History & Philosophy

The word “Mukti” means freedom, emancipation, and liberation. The name itself reflects the organization’s deep commitment to freeing women and marginalized communities from inequality, discrimination, violence, and harmful social practices. Mukti Nepal was established with the vision of building a just and equal society where women and girls can live with dignity, safety, confidence, and full enjoyment of their human rights.

Mukti Nepal emerged in 2010 as an informal network of feminist women during the 16 Days Campaign against Violence against Women. At that time, violence against women, gender-based discrimination, child marriage, dowry-related abuse, domestic violence, caste-based discrimination, and social injustice were serious issues in Siraha and other Tarai districts of Nepal. Many women and girls had very limited access to justice, protection, legal support, psychosocial care, and safe spaces. This reality encouraged local women human rights defenders to come together and respond collectively.

Recognizing the need for a formal, locally rooted, women-led institution, the group registered Mukti Nepal at the District Administration Office, Siraha, in 2011. Later, the organization was also affiliated with the Social Welfare Council of Nepal. Since then, Mukti Nepal has grown from a local feminist movement into a recognized women-led civil society organization working for women’s rights, human rights, social justice, and community transformation.

Mukti Nepal is known as the only women-led organization in Siraha District largely dedicated to protecting and promoting the rights of women through empowerment, advocacy, awareness, and direct support services. The organization demands accountability from the government and concerned institutions to address women’s issues seriously and effectively. It works to ensure that women are not only seen as victims of violence and discrimination but also as leaders, decision-makers, human rights defenders, and agents of social change.

The organization is also strong in terms of representation and inclusion. All founding members of Mukti Nepal are women from diverse caste, ethnic, and social backgrounds. Its board members are actively engaged as women human rights defenders, making the organization deeply connected with the lived realities of women and marginalized communities. This inclusive leadership has helped Mukti Nepal build trust at the community level and respond to sensitive issues with courage and commitment.

Mukti Nepal has been led by Ms. Shyam Kumari Sah, a courageous women’s rights activist. She received the Human Rights Award from the French Embassy in Nepal in 2011 and was also nominated as an “Emerging Champion for Peace” for the N-Peace Award in 2012. Her personal journey is also inspiring. She resisted and freed herself from child marriage at the age of 13 and dedicated her life to challenging harmful traditions, gender injustice, and deep-rooted discriminatory attitudes in society.

The philosophy of Mukti Nepal is based on the belief that real liberation is possible only when women and marginalized communities are empowered, organized, protected, and able to claim their rights. The organization believes in collective action, feminist leadership, social justice, equality, dignity, and accountability. It works from the understanding that violence against women is not only a personal issue but also a social, political, cultural, and structural problem that must be addressed through community mobilization, legal action, advocacy, and institutional reform.

Mukti Nepal works in close coordination and collaboration with communities, local governments, human rights networks, women human rights defender networks, and national-level alliances. Through these partnerships, the organization raises women’s issues, strengthens advocacy campaigns, supports survivors, and promotes women’s meaningful participation in decision-making processes. Mukti Nepal is also associated with different district-level networks such as the Gender-Based Violence network, Anti-Trafficking Committee, Human Rights Defenders Network, and Women Human Rights Defenders Network.

Over the years, Mukti Nepal has made important contributions to women’s empowerment and social transformation. It has supported the meaningful participation of women in community and public life, handled more than 100 cases related to women and girls, and campaigned for social harmony by encouraging Dalit and non-Dalit communities to sit together and share meals. These actions challenged caste-based discrimination and promoted equality, dignity, and unity among communities.

Through its continuous campaigns and advocacy, Mukti Nepal has succeeded in drawing the attention of policymakers, law enforcement agencies, political leaders, local governments, and like-minded stakeholders. It has become a strong local voice against violence, discrimination, child marriage, dowry, caste-based exclusion, and other harmful practices. Mukti Nepal continues to stand as an example of women-led activism, courage, and community-based transformation in Siraha, the Tarai region, and Nepal as a whole.

In simple words, Mukti Nepal believes that freedom for women means more than protection from violence. It means dignity, justice, leadership, equality, economic independence, social respect, and the power to make decisions about one’s own life.