Boju Bajai

We spoke to Rubeena Mahato, a public policy specialist, about meaningful representation and inclusion in a deeply unequal society like ours. समानता, समावेशिताका नारालाई व्यवहारमा उतार्न के गर्न सकिन्छ? आरक्षणबारे दोहोरो कुरा गर्नै नखोज्ने/ नचाहने र meritocracy को मात्र रटान लाउनेहरूलाई कसरी engage गराउने यी महत्वपूर्ण विषयहरुमा? कोहि बेला यस्ता जठिल कुराहरुबारे meme बनाएर मात्र हुँदैन/ पुग्दैन, यी कुराहरुबारे यस्तो गफगाफ पनि सुन्ने गरौ है, gaaiz !!

This conversation was recorded for Guff Gaff with Boju Bajai, a web-series presented by Book Bus Nepal. The series was produced by Satori Center for the Arts, Quixote’s Cove, and Boju Bajai.

Watch ‘दाजु भाई show’, the third episode of Guff Gaff with Boju Bajai series, featuring our Rubeena Mahato and Shusma Barali on our YouTube channel. Alongside a skit from the office of 'ASSHOLE' by Yoznaa Thapa Magar and a musical performance by singer-songwriter Simma Rai.

https://youtu.be/KyB86yyYJ7w

If you like our laugh and guff gaff, please do consider supporting our work on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bojubajai

Subscribe to Boju Bajai podcast:

SoundCloud: https://m.soundcloud.com/bojubajai​

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast…​

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/33MiYm0​

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2FjuUBD

Follow @Bojubajai on social media for more laughs:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bojubajai/​​

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bojubajai​​

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BojuBajai​​

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNYRGvqtpi1aHAucXGcNWRw

Take a break from the relentless 2021 news cycle, and listen to our ‘छाडा’ and ‘अराजक’ take on everything that has happened in Nepal in the last two weeks - from this kaam chalau government’s authoritarian streak in the online and offline world to the violence and discrimination Nepali women are subjected to everyday. And it’s only February, yaar! Oh bhaaisaa, ये क्या हो रहा हे नेपालमे? एकछिन chill गर्न नपाइने यो देशाँ!

#bojubajai #kaamgarnadeu #freedomofexpression #bideshjanadeu #saasfernadeu #bachnadeu

If you like our laugh and guff gaff, please do consider supporting our work on Patreon: www.patreon.com/bojubajai

Subscribe to Boju Bajai podcast on Soundcloud @bojubajai or wherever you get your podcast. Follow @Bojubajai on social media for more laughs:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bojubajai/​​

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bojubajai​​

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BojuBajai​​

Related readings:

सामाजिक सञ्जालसम्बन्धी निर्देशिका जारी गर्ने सरकारको तयारी - https://ekantipur.com/news/2021/02/09/161287884604191929.html

ओलीको आमसभा : निर्मलालाई न्याय माग्दा पक्राउ, कालो टोपी लगाउनेलाई रोक - https://ekantipur.com/news/2021/02/09/161287884604191929.html

New rule requiring women under 40 to take approval from family, local ward office to go abroad draws criticism - https://kathmandupost.com/national/2021/02/10/new-rule-requiring-women-under-40-to-take-approval-from-family-local-ward-office-to-go-abroad-draws-criticism

Why Ram Kumari Jhakri has been arrested and under which law? - https://tkpo.st/3qaHPsd

Here’s our haudey guff gaff welcoming 2021 with utmost respect cos ओल्बा said so (स्योस?). We talk about everything from what news from Nepal would sound like in the hit podcast The Daily, Boju Bajai’s plans for the new year and lastly, we try to imagine how life would be in utopian Nepal. Dhilaai bhaeni Happy New Year. We hope this year is mucho mucho better than 2020.

If you like our laugh and guff gaff, please do consider supporting our work on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/bojubajai

Subscribe to Boju Bajai podcast on Soundcloud @bojubajai or wherever you get your podcast. Follow @Bojubajai on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for more laughs.

Related readings https://www.recordnepal.com/wire/features/oli-sacrifices-the-constitution-to-save-his-skin/

Music:

The Daily theme music by Jim Brunberg and Ben Landsverk of Wonderly. Learn more about the iconic theme music in this episode of songexploder podcast https://songexploder.net/the-daily and in this piece by zeeee Michael Barbaro https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/26/podcasts/daily-theme-song.html

Kuch Toh Hua Hai, Kal Ho Naa Ho by Shankaar-Eshan-Loy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWDiVU38lKg

In this episode, we talk about violence against women offline and online. We hope to explore how gender-based violence manifested itself in new and different forms during the COVID pandemic and also touch on the lack of policy and judicial responsiveness when it comes to online harassment and bullying of women and individuals from marginalised communities.

Follow Boju Bajai:

YouTube www.youtube.com/channel/UCNYRGvqtpi1aHAucXGcNWRw

Facebook www.facebook.com/bojubajai/

Twitter twitter.com/bojubajai

Instagram www.instagram.com/bojubajai/

Support us on Patreon www.patreon.com/bojubajai

This episode is part of a series Boju Bajai has produced in partnership with UN Nepal on the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations. It is an attempt to amplify the voices of individuals and organizations in Nepal striving towards creating a more equal, just and sustainable society.

For more information and take part in the UN75 survey, please go to un75.online/

Related readings:

How COVID-19 Worsens Gender Inequality in Nepal: https://thediplomat.com/2020/06/how-covid-19-worsens-gender-inequality-in-nepal/

Lockdown and the surge in domestic violence: https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/lockdown-and-the-surge-in-domestic-violence/

Domestic violence surging during lockdown: https://theannapurnaexpress.com/news/domestic-violence-surging-during-lockdown-2552

648 women committed suicide during lockdown: Police: https://english.khabarhub.com/2020/15/104698/

Child marriages up during Nepal lockdown: https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/child-marriages-up-during-nepal-lockdown/

चिल्लो सडकमा चिल्लो गाडी हैन, हामीलाई हिँड्न डुल्न, साइकिल कुदाउन सुरक्षित सडक चाहियो माइ लर्ड! बढ्दो प्रदूषणलाई नियन्त्रण गर्न निजी गाडीलाई भन्दा विद्युतिय सार्वजनिक यातायातलाई प्रोत्सहान गरौ र सबैलाई सुरक्षित महशुस हुने र वातावरणलाई संरक्षण गर्ने किसिमका भौतिक पूर्वाधारको विकास गरौ, माइ लर्ड! यसैबारे यसपालिको गफगाफ featuring Shristina Shrestha of Nepal Cycle Society.

This episode focuses on transport, both as a local and national concern. We have tried to explore the state of public transport and how it represents the contestations and conflicts experienced by individuals (especially women) and communities on a daily basis. Our guest Shristina Shrestha of Nepal Cycle Society offers a critical view on some policy lapses when it comes to addressing the public versus private divide in relation to access to green spaces and the disproportionate impact of pollution on the general health and wellbeing of the urban population with limited means.

Follow Boju Bajai:

YouTube www.youtube.com/channel/UCNYRGvqtpi1aHAucXGcNWRw

Facebook www.facebook.com/bojubajai/

Twitter twitter.com/bojubajai

Instagram www.instagram.com/bojubajai/

Support us on Patreon www.patreon.com/bojubajai

Follow Nepal Cycle Society on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Nepalcyclesociety/

This episode is part of a series Boju Bajai has produced in partnership with UN Nepal on the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations. It is an attempt to amplify the voices of individuals and organizations in Nepal striving towards creating a more equal, just and sustainable society.

For more information on the UN75 survey please go to un75.online/

Related readings:

Bourgeois environmentalism, Prashanta Khanal, The Kathmandu Post https://tkpo.st/3k7LymM

Cycling lessons from Copenhagen, Prashanta Khanal, The Record https://www.recordnepal.com/perspective/cycling-lessons-from-copenhagen/

Read more about Nepal’s petrol tax policies https://bit.ly/3pS7kyM

Environmentalists say government can start with using tax pollution to combat poor air quality, The Kathmandu Post - https://tkpo.st/2COzBix

Heat and dust: Kathmandu's commuter hell – in pictures, The Guardian, https://bit.ly/3pP6yTl

कस्तो हुन्छ समाजवादी सहर ? (अडियाेसहित) - https://jhannaya.nayapatrikadaily.com/news-details/1155/2020-10-17

Produced by - Rajan Shrestha aka Phatcowlee

To watch full video - https://youtu.be/-oTePnqQz6g

Featured in Ep 4 of Guff Gaff with Boju Bajai (https://youtu.be/itL42WgcSQY)

In this episode, we talk about the personal approach to green living in urban spaces. What are the small initiatives and actions that individuals are taking in order to lead a more environmentally friendly lifestyle while addressing the challenges that urban settings such as Kathmandu pose. फोहोरलाई मोहर बनाउन (or at least राम्रो तरिकाले व्यवस्थापन गर्न) प्रयत्नशील दुई जना cool womaniyas सँगको हाम्रो कुराकानी सुन्नुहोला ।

This episode is part of a series Boju Bajai has produced in partnership with UN Nepal on the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations. It is an attempt to amplify the voices of individuals and organizations in Nepal striving towards creating a more equal, just and sustainable society.

For more information on UN75 survey please go to https://un75.online/

Follow Boju Bajai

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNYRGvqtpi1aHAucXGcNWRw

Facebook www.facebook.com/bojubajai/

Twitter twitter.com/bojubajai

Instagram www.instagram.com/bojubajai/

Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/bojubajai

Reading list

Don’t waste food

https://kathmandupost.com/opinion/2018/06/15/dont-waste-food

Springs, Storage Towers, and Water Conservation in the Midhills of Nepal https://lib.icimod.org/record/32016

THE ONUS OF CLIMATE CHANGE: https://www.oxfam.org/en/research/confronting-carbon-inequality

Waste Management in Nepal

https://www.adb.org/publications/solid-waste-management-nepal-current-status-and-policy-recommendations

Ten simple ways to act on climate change

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20181102-what-can-i-do-about-climate-change

In this episode, @shaileeism and @PayalPallavi take over Boju Bajai and talk about what it means to be a Madhesi, a Nepali, and a Madhesi woman in Nepal.

Disclaimer - This episode contains two un-beeped expletives, ध्यान दिएर सुन्नुस् होला :)

Also, mooori mooori dhanyaawad to everyone supporting us Patreon and making us feel truly happy about the work we do. Please do support our work through Patreon and make our lovely grannies ajhai khushi. More deets here www.patreon.com/bojubajai

Follow us on:

Facebook www.facebook.com/bojubajai/

Twitter twitter.com/bojubajai

Instagram www.instagram.com/bojubajai/

Disclaimer: This episode contains foul language and is intended for 18+ listeners.

We are only 2.3% behind Nepali men in our pursuit for happiness, dear ladies, according to a recent study by a CBS survey. So in this episode we talk about things that would make us as happy or happier than Nepali men. A big big thank you to all the wonderful womaniyas who responded to our questions about (un)happiness :)

Also, mooori mooori dhanyaawad to everyone supporting us Patreon and making us feel truly happy about the work we do. Please do support our work through Patreon and make our lovely grannies ajhai khushi. More deets here https://www.patreon.com/bojubajai

Follow us on:

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/bojubajai/

Twitter https://twitter.com/bojubajai

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bojubajai/

Nepali men happier than women: CBS survey https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/nepali-men-happier-than-women-cbs-survey/

Senti background music- Info Junction Hindi https://bit.ly/3eWSTTx

In this episode, we look at how the state institutions of Nepal are mirror images of the caste system.

We will also listen to the lived experiences of Dalit women as they challenge and speak against the very foundations of caste-based discrimination and caste-based oppression.

Sources used:

"From Tika to Ashes" by Sarita Pariyar (https://kathmandupost.com/opinion/2019/01/25/from-tika-to-ashes)

"Caste Apartheid in the Judiciary" by Raksha Ram Harijan (https://www.recordnepal.com/perspective/opinions/caste-apartheid-in-the-judiciary/)

"Dalits and women the most under-represented in Parliament" by Bhola Paswan (https://www.recordnepal.com/data/dalits-and-women-the-most-under-represented-in-parliament/)

"Bullied every time" by Aahuti (https://www.recordnepal.com/perspective/opinions/bullied-every-time/)

http://www.jagaranmedia.org.np/

Benchmark Study, Samata Foundation in 2014

(https://www.samatafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Benchmark-study_nepal-report.pdf)

Empowering women through education: Experiences from Dalit women in Nepal by Nerine Guinée (2014)

FEDO, e-Bulletin Issue 38, 2019

(https://fedonepal.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Issue-38.pdf)

'Dalits facing difficulties even to rent room in Kathmandu' by Arpana Adhikari

(https://therisingnepal.org.np/news/32721)