Nepal Society Research Articles

Relevance of Biogas in Rural Area: Women Perspectives

Biogas is a form of clean cooking mechanism. As a proven and widely-used global source of energy, it is popular all over the world. To explore the women's views about the importance of biogas in rural settings of urban areas, this study is conducted as the title of relevance of biogas in rural areas: women perspectives. It is based on the theoretical assumption of cultural feminism. It employs exploratory research design and is based on both primary and secondary sources of data. The study revealed that there is high relevance of biogas in rural farm based society in Nepal. Through women perspectives, health and sanitation; easy and sustainable operation; time and resource saver; cheap and low maintenance are its major importance. Biogas plant helps to reduce the untiring busy schedule of women in household activities. It suggests that concerned authorities should make effective institutional frameworks to empower women in their homeland by optimum utilization of leisure time made possible by the use of biogas.

Causes, Effects and Consequences of Cultural Differences: Reading Nepali Migrants' Literature in West Asia

This exploratory study deals with the depiction of causes, effects and consequences of cultural differences between the Nepali transnational migrants in West Asia and the citizens of the nations in this locale as seen in the literary creations of Nepali migrant writers. About a million Nepali migrants work in the Middle East. In the three decades of this migration, they have undergone many experiences of awe and shock caused by their cultural differences with the host land societies. Mainly caused by the differences in terms of religion, social management and law, the Nepali migrants feel difficult to adjust in the respective societies and they bear the consequent discomforts. These experiences have been the base of the Nepali literary creations in that transnational locale. The authors have expressed these realities in their poems, novels, stories, essays and memoirs. This article shows how these writings have portrayed the impact of closed Islamic society unlike the open society in Nepal; occupation based social hierarchy unlike the caste based one in Nepal; differences in culinary items and chance of personal freedom; distance between male and female; the traditional concept about the housemaids and workers; and other socio-cultural discriminations on the migrants in West Asia. The texts under analysis show that whatever is the social background back in Nepal, all Nepali migrants have the same culture, i.e. Nepali; and so they try to save it for their solace in the hostland.

Prominence of Improved Cook Stove (ICS) in Rural Area: End-Users Perspective

Improved cook stove (ICS) indicates improved form of traditional cook stove. It is more effective, efficient and safer to use. ICS is popular in rural villages of Nepal as a new innovation of clean cooking mechanism. To explore the end users views about the prominence of ICS in rural settings of urban areas, this study is conducted as the title of prominence of improved cook stove in rural areas: end-users perspectives. It is based on the theoretical assumption of cultural feminism. It employs exploratory research design and is based on both primary and secondary sources of data. The study revealed that there is high prominence of ICS in rural farm based society in Nepal. Women are end-users of ICS. Through women perspectives, health and sanitation; easy operation; time and resource saver; low maintenance are its major prominence. ICS helps to reduce the untiring busy schedule of women in household activities. It suggests that concerned authorities should make effective institutional frameworks to empower women in their homeland by optimum utilization of leisure time made possible by the use of ICS.

Current Status of Assistive Technology for AAC for People with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Nepal

This paper is focussed on the current status of usage of assistive technology for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for the person with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Nepal. ASD is marked by core features including impaired social communication, and restrictive and repetitive behaviours and interest (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition: DSM 5). AAC is a specific type of assistive technology that can benefit person with autism (PWA) of all ages by promoting independence, expanding communication and increasing social interactions. The major objective of this paper is to analyse the current status of AAC assistive technology for person with autism (PWA) in Nepal. The paper first analysed the assistive technology in general and then is inclined toward the current status of its development in Nepal. The research methodology of the paper included interviews and discussion sessions. The data were further reviewed based on the reports from the relevant organizations and learning outcomes from different autism related trainings and workshops. The authors visited various organizations related to autism in Nepal, Autism Care Nepal Society (ACNS) and Special School for Disability and Rehabilitation Center (SSDRC) and carried out interviews and discussions and also participated in various autism related training sessions and workshops. The findings of this paper showed that despite the high prevalence rate of autism, there is very less progress in managing ASD in Nepal and that the usage of assistive devices is limited to low tech only.

Joint Consensus Statement – Safety Precautions for Doing Echocardiography and Image Acquisition during COVID 19: Indian Academy of Echocardiography, Bangladesh Cardiac Society, Cardiac Society of Nepal, and Sri Lanka College of Cardiology

An echocardiographic investigation is one of the key modalities of diagnosis in patients suffering from COVID 19, especially if they are elderly, have associated comorbid conditions, and pregnant. Hence, it is becoming extremely essential to look into the correct safety precautions, health-care professionals must take while conducting an echo investigation. At the same time, a focused echo examination aimed at correct imaging view acquisition in the shortest possible time is the need of the hour. The decision matrix formulated for conducting an echocardiographic evaluation is based on the presence or absence of cardiological comorbidity vis-a-vis positive or suspected for COVID- 19. The safety measures and image acquisition have been constructed keeping in mind the current safety precautions by the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India.
 Cardiovasc. j. 2020; 13(1): 97-101

Globalization, Migration and Gender Equality: A Case from Okhaldhunga Village of Gorkha District

Globalization is an intense of social relationship and closer integration of the countries and peoples of the world as well as it is a process involving increasing liquidity and growing multidirectional flows of people, objects, places and information. To become global is to be worldly and to be conscious of the current scenario of the present. The main objective of this paper is to analyze the effect of globalization on gender equality in rural society of Nepal. For the same, the study limits on the changing gender roles of 50 respondents have been analyzed in Okhaldhunga Village of Palungtar Municipality word no.4 of Gorkha District. Theory of globalization is applied and primary and secondary sources of information are used in this study. One of the result of this paper is women are enjoying modern technology and are increasing involvement in various local institutions and governance. Even though they are not aware about education and to be more advance life like men but they claim that they are more advanced than the previous generation women.

Launching of the Journal of the Physiological Society of Nepal (JPSN)

No abstract available.

네팔 힌두교의 고유특징에 따른 선교적 제언

The main purpose of this article is to bring a missiological understanding of Nepali Hinduism which is essential for the growth and development of Nepal Mission and to suggest some strategies based on the findings. Nepal Hinduism incorporates the elements of indigenous beliefs and practices and Buddhism, and it has developed into a ritual-centered practice and has become the foundation of politics of Nepal. Nepali Christian mission is about demonstrating the love of God through Christian living rather than confronting Nepali people with the doctrine of monotheism. It should be done by dealing Hinduism with the critical contextualization method, and help Nepali Christians to be part of the larger Nepal society. The ritual centered religiosity should be transformed and utilized to strengthen Nepali Christians’ commitment to the Gospel. Therefore, the study of Nepali Hinduism becomes the foremost strategy of Nepali mission.

Discourse of civil military relations in Nepal

A sovereign nation –state requires a strong military institution and the Nepali Army demands its personnel’s obedience, loyalty, sacrifice and discipline to maintain command and control. However, as an established principle, civilian control of the military is desirable to the military control of the state. The concept of Civil Military Relations (CMR) is dynamic, evolutionary and country specific. Such a bond between an official security organization and the public in general change with regime shifts, external imperatives and technological innovations. The impact of regime changes and political movements has been observed in various aspects of politics, society in Nepal is not an exception. In this line, this article deals on the theoretical discourse of CMR, reviews the constitutional and legal provisions and examines the factors influencing CMR in Nepal from the period of modern nationstate formation to present days. Along with existing debates around the role of the Nepali Army in various non-military jobs, this paper proposes multiple perspectives on how different entities, including bureaucrats, politicians and military leaders perceive CMR. Likewise, the writers argue that sharing the responsibilities among the civil society, citizenry and military organizations is one of the most suitable approaches in response to balancing CMR in Nepal.

Joint Consensus Statement – Safety Precautions for Doing Echocardiography and Image Acquisition During COVID-19: Indian Academy of Echocardiography, Bangladesh Cardiac Society, Cardiac Society of Nepal, and Sri Lanka College of Cardiology

An echocardiographic investigation is one of the key modalities of diagnosis in patients suffering from COVID-19, especially if they are elderly, have associated comorbid conditions, and pregnant. Hence, it is becoming extremely essential to look into the correct safety precautions, health-care professionals must take while conducting an echo investigation. At the same time, a focused echo examination aimed at correct imaging view acquisition in the shortest possible time is the need of the hour. The decision matrix formulated for conducting an echocardiographic evaluation is based on the presence or absence of cardiological comorbidity vis-a-vis positive or suspected for COVID-19. The safety measures and image acquisition have been constructed keeping in mind the current safety precautions by the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, India.

Prevalence of Postpartum Family Planning Service Coverage in Selected Referral Facilities of Nepal

Nepal Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists jointly with the Nepalese government and with the support from the International Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology has implemented an initiative to institutionalize postpartum family planning services in selected major referral facilities of Nepal to address the gap of low uptake of postpartum family planning in Nepal. The aim of the study is to find the prevalence of the service coverage of postpartum contraception in the selected facilities. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in seven major referral facilities across Nepal. Data were collected from the hospital records of all women who delivered in these facilities between October 2018 and March 2019. Ethical approval for this study was obtained from Nepal Health Research Council. Data analysis was done with SPSS version 23. Among the 29,072 deliveries from all the facilities, postpartum family planning counseling coverage was 27,301 (93.9%). The prevalence of uptake of Postpartum Intrauterine Device is 1581 (5.4%) and female sterilization is 1830 (6.3%). In total 11387 mothers (52.2%) had the intention to choose a postpartum family planning method. However, 36% of mothers neither used nor had the intention to choose a postpartum family planning method. The coverage of Postpartum Intrauterine Device counseling service coverage in Nepal is higher in 2018 as compared to 2016-2017 and in other countries implementing Postpartum Intrauterine Device initiatives. However, the prevalence of service coverage of immediate Postpartum Family Planning methods, mainly Postpartum Intrauterine Device in 2018 is lower in Nepal as compared to 2016-2017, and other countries implementing Postpartum Intrauterine Device initiative. More efforts are needed to encourage mothers delivering in the facilities to use the postpartum family planning method.

Food Selectivity, Mealtime behavior, Weight status and Dietary intake in Children and adolescent with Autism

Background and Objectives: Food selectivity is a common parental concern in childhood that can become problematic and lead to issues such as nutritional deficits that may impair growth and development. Considering the problem of food selectivity and meal time behaviors in the children with autism, this study was undertaken to assess their food selectivity, mealtime behavior problems, nutrient intake and weight status of children and adolescent with autism of Autism Care Nepal Society. 
 Material and methods: This is a descriptive cross sectional study carried out in Autism children and adolescent aged 3-19 years in Autism Care Nepal Society. The sampling method was purposive sampling by total enumeration method. A pretested structured questionnaire was used to collect data using a face-to-face interview. Data were entered and analyzed in Microsoft Excel. Descriptive analysis was done to determine the socio-demographic characteristics. Chi-square test was done to determine the association of different independent variables with the BMI. 
 Results: Out of 70 participants, 49 were male and 29 females. Among 70 participants, about 4% individuals were underweight, 39% normal and 57% were overweight or obese (≥85th percentile). Out of this 36% were obese (≥95th percentile). Out of 70 participants, 36 individuals (51.43%) were food selective while 34 individuals (48.57%) were not food selective that 51.43% of autism children and teenagers do not have problematic meal time behavior while 48.57% of them have problematic meal time behavior. 
 Conclusion: There was no significant association between age, gender, family income, physical activity, food selectivity and mealtime behavior with BMI (p>0.05) among autistic children. However, food selectivity of the autistic participants showed a significant association with obesity. There was significant difference in mean calorie intake by all the age groups than the calorie set intake by Indian council of Medical Research (ICMR) as p-value was <0.05 in all age group.

Women and the Perpetuation of Caste System in Nepal

South Asian feminist scholars have attempted to comprehend both the nature of interconnections between caste and gender relations and women’s complicity in sustaining patriarchy and caste system. This presentation seeks to answer a few key questions regarding the interconnection between caste and gender. It also seeks to answer the question regarding how and why women in Nepal wittingly and unwittingly help maintain the caste system that underlies their own subordination. The answers are framed within the ongoing dynamics of society in Nepal.

Presidential Address 39th Annual Conference of the Linguistic Society of Nepal

This Presidential Address was delivered at the Inaugural Ceremony of 39th Annual Conference of the Linguistic Society of Nepal at CEDA Hall, Tribhuvan University, Kirtipur, Kathmandu on 26 November 2018.

The Death Rite in New Republic Nepal: Should It Be Shortened?

I introduce an on-going debate on whether and how should rituals be tamed in the contemporary Hindu society of Nepal. In this paper, I point out intellectuals who espouse secular thoughts hesitate to talk about rituals in public. On the other hand, there are also many who believe these rituals as their forte. Out of this trajectory of thoughts, I develop an argument that there is a lack of force that could promote interpretative understanding of rituals in Nepal. Based on a line of thoughts propounded by Roy A. Rappaport, Catherine Bell, and Hannah Arendt, I maintain that rituals need to be taken as part and parcel of ritual-making zeal of humankind. With a brief introduction about the historicity of ritualization in Nepal, I highlight the adoptable characteristics of rituals in the Kathmandu Valley and the role the people of the valley have started to point out a possibility of bringing reformation in death rituals.

Age of Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder in Nepal.

The current study investigated the age of diagnosis (AoD) of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Nepal by using de-identified data on 246 children with a diagnosis of ASD registered at AutismCare Nepal Society from 2010 to 2015. The mean AoD in children was 58 months (range 14-187 months). Majority of children were male (76%), lived in the Kathmandu valley (75%), and were from upper caste groups (62%). The mean diagnostic age of ASD in Nepal is much later than the age at which a reliable diagnosis is possible, indicating the need to reduce the gap between the age at which it is possible to diagnose ASD, and the average age at which ASD is currently diagnosed.

Global Challenges of Higher Education and Future Priorities of Civil Society for Inclusive and Equitable Society in Nepal and India

This paper presents global scenario of higher education and tries to show the challenges faced and reformation to be made in higher education in Nepal, in the future as well as see both Nepalese and Indian societies in a similar way without discrimination. Problem Statement: The problem of this study is, What challenges has higher education system faced and what reformation is needed for inclusive and equitable societies between Nepal and India? Purpose: The purpose of this research paper is to make close links between Nepal and India through higher education by making inclusive and equitable societies with the roles of civil society. Methodology: The methodology of this study is document analysis and interview with some professors. Design: This is a qualitative study and no numerical data are used here. Implications: This research paper has got in – depth implications for the people of Nepal and India which shows that these two countries have got similar cultures, societies, religions and common ways of dealing to each other as well as open access to higher education for the people of both countries in either sides. Value: This paper has got great value to make close relation among the group of people living in Nepal and India and avoid discriminations among them. Nepal is a country situated in the lap of Himalayas in Asia which lies between the two large countries; India and China. Nepal and India are very close neighbours having same cultural, social and religious base. There is open border between these two countries. So, system of one affects another. The higher education system in Nepal is also same; of two types; fully funded by government and private sector. Among seven universities in Nepal, only two of them are fully funded by government- Tribhuvan University and Mahendra Sanskrit University. Tribhuvan University is the first university in Nepal and has been the root of higher education in Nepal since 1959. The main exchange of higher education in Nepal is related to Indian systems. But nowAll of the universities and their colleges are facing the impact of globalization. There are changes in higher education system at present which have caused global challenges across countries. Due to global challenges, there are problems in building inclusive and equitable society, which is under the need between Nepal and India. Globalization has made this world as a narrow place and there is mobility of students, teachers and academic group for different purposes all round the world without restriction for quality education. Due to globalization, there is flow of people, goods, ideas and knowledge all round the world. There are challenges in higher education system of Nepal and India in terms of demographic change, socio-economic role, equity, access, convergence of higher education, divergence for inclusion, study subjects, quality and relevancy, technology, brain drain, funding, politics and technology. These are global issues in higher education today which need to be addressed by educational policy makers to build inclusive and equitable society. This paper shows some relations between higher education and society to be equitable and inclusive among the people between India and Nepal.

Structural Failure Analysis of Earthquake Affected Buildings in Gorkha (Nepal) Earthquake 2015 in Kathmandu Valley

The major earthquake in April 25, 2015 of Mw 7.8 and aftershock of intensity Mw 7.3 on May 12, 2015 has caused not only a substantial death toll and huge economic losses, but also heavy damage to many buildings. This paper outlines the common observed damage patterns of different types of buildings in Kathmandu valley induced by the earthquake and their constructional deficiencies..We visited Department Of Urban Development and Building Construction (DUDBC) of Nepal Government, and Nepal Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET) and got various information regarding structural damages caused by Gorkha earthquake. After acquiring knowledge on this topic through internet and from NSET and DUDBC, the structural failure analysis of buildings affected during the earthquake in Kathmandu Valley was done by photo observation. Both unreinforced masonry buildings and reinforced masonry structures suffered low to heavy destruction. The construction and structural deficiencies were identified to be the major cause of failure, however local soil amplification, foundation problems, liquefaction associated damages and local settlement related damages were also significantly observed during this earthquake and reported in the paper. The Gorkha earthquake sequences delivered unprecedented opportunity to augment the understanding on seismic performance of the buildings. This paper is also motivated to point out the faintness in the past to current constructional practice of buildings, provide preventive measure and convey awareness to stake holders for future safer building construction practice.

Tokenism in Manandhars: An Ethnolinguistic Study

This is an ethnolinguistic study of Manandhars of Kathmandu. Manadhars ‘the oil pressers’ locally called them Saemi, are the chunk of Newar society in Nepal. They are scattered in seven major oil pressing mills in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Kabhre, hence called them Nhaesah saemi (the oil pressers of seven mills). Besides, they play the traditional musical instruments. They are identified or differentiated with totems, which are based on their profession, physique, nature, locality, which is called Kunam or Binamin short for kulnam (clan name) and bishesnam (special name). Among the seven mills, only three mills (Pakopukhudyami, Nhusahmi, and Casandomi) practice totemism.

Conflict Resolution and Civil Society: Experiences of Nepal in Post-Maoist Revolution

Peacemaking involves a set of goals, policies, and strategies, and those are directed to prevent the occurrence of armed conflicts and to avoid violence. Peacemaking solicits a legitimate framework through which all actors could peacefully participate in social, economic, and political life of the nation. The role of civil society groups in peacebuilding has not been adequately discussed in both academic writings and policy analysis of Nepal. The pro-democracy movement jointly launched by the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M) witnessed a shift in the political landscape of Nepal, bringing an end to the decade-old Maoist insurgency as King Gyanendra stepped down on April 24, 2006. Therefore, the study carefully exemplifies the various activities which different civil society groups performed and attempted to analyze their roles in the prolonged process of peacebuilding. The responsibilities of civil society in Nepal, particularly in the aftermath of Maoist Revolution, are found to be focused and calculated, and effective to some extent. Collective efforts of different civil society groups helped to restart searching common ground for conflict mediation and peace in Nepal after a decade-long Maoist conflict. The underlying community interests for conflict resolution have been the business for all and where civil society has a spirited stake.