Women who broke the rules in Nepal

Photojournalist Arantxa Cedillo has worked all over Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. But in 2011 she decided to spend a few years in Nepal. She says it interested her because it's a country in constant political turmoil, as well as "one of the most beautiful corners of the world."

While in Kathmandu, she heard numerous stories of discrimination against women and decided to pursue a project focusing on the strong women who had fought back against entrenched sexism there. The women she profiled were the first to break rules in their fields in Nepal — women who now are powerful representatives of change.

Cedillo's portraits cover a wide range of women, including a former sex slave, an elephant trainer, a swimmer, and the first female pilot in the country. Each photo includes a statement from a woman telling a small part of her personal story.

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Maiya Bisunkhe was born without her right hand and had to beg for her living. Today she is a promising sprinter. "I don't remember my mother's face. I had to face many struggles on my own when I was little because my father was sick and my brother small."

Courtesy of Arantxa Cedillo

Cedillo says that finding women to participate was a challenge at first, but once she got started the project grew organically.

"All the women I photographed were very determined to [tell] their stories and hope to bring some positive change," she says.

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Source : npr.org - From Women Who Broke The Rules In Nepal

by COBURN DUKEHART