Dalit Women and Social Exclusion in Nepal: A Concern for Social Justice

Nepali society is highly stratified with many glaring inequalities among different socioeconomic groups. The worst positioned among them are Dalits. The caste system segregates Dalits from the rest to such an extent that they are denied basic human rights. Tracing exclusionary practices in Nepal, it is clear that firstly the spatial exclusion is reflected through disparities in development levels owing to the remoteness and location specific characteristics. Secondly, gender-based exclusion is manifested in poor development indicators for women and thirdly the caste/ethnicity-based exclusion of specific castes, communities, indigenous people and nationalities leading to low level of development achievements.