|
Rehabilitation of Conflict Victim Single
Women
Organised by Women for Human Rights (WHR)
14 -15 May 2008
Latikoili, Surkhet
The regional workshop of Women for Human
Rights single women (widows) group for Far Western Development
Region took place at single women (widows) group hall of Surkhet.
There was a presence of participants representing different districts
of Far Western Development Region, staffs and single women (widows)
group of Surkhet office. The workshop was supported by FES, Nepal.
The major objective of the workshop was to
-
Formulate a comprehensive and strategic five year vision through
a participatory approach inclusive of voices of single women
(widows) from 75 districts of Nepal
The specific objectives of the workshop were
to-
- Develop a holistic strategy for the organization
and its network
- Find out and incorporate the emerging issues
of single women (widows) into the strategy
- Identify role of district in five year
vision
- Identify role of central office to bring
positive policies in five year vision
- Endorse the five year strategic vision
through the network
The program started with the welcome note
by the Nanda Shrestha, chairperson of single women (widows)
group Surkhet. She welcomed all the participants and encouraged
everyone to work in coordination. Ram Kumari, Secretary of single
women group of Surkhet presented work schedule for the day.
Every participant in the workshop gave their personal introduction.
They also shared the activities that had been done and is been
running in their single women group. Lily Thapa, Chairperson
of WHR from central office gave overall activities of central
office.
During the discussion about the issues of
single women (widows) to be raised in the community and the
policy level, the following issues were identified:
1. Future of the children (continuation to
their education)
2. Identity of single women.
3. Discrimination of single women (widows)
4. Minimum level of education and unemployment
5. Domestic violence/ Evil eyes towards single women (widows)
6. Lack of opportunity
7. Discriminatory Policy of the State
8. High dependency on others in terms of economy
After the identification of the issues, the legal amendments
made till date and to be done in the future were discussed which
included the following things:
1. Replaced "widow" in the Muluki
Ain with the word "single woman"
2. Single woman (widow) is allowed to take her property along
with her in case of her remarriage.
3. Single woman (widow) need not seek anyone's permissions to
get or sell her property.
4. Single woman(widow) skill development planning was included
in the Interim Development Plan
5. Groups and committee working for the issues of single women
(widows) to be incorporated in Red Book
6. Special Serial Security Scheme for single women (widows)
by the State
7. South Asian Network for Widows Empowerment and Development
8. Declaration of Umbrella group at United Nation Organization
The program headed with the discussion regarding
the regional expansion planning along with five year vision.
The discussion concluded in the following ways:
1. The districts with single women (widows)
groups will help to expand single women (widows) groups in the
nearer districts without single women (widows) groups within
six month.
2. Establishment of Chhahari by searching the government land
3. Cooperatives- saving programs
4. Organizational development by registration in CDO and formulation
of code of conduct
5. Start advocacy for the provision of special social security
scheme for single women (widows)
6. Awareness raising programs in the districts in coordination
with local organizations and groups
7. Starting sustainable income generation activities For instance,
Orange farming as that in Kavre
8. Coordination with District Development Committee to register
the Regional Office in Red Book
9. Remove discriminatory level by filing cases and proceed with
those cases for the ill treatment and violation of any form
of human rights
10. Single women (widows) issues to be discussed with the members
of Constituent Assembly (either male or female ) representing
diversity of the political as well as physical division of the
districts of the region
11. Establishment of foundation through various fund raising
events such as lottery, bhaili program, musical events
12. Political empowerment through registering party with the
issues
The most important activities to be done by
regional network were decided as-
1. Formation of groups in districts
2. Collection of statistic of single women (widows)
3. Establishment of Regional Contact Office
4. Bi-yearly gathering and meeting of all the regional working
committee to update the regional activities through sharing
and encouraging
5. Establishment of Regional Fund
6. Formulation of Code of conduct for the Organizational Development
7. Establishment of "Chhahari" for sheltering single
women (widows) for the emergency relief
8. Regional market management for the marketing of products
made by Single Women Entrepreneur Group (SWEG).
The participants were divided into two groups
on the basis of the development region they belong to. This
means the divided two groups were participants from the Mid
Western Development Region and Far Western Development Region.
After the discussion among the group for the formation of the
working committee, the following decision came to an existence.
Far Western Development Region will have the
working committee in this order:
1. President- Kailali
2. Vice President- Kanchanpur
3. Secretary- Doti
4. Treasurer- Dadeldhura
5. Member- Bajura
6. Member - Darchula
7. Member - Aachham
8. Member - Baitadi
9. Member - Bajhang
The decided districts in working committee
are Kailali, Kanchanpur, and Dadeldhura.
Mid Western Development Region will have the
working committee in this order:
1. President- Surkhet
2. Vice President- Dang
3. Secretary- Banke
4. Treasurer- Dailekh
5. Member- Bardiya
6. Member - Jajarkot
7. Member - Salyan
8. Member - Dang
9. Member - Pyuthan
10. Member - Rolpa
11. Member - Dolpa-Banke
12. Member - Humla- Surkhet
13. Member -Rukum-Dang
14. Member -Kalikot-Dailekh
15. Member -Mugu -Surket
16. Member -Jumla- Banke
For the expansion of the regional network
and accomplish the five year vision, WHR central office will
support in the following way:
1. Providing seed money t the Regional office
2. Bearing the cost of house rent and furniture
3. Providing Rs 20 lakh for the construction of Chhahari
4. Providing 1 staff to work in the Regional office
5. Provide programs to districts of Region and monitoring the
activities carried up
6. Provide training to formulate rules and regulation for regional
functioning, empowerment and networking
The participants also shared poems and songs
within intervals to entertain as well as to refresh themselves.
The results of the regional workshop were the output of the
brainstorming and the consensus of the participants representing
single women (widows) group of various districts of Far Western
and Mid Western Development Region.
With the proper mindset and the five year
vision the program adjourned with light refreshment.
|
