Witch-Hunting Awareness Program
Often widows in Nepal are termed BOKSHI, or witches, and are subject to extreme abuse and discrimination. This practice continues, evidenced by the death in June 2001 of a woman killed during an attack provoked by those in her village who accused her of witch-craft.
These atrocious acts occur because people believe that these women, once widowed, harbor evil powers to harm themselves and others. These accusations however, are derived from unfounded superstitions. Many of the victims have led very difficult lives, and once accused of being a 'bokshi', are beaten, tortured, or forced to commit degrading acts such as eating human waste, or the meat of other humans.
Much of the work The Women's Foundation (WF) does with witch-hunting is simply raising awareness. Though witch-hunting is widespread throughout Nepal, there are certain areas where accusations are more common, and we concentrate our efforts in these regions. WF members who are living in the area support people to stop that violence by speaking out against it if they become aware of a situation where a woman is being accused of practicing witchcraft. Many cases of witchcraft grow out of lack of education. As long as people who realize that witch-hunting is superstition are silent, the accusations will continue. But when people hear that a woman is in fact innocent, they are much less likely to abuse her. This type of work is informal and ongoing; part of the "community watch" that WF members keep.
WF also conducts organized trainings to teach people that witch-hunting is a superstitious practice. These trainings occur during our adult non-formal education classes: legal education and literacy programs. During these classes, WF devotes one day specifically to addressing the issues of witch-hunting. Class participants are informed about the victim's situations, accusations, and tortures that the victims face. In this organized way, WF spreads the message that this is a particularly bad form of violence against women.
In cases where women are being abused for "practicing witchcraft," WF directly supports the victims by removing them from that dangerous situation, treating them medically if necessary, and supporting them legally to file a case against their accusers.
In December 2001, a series of cassette tapes were made. These tapes recorded the stories and issues faced by Nepali widows, and were distributed widely in the remote areas of Nepal, along with tape players. It is hoped that through education, awareness of what damage this superstitious belief has upon widows will be increased, thereby reducing incidences of abuse.
In 2003 WF received partial funding to record a docu-drama to raise public awareness about the plight of widows in Nepal. The docu-drama has been queued to be screened on national television and WF is hopeful that this screening will take place during 2004.
Narmaya; an account of witch hunting in Nepal
Susma, a general member of the WF called the office, her voiced filled with terror. She told me in a very scared voice that some people from a village near to hers were beating Narmaya and they were going to kill her. She thought that Narmaya would die if she didn't get immediate help. The people beating Narmaya were doing so because they believed she was a witch. We immediately sent Renu Sharma, then Secretary General, to Kavre district, about an hour outside of Kathmandu. There Renu met Susma and they walked another 45 minutes to reach the village where the torture was taking place.>
When they got to the village they found Narmaya lying on the path near a very small hut. There was a little child of about 5 years old sitting close to her and crying. Narmaya was vomiting blood and her body was limp. They also noticed that she had faeces in her mouth, which must have been forced into her by the people beating her. They tried to wake her but she was unconscious and trembling. Susma stayed with Narmaya whilst Renu went to call on the support of the villagers to bring her to hospital. None of the villagers showed any interest in helping. They generally said that they were too busy to help. There were only twenty families staying in this village and none of them were willing to help.
So Renu ran back to where she had left her motorbike, and after about a 25 minute ride, she reached the main road. She hired two men to help her bring Narmaya to the main road and bought a blanket on the way back to Narmaya's village. They used the blanket to make a stretcher using branches and, with the support from the two men, they carried Narmaya to the main road. There they hired a taxi and drove her to the Bir Hospital in Kathmandu.
The hospital was able to save Narmaya's life and after a week of treatment she recovered enough to leave. Narmaya was then taken to the WF shelter in Boudha where she stayed with for one month. Renu gave Narmaya counseling whilst she was staying at the shelter, and before she left, a job was organized at a handicraft centre. Narmaya is still working at the centre.
Following the incident, WF organized a group of members to conduct two separate street theatre plays in the village where Narmaya had been tortured. It was an attempt to create awareness amongst the villagers of the injustice of such violence. Renu herself visited the village on several occasions to talk to the villagers about the incident and to further raise awareness on the inhumane practice of witch hunting.
