Lingnistic, Religious, Class related problem

Linguistic problem may arise due to the government's priority to one Language. Such preference puts the other languages in shadow. Our present constitution has made a provision of taking all languages equally but it should be brought into practice.

Dispite the fact of religious tolerance, Nepal has long been ruled by the Hindus. Recently, the people of other religions have understood the truth. Dissatisfied with the activities of biggest religion, the Kirats, Islam, and Buddhist have been raising their voice. Although the present constitution has declared Nepal a secular state, the overall scenario is yet to be reformed.

Our society is based on feudal systems and the remains of it can still be seen. The uneven distribution of movable and immovable capital has increased the gap between the rich and the poor. This has given birth to the problems of unemployment, social revolt, theft, robbery, etc.

Work of Mother's Group in Sikles

Media keeps reforming us of the work of mothers' groups in various places for social reforms. Mothers' group was first established two decades ago by the Gurung community of western Nepal. Concerned first to organize traditional cultural programmes together by the women of Lahure family, mother's group extended its programmes gradually to other social work.

The women here have formed an organization to bring about development in Sikles village. They have been doing various works in many sectors. The group keep their village neat and clean with the help provided by the Village Development Commitee. They clean their village, repairs roads, keep dustbins at various places to dispose off the dirt and waste. The group also constructs public toilets and keeps them clean. Because of the social service provided by the women's organization Ama Samuha people of their village no longer disturb the place of the society by indulging in bad habit of drinking alcohal and gambling. The organization has started this campaign to save the youths from the addiction which is increasing rapidly. This women's group has decided that people who go against the campaign will be publicly disgraced and made to apologize publicly. the group helps the villagers when they are sick and are in trouble.

The group is also running a child care center with the help of Annapurna Conservation Area Project(ACAP). Similarly, the group has also been providing education to the adults. A portion of women are now able to read and write. The mother's group of sikles is a good example of the saying "Unity is Strength."

Electricity

Electricity is our basic needs. Without electricity we cannot do anything of our life. Have we ever stopped to think how electric power comes from water? We have seen rocks shattered to pieces and carried away by rivers. Water can cut stones and make holes into them. This strength of water produces electricity. as water is available in abundance a large amount of energy can be produced from it. We may have seen traditional 'ghatta' in villages. Water is poured from a higher place to run the 'ghatta'. Asimilar process is applied in big water-power projects. Water is stored in dams or tanks and its poured into the wheels within the turbines. We should visit a water power project and see for ourselves and learn in detail how it works.

Electricity is used for various purposes. We use electricity for light, cooking, operating heater, refrigerator, washing machine, irons and other electric gadgets. The credit of fast growing communication goes to electricity. It runs internet, television, telephone and so on. At a large scale, electricity is used to run big machines in industries. We may have soon rice or oil mill run on electricity. Similar is the process with printing press sawing factory and other industries. However, water is not only source of electricity. Electricity can be produced from solar energy, vapour energy, bio-gas energy, steam power and diesel as well. Therefore where hydro-electricity is not available, other sources can be used for generating energy.

Water Resources of Nepal

Nepal is the second richest country is such water resources. More then 6000 rivers, rivulets and streams flow here. Many of them originate from the Himalayas. We also have many lakes, ponds, and springs. We get sufficient rain every year. However, here is a problem of drinking water. The sources of water are not properly utilized. They are not supplied to the people. So, the situation of water supply is worsening in towns and cities. The population in these places is increasing rapidly. But there is very less additional supply of water. Many people live on rent although there is no supply of drinking water. So, they face severe problem of drinking water. On the other hand, people of villages have to walk a long way to fetch water. The settlements are far off from sources of water. Deforestation is causing the sources of water to dry up. Level of ground water is also decreasing. Moreover, many sources of water are becoming polluted. Rivers of Kathmandu valley like Bagmati, Bishnumati, Rudramati,Hanumati, Prabhamati, Ikshumati and Godawari are some examples.

Education in Nepal

Modern Education in Nepal is said to have begun after Jung Bahadur Rana's visit to England in 1850. He hired an Englishman from British-India to teach english to his sons. Then, he established a private english school at the Thapathali Palace(the present Nepal Rastra Bank building). Then, in 1853(1910 BS), Durbar High School was established to provide formal English education to the sons of Ranas. Later, Chandra Shumser opened Durber High School for the common people.

In fact, the Ranas never desired to educate the people. they were of the opinion that if people were educated they would not be able to impose their harsh rule upon them nor exploit them in whatever way they liked. They established 321 schools including 4 high schools and 2 colleges during their reign.

After the fall of the Rana rule and establishment of democracy in 1951, a wave of education swept over Nepal.

During the Panchayat Rule(1960-1990), Nepal achived significant progress in the field of education. Mass literacy programmes were launched. Steps were taken to introduce Non-Formal Education, Distance Education, Vocational Education, etc. Eventually, the Tribhuwan University was established in 1959.

A stable and goal-oriented government is necessary to monitor and utilized the means and resourses to construct and establish infrastructure of development. Such a government should be able to make people participate whole-heartedly in every development work. The government should also strive to alleviate poverty, increase literacy rate and provide employment. Similarly, people should also be provided with various services and amenities. It helps a great deal for the social and economic development of a country.

Waterways in Nepal

Nepal is second richest country of water resourses. Our water resourses are limited to rivers and lakes. Nepal has about 45,000 km of rivers. The rivers flow from the mountains and through step hills because of which transportation is very difficult. The only benefit that we can have from the rivers is to provide amenities for rafting. Under the Ninth Five Year Plan of our government, water transport from Ramdhighat to Narayangad and from Narayangad to Bhainsalotan which covers altogether a distance of 187km is included. In the same way, a fesibility study of water transport had also been carried out in Koshi, Karnali and Mahakali rivers. The plan aims to link this water transport with Indian water transport system.

There is a private-sector-run rafting service in the lower parts of the Trishuli, Kaligandaki and Sunkoshi rivers. Lakes, like Phewa, Begnas and Rupa have boat services for tourists. Similarly, boats are also used for fishing, picnicking and entertainment.

Health in Rural Areas

Our country Nepal has its own network of health centres and hospitals. However, there is a lot to be done in this field. The numbers of doctors, nurses and health workers is too small to serve the growing population. According to the survey carried in 2003 AD, for every 5,870 people we have one doctors. In some areas, there are health posts, health centres, hospitals but no medicine. Some rural areas have medicine but buildings for healthpost, health centre and hospital. Some other areas neither have healthpost, health centre, hospital nor medicine. But the government still appoints doctors to those sreas. Even if there are healthposts, health centres,hospitals, medicine and doctors, there are very less equipment and rooms. In such areas, most of the people live in poverty, illiteracy and ignorance. These villages are inaccessible as well. The villagers cannot afford medical fee. Once doctors reach the villages, they donot have means of communication like telephone, fax and e-mail and internet. Salary provided to them is not sufficient to fulfill their needs. Therefore, it is obvious that doctors do not want to go to rural areas. On the other hand, the traditional pratice of treatment by witch -doctors like'dhami' and 'jhakri' still prevails especially in the villages. If there is a cut in hands or legs, people cover the wound with clay or cow dung. They do not know that the use of cow dung is the cut may cause tetanus.

Ways of Life in Terai

The Terai occurs in the southern part of Nepal and cover about 15% of the total ares of te country. Here the density of population is very high due to the ease of transport and communication suitability for settlement and easier agriculture pratices. The soil is alluvial and the climate is hot. The hot and humid climate is suitable for the cultivation of various tropical crops. Paddy is the main crops whereas sugarcane, jute, tobacco are the other cash crops. The land and climate are favourable for vegetable farming. Terai is the main supplier of vegetables to the hills of Nepal. Therefore, agriculture is the main activity of the people and the majority of the people live in villages.

The clothes they wear may also be attributed to the climate factors. The male wear 'dhoti' and loose 'kurta' which are comfortable in hot and humid climate, whereas the female wear cotton sari and blouse. Majority of the houses in the terai villages are made up of mud and thatch that keep the temperature low inside the room. Some of the houses are also made up of bamboos and wood. Some houses are built a little higher above the surface on a wooden supporting platform so that water logging may not affect the living rooms. Such types of houses are called 'stilt houses'. The people lives in a large villages and the house are generally-clustered together.

Ways of Life in Hills

The hills lie in beetween the terai in the south and the Himalayas in the north. It's topography consists of Mahabharat ranges. It covers 44.3% of the total area in Nepal. Agriculture is the main occupation of the hill people. But it is very hard because they have to work in the undulating topography. In such a topography, most of the agricultural activities are done manually; they cannnot use machines. Paddy is still major food crop in the hills. It is grown in gentle slopes of the hill making terraced fields and in the lowlying basins and valleys. Maize and millet which are also known as hard crops since they withstand the hill climate, are mostly grown in 'besi' land. What is grown in areas where irrigation facilities have been provided. In fact, maize and millet are the main staple foods of the people.

Brahmin, Chhetri and Several tribal groups like Rai, Limbu, Gurung, Tamang and Magar are major ethnic people living in the hilly belts of Nepal. These ethnic groups have their own language, relegion, culture, civilization and ways of life. They made their houses roofs are slanted, where the annual amount of rainfall is less, roofs of the houses are mostly flat and made of mud. The traditional dresses of the hill people are 'bhoto' , 'kachhar' and 'bhangra'. Rugs and blankets, woven from the wool of sheep are used as matress and shawl.

Ways of Life in Himalayas Region

The Himalayas region lies in the northern part of Nepal. It contains only about 7.3% of the total popua;tion of Nepal. The mountain ranges are over 3300m high and the general topography is rugged with steep slopes. the top soil is full of large and small rock materails. Here, the climate is cold throughout the year. Rainfall occurs in the from of snow in the higher altitudes whereas frost covers the ground in the lower altitude in winter. In such a type of physical environment, the life of the people is very hard and soil also is not good for agriculture. Barley and buck wheat are the main crops besides potatoes.

The people living in the mountain are short statured with strong legs and broad chest. They wear thick and rough cotton and woolen clothes to protect themselves from thesevere cold. They also wear woolman socks arid docha(knee-long leather shoes, made locally) . Most of the people even males keep their hair long because it also protects their head from cold wind. They drink a lot of hot tea made of salt and ghee to keep themselves warm. Drinking liquor or chhang(rice-beer) is common. The people live is clustered hamlets. About 30-40 houses are clustered together. Houses are made up of stones with mostly mud roof. As most of the time of the day there blows strong chilly wind, houses have hardly one or two tony windows and that too on the roof top for ventilation and light. Houses are made on the slopes close to ane another. But in some villages, where the land for settlement is limited, houses are made so close to one another that the roof of each lower house becomes the yard of the houses built on the upper slope.

Roles of Civil Society

Civil society refers to an organization of the citizens for the fulfillment of specific objectives. The main function of civil society is that it raises voice for the civil rights. It also raises awareness among the people about civil right. It makes people conscious about their duties and reponsibilities and participates in such programes actively.

Civil society warns those people who are involved in wrong activities. It raises voice against corruption, exploitation and violation of the laws. It works for public awareness about national issues. It also organizes people to protest those who violate human rights. Civil society works to alert the government for its positive and negative works. It helps to discard corrupt individuals socially and make the government responsible for the services of the people.

National Level Oraganizations in Social Reform

Many countries, their organizations and individuals have shown been interest for social reform in Nepal. Among them, a big numbers of such countries, their organizations and individuals have been engaged for this task in cooperation as well as in coordination with governmental or non-governmental organizations. At present about 30000 non-governmental organizations have been registered in Nepal. They have been working in various sectors of Nepal and thus providing a wide range of contribution for social reform. The prominent areas of interest for social reform in Nepal by such organization include child right, woman right, Labourers right, family voilence and rural development.

Some of such non-governmental organizations of our country with their respective works follows next.

1. Backward Society Education(BASE) -This organization works for educational and community development in rural areas.


2. Informal Sector Services Center(INSEC) - This organization works for human rights especially in association with media.


3. Health Net Nepal(HNN) - It's provides internet service and to give health related information through it.


4. Maiti Nepal - This organization rescues and rehabilities the trafficked girls as women and works against girls trafficking.


5. Gurkha Army Ex-serviceman Organization(GAESO) - This organization works for the rights and welfare of Ex-British Gurkha Soldiers.

Role of Local Organizations in Social Reform

Local organizations play an important role in social reform. We can see that governmental and non-governmental organizations are involved in the activities of social reform. There are various organizations of local level such as youth club, people's awareness club, mother's group, women's group, etc. The local bodies like village development commitee, municipality, ward commitee, etc. have also been estabilished for social reform. They carry out different programs to solve the social problems and bring a new change in a society. Such local organizations have done exemplary work although some have been passive. It is our duty to wake such passive organizations up and give them pressure to work. We have to co-operate with them in their progammes.

Customs and Traditions of Nepal

Customs develop out of habits. A custom is established when a habit is followed continuously by people both, individually and collectively. Thus, custom is a common habit. Similarly, a tradition is a belief custom or way of doing something that has existed for a long time among a particular group of people. In other words, tradition is a set of customs and estabilished beliefs. Often, a tradition is formed when a set of customs and beliefs is praticed regularly over a long period of time. Such customs and traditions are passed on from generations to generations by word of mouth, pratice, folklore, proverbs and sayings.

Our customs, traditions and our whole lifestyle is highly influenced by relegious beliefs. In a similar manner, our social values and norms are also guided by relegion. Various activities such as rites and rituals, different worships and festival from birth to death are directed by relegious doctrines. Even after death, the ritual of 'Shraddha' is performed by the sons of dead. Since Nepal is a multi-relegious country, Nepalese follow a varity of customs and traditions. Such customs and traditions may differ from east to west and north to south as well from basin to top of the hills. Margapuja of lathapahiya Rai, Loshar, Ubhauli, Udhauli, Masto etc. is the traditions and customs of Nepal.

The Art of Nepal

Our custom tradition and in fact the theme of our life is reflected in Nepali art. It is associated with different gods and goddesses of various relegions. The walls of temples and other public places have been carved with the images of relegious significance. Palaces, towers, images of kings and the members of royal family have been built which show the art and architecture of the country. Thus, the ancient monuments and coins speak of our glorious past. The skill shown on the carvings and the money spent on it tell us that the country was rich at that time and there was amiable co-operation among the people.

Nepal has been rich in arts, painting and sculpture. Handmade goods like basket, straw-caps, carpets, woolen clothes made from the raw wool of sheeps, chyangras and yaks are our traditonal wealth of which we should be proud. Our handloom clothes and paper(Nepali Kagaj or paper) have their own importance. These cannot be replaced by the modern goods manufactured by machines. At the same time our grinding tools made of stones like 'Dhiki', 'Janto', 'Ghatta' etc., are still used in villages. According to Kautilya's Arthasastra, Nepalese aspects were very popular in the markets of Magadha in the 4th century BC. The handicrafts have been exported in large quantity to other countries even today. The images of god and goddess made Nepal a pilgrimage for the Hindus and Buddhists. Similarity, the places, traditional structure of towers and art work attract tourists from all over the world every year. Thus, we have been rich in our traditional art.

Women in Nepal

In our country women are always considered as the goddesses. But this has become like a story which doesnot happen in real life. Today men and women are considered equal. Women have reached An dshowed their talents in every works be that the chores of house or the proffesions. Women have reached the moon too but in our country still the women are kept bach from men.

Women's rights are being misutilized. Wpmen are taken as the prop for the men's entertainment. Still in any kind of profesion. Men are given more salary then women. People think women are always independent of men. Without men they cannot do anything. But the truth is that if women are given the raght opportunity they can rule their house, society and even the world.

Discrimination to Dalits

'Dalits' what a big word for me. When I was a child the people of our society had a different kind of conception about Dalits. I too being influenced by them, used to think that Dalits were not as us. People said they were untouchable dirty and so it was a sin for us if we touched them, eat, played with them. I never had a friend who was a Dalit.

But now, I fell very guilty ashmed of myself and pity for the society. It was a very big mistake thinking them as untouchable. They were human too and they had the equal rights in every thing as the people of other caste. I am thankful to the god that gradually the wrong concepts of people about Dalits have been changing. At present they are able to enjoy their rights. The government given special seats for them in the parliament and employment opportunities.

Gender equality in Nepal

The Nepalese constitution of 1990 guarantees all citizens basic human rights and fundamental freedom, but statutory laws that still discriminate against women can be found in the area of property rights and family law. The social status of women and their relative equality with men varies between different ethnic groups. Yet, in most communities, women’s position is governed by patriarchal traditions and conventional assumptions of women’s role in society are slow to change. A woman’s place is generally in the home where her main duties include childrearing and household related chores. Women’s access to education is limited and they have very few opportunities to engage in activities that would provide them with a greater degree of economic freedom. Their employment outside of the home is often tied to the agricultural sector or the textile and weaving industries. Over 80 percent of the population is Hindu and close to 11 percent is Buddhist.

Introduction to social status of nepal

Nepal is a landlocked country. As we all know that, Nepal is a developing country in the world. But due to many internal problems i.e, social, coltural, political, economical etc. It cannot move ahead. Every country have their own culture , social aspects. As the people of nepal are of very conservative minds. It makes the harm for the development of the country.

Most of th epeople of our country are uneducated, which effect the overall social development of our country. The social status of nepal is very poor. Due to lack of education , public awareness, people are creating non voilence that, harms to our society . Due to iliteracy people create many differences in the society. People are creating differences between son & daughter in the society. People believe daughter as a worker at the home. If daughter walks with any unknown person then society thinks her in a negative way. But for son no-body says anything. There things makes the social status of our country very poor. The social status of nepal is compares to the other country. People are still conservative . People are not aware too. If one person goes in a wrong way then other also follow the same which makes the harm towards our country & society too.

So i personally believe that to make the social status of our country strong. People should be educated and aware and all should raise their hands in the name of brotherhood to make the social status of country.