Urmila Chaudhary Honoured with International Award for Her Work Against Discrimination
Nepalese activist Urmila Chaudhary has been awarded the prestigious Global Anti-Racism Champion Award by the U.S. Department of State for her groundbreaking work in human rights and fighting discrimination in Nepal. As a former Kamalari, a girl forced into slavery, Urmila has dedicated her life to combating caste-based discrimination and improving conditions for Nepal’s most marginalised groups.
IM has long supported Urmila’s work through partnerships with the Freed Kamalari Development Forum (FKDF) and Society Welfare Action Nepal (SWAN). Both organisations work intensively to advance the rights of former Kamalari girls and create lasting changes in communities where caste systems and inequalities are still deeply entrenched. FKDF, led by former freed Kamalaris, focuses on providing education, psychological support, and economic opportunities to former slaves, while SWAN works on community-based programmes to combat discrimination and promote women’s rights.
With IM’s support, FKDF and SWAN have continued their efforts to improve access to education and economic resources, crucial to breaking the structural barriers that marginalise women and children in these regions. Urmila’s dedication and leadership have not only helped to abolish the Kamalari system but have also empowered women and girls who have survived these hardships to take control of their lives and contribute to a fairer future for all.
The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu praised her leadership and commitment to justice and equal opportunities, describing her work as inspiring and critical for Nepal’s future. Thanks to her efforts, many former Kamalari girls now have the opportunity to organise, educate themselves, and build a better future.
We are proud to support Urmila in her vital work, and we congratulate her on this well-deserved award!
Facts: Kamalaris
Girls as young as 4–5 years old from the Tharu ethnic group in Nepal were forced into slavery as Kamalaris for wealthy landowners, in exchange for their impoverished parents being allowed to lease a small plot of land. Although the system was abolished in 2013, the girls and their children still live with the stigma that slavery has marked them with. Despite the ban, it is estimated that hundreds of girls still live in slave-like conditions. IM’s partner SWAN played a key role in the effort to abolish the Kamalari system.
Former Kamalaris have united to form the Freed Kamalari Development Forum (FKDF), which today works to fight the discrimination faced by ex-Kamalaris and to hold the state accountable for compensation promises. FKDF is also an IM partner.
Text and photo: Malin Kihlström
By: Malin Kihlström