Art and Women’s Empowerment in Nepal
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Manjula Devi Maithil Bahun was 13 years old when she got married in her small village in southern Nepal. According to social norms, she was not allowed to leave her home nor talk with her husband in front of others. Now, 27 years later, the beautiful paintings she once only did on her floor and walls for traditional ceremonies, have helped her be the primary earner in her household with her husband supportive of her role.
Manjula is a leader in the Janakpur Development Center, a self-governed NGO that employs 41 women who are part of the Women Empowerment Through Tradition movement. While women continue to paint the floors and walls of their homes for ceremonies, they also make wall paintings on public buildings that speak to social issues. Themes are often related to health, as well as to the “peace building process.” At the Center, women of all castes socialize and share information.
