti Project. She won the award for running the best class among 22 such classes in Doti district.

Even after she began working in Kathmandu, Sob visited villages whenever she had the chance. To help bring about change Sob established her own foundation specifically focused on the welfare of Dalit women. Her dream to found such an institution was realized in 1994 when she met American feminist writer cum activist Robin Morgan.

A former child actor turned radical feminist activist, writer, poet, and magazine editor, Morgan participated in civil rights and anti-war movements during the 1960s, and became a founding member of many radical feminist organizations, such as New York Radical Women and the Women's International Terrorist Conspiracy from Hell (WITCH) She also founded the Women's Media Center.

Morgan visited Nepal after she was invited by the Asia Foundation, meeting many of Nepal's leading women during her visit. Sob feared meeting Morgan as her command of English was poor and she had not worked in such a field before. She did not know how to present herself in front of such a woman.

During her meeting with Morgan Sob spoke of the status of Dalit women in Nepal. Although many projects were being carried out on behalf of empowering Nepali women, none had been initiated to work for Dalit women. Providing social services for Dalit women would not come about unless Sob took the initiative.

Sob explained how Dalit women tolerated discrimination from society, which was different from the discrimination women in general experienced in Nepal. Dalit women are dominated by not only men, but also women of higher castes. Separate projects need to be set up to address the specific issues faced by Dalit women. Only educated women who belong to higher castes are given opportunities in Nepal. Morgan was so impressed by Sob's explanation of the Dalit woman's plight she decided to help Sob establish an NGO to work toward eradicating these issues.

Morgan named the NGO Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO) and worked to raise funds for the body. It was the first time Sob had encountered the word 'feminist'.

Sob needed to have at least seven Dalit women on the board before she could register FEDO in the government in 1994. This proved difficult as educated Dalit women in urban areas did not want to expose themselves. On the other hand, uneducated Dalit women had no skills to help run an organization. In addition, Sob met with little encouragement when she attempted to meet with the heads of donor agencies.

FEDO began their work in Godavari and Godamchaur in Lalitpur district. They formed groups of Dalit women and began literacy classes to 50 elderly women in the evenings. During her visits throughout Nepal, Sob travelled to Siraha and Saptari districts in the eastern Terai where she saw a greater level of difficulty for Dalit women. Terai Dalit women were the 'Dalits of the Dalits', people who didn't even have the basic needs required to survive, such as shelter, food and clothing.

FEDO formed women's groups and provided literacy classes, as well as skill-oriented, socioeconomic empowerment, and basic health training. Donor agencies and NGOs have not worked on the issues of the Dalits and Dalit women for long and Sob struggled for her voice to be heard. Only now, when the new constitution is in the process of being drafted, have various groups raised their voices to secure their rights. But although their issues are finally being addressed, Sob believes most of organizations and policy-makers remain unaware of the actual conditions Dalits and Dalit women face in remote villages.

Sob faced a lot of harassment to achieve the position FEDO has today. She was baffled when renowned women activists failed to inform her about discussion programs and other opportunities. They also did not accept Dalit women's issues, saying that all women were Dalits. But Sob and her colleagues managed to help a few of these women activists realize that Dalit women are more vulnerable than other women in Nepal.

FEDO faces great challenges to fight against the status quo and break the socially-constructed caste hierarchy. With a focus in gender and caste, FEDO has raised the issues of Dalit women in the drafting of the new constitution to help secure the rights of this neglected group.

Sob is happy she has been able to raise awareness of Dalit women's issues from village to national and even international level. Today, most Dalit women know their issues and their rights.

She launched a campaign to make Dalit women aware of the Constitutional Assembly (CA). Her campaign focused on supporting the right candidate to help secure their rights. She is presently lobbying and advocating at policy-making level by forwarding petition papers and providing suggestions to CA members.

Sob has taken her organization to 45 districts, including Bajhang and Bajura in far western Nepal. Although a few Dalit women have been nominated lawmakers, she doubts they will recognize the realities and be able to push the issues in the CA. Regardless, Sob remains determined in her mission to eradicate socially-created injustice for Dalit women.

Written by Binju Sitaula