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Nepal: Child Widows, 11 minutes, 2009 (Ref:
761) |
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This film highlights
the tragic plight of Nepal's child widows, some as
young as thirteen. Nepal has one of the highest
rates of child marriage in the world. Young widows
who loose their husband are considered bad luck and
are harassed by their families and ostracised by
society. We meet 18-year-old Shia, a young bride who
is struggling to cope. Just 9 days ago, Shia’s
husband died, leaving her with their two children.
Shia's parents-in-law have begun enforcing a long
list of customs that she must follow if she is to be
trusted to stay in the family home. Customs, such as
not wearing colour, are designed to ensure widows
will not be unfaithful to their dead husband. A
widow who breaks these taboos is considered
shameful, and the customs are often maintained
through force. The treatment of widows is at times
so extreme, some women have felt compelled to speak
out. Anita Devkota was a young widow herself – she
was married at 15 and widowed at 22. After her
husband died she felt alone and powerless.
Eventually she tried to kill herself. But shortly
afterwards she turned her life around and joined the
WHR, an organisation fighting for the rights of
widows. |
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| More Stories about World Human
Rights Issues |
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Gulags of Russia,
Ref: 754 |
UK: Multiple Wives. Hidden Lives,
Ref: 752 |
Somalia: The Stoning of a Child,
Ref: 735 |
Somalia: Surviving Piracy,
Ref: 732 |
Burma: A Shared Prize,
Ref: 714 |
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Caravan of Love,
Ref: 707 |
Moldova: Stepping Stones,
Ref: 694 |
Uganda: Beating Child Violence,
Ref: 694 |
UK: The Immigration Game,
Ref: 689 |
How to Make a Difference in Africa,
Ref: 684 |
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