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Jamuna was able to obtain the vital registration certificate.

Jamuna has been living at her maternal home in Devhariya, Ward No. 7 of Dhangadhi Municipality, along with her 3-year-old daughter. Her husband, Laxman Chaudhary, lives in Hasuliya Village, Ward No. 1.

She shares, “In the six years of our marriage, I lived with my husband in Hasuliya for three years. During that period, I only had one proper meal a day for a year. After that, I endured constant violence, and no one from the family offered support. Eventually, when my husband threatened to kill me, I left and returned to my maternal home with my daughter.”

With the support of the women in her village, Jamuna learned about the Women Empowerment Center run by FAYA Nepal and Oxfam. Hoping for justice, she joined the center. After ongoing discussions, on 16th of Falgun, 2069, a session was held on the importance, necessity, and procedures of obtaining citizenship, marriage registration, and birth registration certificates. Following the session, participants were asked about their status regarding these documents. Those who were missing any of them were given a plan to get them completed.

When others shared that they didn’t have the necessary documents, Jamuna explained her own situation. Upon reviewing her case, it became clear that she had no official paperwork to proceed with the legal process. To move forward, her husband needed to be contacted.

Jamuna made several attempts to get in touch with her husband, but he didn’t respond. She tried reaching him through his friends, but with no success. This process lasted for two weeks. Later, when she went to enroll her daughter in school and discovered the requirement for a birth certificate, she asked her sister-in-law to contact her husband. When he finally came, they learned that in addition to the birth certificate, marriage registration and citizenship documents were also needed. For her daughter’s benefit, her husband agreed to complete the marriage registration and citizenship documents.

This entire process was made possible with the guidance and strategic support of the Women Empowerment Center. Jamuna, who had been driven out of her home, successfully obtained her legal documents. She is now in the process of securing her legal rights and is sharing her experience with the other women in her group, teaching them about her journey and the success she has achieved.