Young Nepali mother sets herself on fire after the birth of a third daughter
Kathmandu (AsiaNews) - A Nepalese mother sets herself on fire after the birth of a third daughter. The tragedy occurred last night in the district of Nwalparasi (Lumbini, southern Nepal). Kisun Naue, 26, had fallen into depression after the birth of her last child, in December. Phul Kumari, her husband's mother, said "for weeks she was sad and complained about not being able to give birth to a son, but none of us imagined such a reaction." After dinner, Kusun put her daughters to bed and waited for her husband to fall asleep. She then entered another room and poured him a whole can of gasoline over herself, setting herself on fire with a match.
Local police spokesman Nepal Keshav Adhikari, explains, "Every year hundreds of women commit suicide because they give birth to females and not males." The cases are concentrated in the southern regions of the country, where cultural traditions are stronger.
"Giving birth to a female child - he explains - means potential economic damage for many families. A girl needs a dowry to marry, the poor see the birth of a female as a life sentence". Another reason is the social shame. Many believe that anyone who gives birth to only daughters is cursed. A third reason is rather the risk of violence from family members, first of all her husband. It happens that some, aided by relatives, kill their wives who are unable to give birth to a boy".
The discrimination of women is one of the most serious wounds in India, Nepal and Bangladesh. The cases of violence, suicide, discrimination are in the thousands. The most recent case dates back to December 13 in the Terai region (southern Nepal) when a girl of only 16 was burned alive by her brother for problems related to her dowry.
According to the National Crime Records Bureau of India, in 2010 the country had 8,391 cases of dowry deaths and at least 90 thousand cases of torture and abuse by husbands and their families. In 2011 in Bangladesh, a country with a Muslim majority, at least 325 women were tortured and killed for reasons related to dowries. Nepal is no exception. Police report that cases of domestic violence against women by husbands and families dissatisfied with the wife number in the hundreds every year. The trend is higher in Muslim and Madeshi communities.
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15/01/2009
