Nepal widows dismiss marriage incentive

By Joanna Jolly
BBC News, Kathmandu

Widows in Nepal are protesting against a decision by the Nepalese government to offer a cash incentive to men for marrying them.

The
incentive was announced in the government's annual budget earlier this
week - it is a lump sum of 50,000 Nepali rupees ($641).

Read more ..

It should not be a contrived marriage. And if this is not a forced marriage, i think they should not bark in the street. Another thing widows should get a right to have their own say.

Probably the following will answer your question. The country cursed by widows insults the latter once again. I wonder what the Sajha ladies have to say about this one coz this is a women's issue. But once the rest of the world reads it, it reflects badly on Nepal and will end up becoming all Nepalese issue.

Nepal's New Budget an Insult to Widows
Government Pays Men to Marry "Undesirables"

 By Bhumika Ghimire  July 28th

Last year Nepal's budget was full of expensive and ambitious programs for an impoverished and mismanaged country.

This year the new government has come up with a similar plan, but one that slaps widows and low-caste "dalit" with a ridiculous scheme that offers cash incentives to men for marrying them.

Read more ..

From the looks of it, it seems very juvenile decision by the government. However, my gut feeling denies the ill-intent on the government's part and while I see where the protest is coming from, a part of me does think the plan can work as a temporary ointment for some widows to alleviate the wounds from the torturous rural life they are going to spend as a single woman.

The decision does sound humiliating (may even be grossly humiliating to the ears of privileged women of the country) from one side but I think, from the other side, the government is "encouraging" men to consider getting married with young widows who have their whole lifelong struggle staring at them to deal with.

That's one thing I wanted to say. The other thing is, of course, you can NOT please everyone. If it works for one widow among many, I would consider it a smart decision.

Governments price tag for Widows - Rs.50,000 (US$640), and Lower caste - Rs.100,000 (US$1,280).

NO WORDS. IT IS JUST SAD TO SEE GOVERNMENT MAKING THESE TYPE OF DECISSION. I DO NOT SEE FUTURE FOR NEPAL... NOT AT ALL

 

This highlights one of many ugly sides of our culture.

In our culture "widows" are represented as women not good enough to remarry, ones that carry bad-luck,  that the government is forced to provide such cash incentive.

We need a social and cultural revolution.

I totally agree with hurray.

Well there are more important things to debate , than what amount the government is paying for marrying a widow . Guy's remember what culture our background is . No parents want to see their son marrying a widow  .What if your friend is the widow , would you not want her to have a happy married life again ? Its just a mature decision by the government and they are looking at the big picture . Every one has the right to happy life , Just like you and me .
The money part , i think that is wrong . Money should never be an incentive for a marriage . May be government is looking at the schedule tribe's and is trying to encourage those  people .
Rather than trying to appose whatever the government does , for a change if we all just act matured and look at the brighter side , we might side with them .
Open mind , open heart ...........

You got point executioner, but you are contradicting yourself. "Open mind, open heart..." well said.

I am not contradicting myself , but speaking from a neutral point of view . When you dont take side's then you see the positive and the negative of an issue . Thats where i stand .... So me contradicting myself would not be the right statement .

It's outrageous and ridiculous, policy introduced by the looser lead government. It's lack of foresee and reflected lack of well-homework for preparing the budget.

It's better to provide the sustainable training, perks and other benefits by introducing "single woman or Single lady" concept rather than forcing and providing incentives kind of dowery.

Absolutely, the government insult the rights for single lady.

 

It is a very smart incentive from our government for their dearest citizens. Now you can go to Nepal marry a low-caste and make $1280 at once. Then again, marry another one in two months after getting a divorce from this first one. You can take a couple of years and visit all over the country doing this. After two years you will be making $15360.

Lets cut the living and travelling expenses of two years in Nepal by $5360. This makes you $10000 richer in two years. The problem here is getting divorce faster, which you can do easily by throwing a hundred dollar bill for each marriage, or even by having a preagreement for the payment. It leaves you with 8800 dollars, i.e, 6,87,000 rupees. It is a lot better than going to the gulf and Malasia.

Now you tell me if its a smart or dumb idea from our government.

User123 .
I dont think you know the law of Nepal , do you sir ? Your calculation is in vain cause as per the law in Nepal , its the women who has to file for divorce . Men cant file for divorce until unless they have substantial proof .The law ( Muluki ain )  protects the women from your hypothetical imaginative fantasy .
Again , rather than jumping into any conclusions , please look at the bigger picture . There is more to life than having a useless argument . Some incentive could be condescending to  few but could be motivation to others .
Until unless you have not gone through that process , dont be naive and ignorant . I too feel that this government is not legitimate ,but then i do support and agree with the step they have taken on this . Lets not jump into any negative conclusion , rather lets see what the result is .

" Kassailai naramro bhanera aulla uthauda , teen ota aulla affai tira huncha " ....  So lets wait and see what the outcome is and then we can decide if this is a right step or not .... But till then , we just have to have patience .

We can always agree to disagree .

Well, may be I don't know each and every law of Nepal but you are replying to me as if you know everything about me man.

First, you mean to tell me this, that men have no right to file for divorce in Nepal? Okay, anyways, what part of 'preagreement' did you not understand in the second paragraph.

Neither am I talking about condescending nor about the motivational part, I am just pointing out one of the loop holes, from which any smart person can take advantage. Perhaps you didn't see this coming and now you are disgruntled and calling it a useless argument. Take it easy man, and have some sense of humor, there are smarter people in this world than you who can take advantage of a system no matter how tight it is. And when you know it is inevitable, you ought to laugh at it, and not get cuckoo over it by taking it personally. You sound like a government man here.

user123
Hahaha .. you wish ...  Just to clear it up , i an't a government man . As i said in the previous post , i think this government is illegitimate . I personally think , people having a debate on this issue is a waste of time . Though i am wasting mine too along  .
As i said , men in Nepal cant just go file for divorce .Its the wife that has to take the initiative . That law was made to protect the women in our society as they are looked down more as a commodity . Any law made by any government will have its negatives and positives , its weaknesses .There will always be Con's ( smarter people as per you ) , who will try and take advantage But then you just have to hope that people understand and follow the moral values .
No law or government can change once thinking and mentality . It just depends on the person .If someone takes advantage of this rule and out smarts the law , then we all just have to suck it up .

Anyways ! i have taken nothing personally . I am just applauding, at least someone is thinking about the backward class and tribe's in Nepal . How many times have you heard this topic in news , rarely .

At least govenrment is trying to bridge the cast disparity in case of low tribes and helping people start a new life in case of woman. Don't think that it is a bribe or anything.