GANESHMAN CHARNATH, Nepal — Sixteen-year-old Apsana Khatun has never stepped into a formal classroom. For six years, she has attended the same primary-level lessons at her local madrasa, where girls rarely progress beyond basic religious instruction. Meanwhile, her brothers attend private school, learning subjects that promise futures she can only imagine.
Her own days pass in a tight loop: cooking over a smoky stove, washing dishes and clothes by the well, herding goats, and cutting grass for the cows. Each morning, she prepares her younger brother for the school she herself was never allowed to attend. The contrast sits heavily on her shoulders.
In Khatun’s village, girls her age are expected to marry. Her mother, Khajija, married at 14, and Khatun’s older sister at 16. Her father works as a laborer in the Gulf to save for his daughters’ dowries, payments traditionally made by a bride’s family at marriage. But stories from her neighborhood of women beaten or even killed for failing to bring a dowry have left her fearful, Khatun said.
About the author
Sunita Neupane
Sunita Neupane is an independent journalist based in Kathmandu, Nepal. She is dedicated to covering sensitive topics such as public health, LGBTQ issues, and human rights. With a strong focus on social justice, she uses her reporting to amplify voices within her community. Her work has previously been featured in the Global Press Journal.
