Published by: Nuru
Published date: 24 Jan 2022
Social Problems and Evils with causes and solutions describe different social problems and evils prevalent in our country with causes and solutions.
Nepal is one of the underdeveloped countries of the world. There are different social problems and evils in the society. Social problems and evils are issues which affect the members of a society. A social problem is normally a term used to describe problems with a particular area or group of people in the world.
Some of the common social evils would be alcoholism, racism, child abuse, etc. It also affects how people react to certain situations. Social problems and evils are the things that would be considered harmful or dangerous to a society and community.
Caste Discrimination was the root cause of the 'civil war' in Nepal. It is also one of the major social problems and evils of Nepal. The traditional thoughts that Brahmins, at the top and Dalits (labourers, cobblers, tailors) in the lowest position within the society, is the major cause of caste discrimination. The practice of untouchabilityis one example of discrimination against Dalits. Caste divisions cause problems in families, employment, marriage, and general social interaction. Unless caste system is eliminated from the society, there is no possibility of effective development of the country.
In the context of Nepal, still many people consider women as weak in comparison to men. Many people still think that women are created to serve men. People still treat daughters as some commodities which can be traded among the people. Many people still believe that girls should not be educated. The parents aborting a baby girl is one of the main examples of gender discrimination in our society. Although there is a good law in our country, its implementation is not as effective as it should be.
Our societies are also suffering from the problem of early marriage and dowry system. There is a belief that grown-up daughters are not supposed to be kept in home for the too long time so their marriage is done in the early age, which causes mental and physical problems and then causes the pre-mature death of the mother. The problem of dowry system has become quite terrible in many parts of Nepal. When the demand of dowry are not met, the girl is sometimes burnt and thrashed to death by the family members. The reason why many parents don’t want to have daughters is that the parents don't have to face the dowry demand in her marriage.
Drinking of alcohol results in problems. It is also one of the social problems and evil of the country. The use of alcohol, smoking, addiction to drugs, is devouring the youth of the country. Some of them really don’t know the effects of such habits. If a man gets drunk, then he behaves uncontrollably. It affects the family, society and nation. The money isunnecessarilywasted. One who has surrendered to such bad habits is not aware of how it disturbs the psychology of the family members. Long-term misuse of alcohol can cause a wide range of mental health problems.
Corruption is a form of dishonesty or abuse of entrusted power for private gain. It is an illegal act of an office-holder. Corruption occurs when an office-holder or other government employee acts in an official capacity for the personal gain.
Corruption is a big problem of the society as well as nation. Corruption has trickled into both private and public sectors. Yet, fighting against corruption is difficult but not impossible. It requires a new order of incentive structures so that individuals change their behavior to think differently, show differently and act differently.
Child abuse is doing something that results in harm to a child. Child abuse can be physical, sexual or emotional. Most abused children suffer greater emotional than physical damage. It is also one of the social problems or evil of the society. Unemployment and financial difficulties are associated with increased rates of child abuse. Parents who physically abuse their spouses are more likely than others to physically abuse their children.
Poverty is the general scarcity or the state of one who lacks a certain amount of material possessions or money. It is also one of the social problems of the country. It refers the lack of means necessary to meet basic needs such as food, clothing and shelter. It is also one of the social problems and evil of the country. To reduce poverty, modernization of agriculture such as fertilizers, to provide enough food to feed the population is required.
Deuki is an ancient custom practiced in the Far Western Region of Nepal, in which a young girl is offered to the local temple to gain the religious merit. After offering the girls to the temples, neither parents nor couples who bought them provide any financial assistance or have additional contact with deuki. This can result in various mental and physical problems.
Social problems are the general factors that affect the society. Social problems often involve problems that affect real life. It also affects how people react to certain situations. People practice and promote social evils because they are ignorant of the adversities. There are lots of NGOs and INGOs which are working to eliminate social problems. The awareness programs they introduce do not reach to the actual victims. Some causes of social problems are listed below:
a. Unemployment
Unemployment occurs when a person who is actively searching for employment is unable to find work. Unemployment is one of the causes of social problems. It leads to the frustration. Due to unemployment, problems like burglary, loot, murder, theft arises.
b. Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. It includes social, economic, and political elements. Poverty causes lack of food, health services and others. Rural people in Nepal generally have large families, very small landholdings or none at all, and high rates of illiteracy. Because of poor growth in the agricultural sector, living standards in rural areas causes poverty. The growing population has put heavy pressure on cultivable land.
c. Rapid population growth
Rapid population growth is the increase in the number of individuals. Over-population is caused by the number of factors. It leads to the unemployment and poverty.
d. Urbanization
Urbanization is the population shift from rural to urban areas. Urbanization creates enormous social, economic and environmental changes, which provide an opportunity for sustainability with the potential to use resources more efficiently. It is the cause of social problems. It is believed that living in a city can provide opportunities, diversity, and marketplace competition. As against this, there may be stress, increased cost of living, and negative social aspects that result from a mass.
e. Lack of education
Lack of education is one of the causes of social problems. People without good education are at risk from a lifetime of poor diet, long manual working and worsening mental health. Lack of education can have serious effects on children and adults and can affect health, living conditions and social situations. Due to lack of education, people do not take care of themselves because they are less educated about topics such as family planning and proper hygiene.
f. Superstitious beliefs
The superstitious beliefs which are deeply rooted in Nepalese societies are also promoting social problems. People believe in various traditions which would not let an individual to progress. This happens because people are innocent. They are not conscious about the consequences of their beliefs and practices. Such people can be easily convinced and cheated. People in rural areas still visit dhamis and jhankris.
g. Gender Discrimination
Our society is highly influenced by gender discrimination. Most of the domestic decisions are finalized by the males. Most of the time discrimination may not be visible on the surface. Even our religious scriptures are considered full of such stories which show women under the subjugation of their male counterpart.
h. Caste Discrimination
Lots of people are victimized in the name of caste. This happens because people have been divided as touchable and untouchables. This sort of discrimination occurs because the so-called higher caste does not regard others as fellow human beings. They are not aware that everyone is born equal. Lack of education, remaining stuck to old traditions, unwillingness to change, lack of consciousness are at the core of such discrimination.
i. Lack of guidance to youngsters
Many of the younger generation fall easily to bad habits. In the absence of proper guidance and counseling they are involved in various anti- social behaviour like stealing, robbery, murder, kidnapping etc. They prefer expensive gadgets just to exhibit them in front of their friends. They feel proud when they give a false impression of being rich and wealthy. They should not copy or get impressed by the false life of the celebrities and expensive commercial movies. Parents, teachers and educated members of the society should give proper guidance and advise them.
The solution of the social problem is to be found in the problem itself. Social problems refer to any undesirable condition that is opposed either by the whole society or by a section of the society. Social problems and evils are the barriers to development and progress.
Nepal is facing a large number of social problems such as caste system, child labour, illiteracy, gender inequality, superstitions, religious conflicts and much more. A single person is not responsible for these social problems. It is high time to get relief of these undesirable social evils. Illiteracy and poverty are also the major root causes of social evils. We have discussed the social problems and their causes in the previous chapter.
Some of the major solutions are as follow: