A presentation by:

Women for Human Rights, single women group(WHR)

Nepalese society is patriarchal, but where powerful goddesses are women

However, in real life they are given subordinate roles.

Nepalese society is patriarchal, but where powerful goddesses are women

However, in real life they are given subordinate roles.

Background

PHYSICAL ABUSE OF WOMAN GENDER ROLES IN COMMUNITY

Glimpses of subordination of women

In a strong patriarchal society how can women without husbands

exist, live and survive?

Women for Human Rights (WHR), single women group is an NGO established in

1994 to address the rights of single women (widows) in Nepal

Women for Human Rights,single women group

Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC of the United Nations

• Women for Human Rights, single women group (WHR), established in 1994, is a Non Governmental Organization working for the socio-cultural, economic and political rights of the widows of Nepal.

• WHR envisages to create a just and an equitable society where there will be “No discrimination on the basis of Marital Status'.

• WHR has organized over 84,000 widows in 1050 Village Development Committees and municipalities of 73 districts of Nepal and has succeeded in mobilizing them as key "Agents of Change" in their respective communities.

Inhumane cultural practices

Code of conduct

Ill cultural practices

Restrictions

Aren’t these extreme Human

Rights

violations?

Situational Analysis of Widows

Early marriage

Daughters are seen as burden

Lack of access to Education

Widow’s work not valued as Productive

Dependent on Male members

67% - are between 20-35

years

33% of them are literate

Around 2% of widows obtained higher degree of

education.

Widows do not have access to the property of their husbands. They are

denied their rights to access resources and capital. They become dependent on others.

Source: Challenges & Problems faced by widows in Nepal- WHR 2010.

Nepal is signatory to CEDAW Articles, but is the CEDAW Article really being implemented?

Article 1 of CEDAW states that no one should be discriminated on the basis of their marital status.

In case of Nepal, widows are discriminated because their husbands are no more living.

Widows are socially, legally and culturally discriminated .

Is the Allowance

Scheme justifiable ?

Can we imagine how many widows will be in the

remaining VDCs?

Is the Allowance

Scheme justifiable ?

Can we imagine how many widows will be in the

remaining VDCs?

State–Social Security Policies

Rs. 500 as allowance to widows over 60 years (now removed age bar) Over 85,000widows below 45 year registered only 1050 VDCs as WHR members

No other social security for widows by the state

STATUS OF WIDOWS IN NEPAL

Where can this section of population seek justice?

Has the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 which addresses the right of conflict affected women actually been implemented?

Conflict Affected Displaced Widows

In Kathmandu alone there are more than 800 conflict affected displaced widows)

67.9% of these women are displaced to community different from cultural background than from the origin which has denied their rights to culture and its prevention. 35.7 % of these displaced women lies between the age group of 25-30.

Forced to share a small room with 3-4 kids, living in unhygienic environment with inadequate clean drinking water and sanitation.

Where is the provision of fulfillment of right to basic needs?

Where is the consolidated package of service and proper mechanism?

Isn’t a holistic approach to service necessary ?

Contd…Contd…

82.9% of these women are living in economic crisis having severe difficulty to have two meals a day for themselves and their children

Conflict affected displaced widows in urban centers are forced into informal sectors such as cabin restaurants, dance bar, sex work, massage center for the livelihood of their children while their children do not have access to education.

Unaware of the process for the compensation, legal services, rights and other facilities.

Source: Impacts of Conflict-Displaced Women by Shrestha Sumeera.

In this scenario can they enjoy their fundamental rights?

Displaced women have been affected by conflict in following major areas

Financial deprivation

Physical victimization

Psychological trauma

Social exclusion

Institutional discrimination

Financial deprivation

Physical victimization

Psychological trauma

Social exclusion

Institutional discrimination

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Institutional and Organizational development – Pillar V

Results on Beneficiary Level

Pillar Components

To provide immediate services to conflict affected, vulnerable and needy widows and their children.

To support displaced conflict affected women, their children and family through holistic approach of

integration model.

To provide skill development trainings to widows for income

generating activities.

To provide loans with low interest without any collateral (group

guarantee) to women who wish to set up small business.

To provide scholarship to the needy children of widows and young widows

Program Components

International Chapter

National Level(Central Level)

Regional Level(Five Development Regions of Nepal)

District Level

VDCs/ Ward Level

South Asian Regional Level

South Asian Network for Widows'

Empowerment in Development (SANWED)

Networking

• WHR has its own decentralization strategy. It has formed the links and networks with organizations working on women’s issues and human rights issues.

• WHR has involved all its stakeholders in its programs to

sensitize everyone about the issues and plights of single women and work integratedly for the empowerment of widows.

• WHR is in an alliance named Sankalpa (Women’s Alliance for Peace, Democracy and Inclusive Constituent Assembly) for lobbying and advocating for women’s issues.

Stakeholders of WHR

Development Regional Office

District Committees  

Village Development Committees  

Village Development Committees  

Widow’s Groups  

Go

vern

men

t/IN

GO

s/ N

GO

s

WHR Central Office

Program/Resources flow Program/Resources flow

Progress at Grassroots level-Progress at Grassroots level-

Contd……Contd……

Surkhet- Kathmandu-

Kavre

CHHAHARI safe space for WidowsCHHAHARI safe space for Widows

Saptari (under construction)Jhapa -

Sunsari -

Progress at Policy level-

Progress at Policy level- cont………..

At SAARC levelAt SAARC level

Common Issues of Widows

• Almost all widows face the problems related to the burden of extra work, exploitation, violence, sense of loneliness and insecurity.

• Lack of quantitative and qualitative authentic data on widowhood.

• Widows are often excluded from income generating activities due to lack of skills and funds and this is followed by children, particularly girl children, dropping out of school and decrease in access to basic needs such as food, clothes, shelter and health care.

Common Issues of Widows...........................

• Negligence of increasing number of widows mainly due to armed conflict, ethnic conflict, ethnic cleansing, harmful traditional practices, HIV/AIDs, accidents and natural disasters.

• Widows are stereotyped exclusively as either victims or beneficiaries, and their roles as key resources and social capital in development and peace building are ignored.

• Widows face discriminative legal and Government polices and programmes.

Common Issues of Widows...........................

• Lack of education which consequently increases their poverty, emphasizes low status of widows and due to which they are more vulnerable to exploitation, violence and abuse.

• Widows are often isolated, not "banding together", their voices unheard and they are not recognized as "Agents of Change".

• Limited, restricted or lack of access to services such as health, nutrition, housing, social security schemes.

Common Issues of Widows...........................

• Most widows face psychological problems and mental stress and are tormented by psychological changes in their children after the death of their husband.

• There is significant increase in homelessness, displacement, migration, "property grabbing" and "chasing off" of widows due to the conflict and are highly vulnerable to trafficking and abuse.

Common Issues of Widows...........................

• Widows face the problem of lack of employment opportunities and secured shelter (safe space); no or limited access to market; no collateral to access to credit; and discriminatory wages.

• Widows are still blamed for their husband's death and are considered to be harbingers of misfortune.

• Still the widowhood is not recognized as an issue to be addressed.

How Can You Join Us In Widows' Movement?

• Support for economic empowerment of widows and provide help for the educational opportunities for widows and their children.

• Provide financial and technical support for WHR activities for the empowerment of widows of Nepal.

• Support for building "Safe Space" for widows for their holistic development.

• Assist for conflict affected women and children.

How Can You Join Us In Widows' Movement?

• Support in advocacy campaigns for the rights of widows, es and programmes for the widows.

• Advocate for appointing UN Special Representative for Widows.

• Support for the adoption of Widows' Charter and its implementation and enforcement at the National and International level.

• Establish a basket fund for tackling widows' issues in the world.

Widows in groups are the strength to societyWidows in groups are the strength to society

Widows’ issue is a national issue, they are the victims of cultural and traditional practices of society and are from all castes and creeds.

To ensure widows’ rights is to ensure a just and egalitarian society

Questions and Queries !!

Thank you