Support for 150 Sexually Exploited Women in Nepal

Background of the organization:

Raksha Nepal in 2004 was formed by the group of young women who also were the victims of gender based violence (GBV). In the earlier days, RN started running with few target groups coming to one room rented place of the Present for basic reading/writing classes and sharing of the ordeals those girls/women went through. In course of time, with small contributions from local donors, it was able to expand its programs in advocacy and media mobilization and recently (in 2009) with the rehabilitation and reintegration. Combining both the advocacy and shelter proved to be more effective and successful. The radio programs covered whole nation, effect of which was issues on GBV and forced prostitution was able to form 21 listener clubs in many parts of the country. The same listener clubs have been mobilized in the grassroots level to advocate and aware people against above issues.

Raksha Nepal since last 10 years has been supporting girls, women and their children working in the informal so called entertainment sector as well as the victims of violence, It has been endlessly raising the voices against all kinds of crimes and violence in respective sectors, such as domestic violence, rape, polygamy, human trafficking, sexual violence, compulsive prostitution etc.
In situations where girls and women are being exploited in one way or other, RN is working to organize them, so that they are able to fight for their rights and exploitation. RN’s main objective is to organize these women working in the entertainment sector through different groups and provide them with different skill training. Moreover, RN has been providing these women with low interest credit through it's saving and credit cooperative, so that these women can open small business of their own based on their skills.

Involvement of the past victims who have already spent some months in RN’s temporary rehabilitation centre as resource persons while designing this project has been crucial. By and large, the project has been developed in consultation with different stakeholders including target groups therefore; the activities for intervention have been designed in line with their request.

Major Activities of the Quarter:

• To Provide psychosocial and trauma counseling to mentally prepare the target groups.
• Meetings and coordination with the owners of the informal entertainment sectors.
  
• Provide legal support for needy girls and women as and when required.
• Conduct vocational and skill development training for alternative livelihood (Sewing/cutting, cookery, SPA and Driving), advanced level trainings for 15 women and girls.
• Coordination with different media for advocate women rights

Activities in Details:

• To Provide psychosocial and trauma counseling to mentally prepare the target groups: Raksha Nepal  Provide psychosocial and trauma counseling to mentally prepare the target groups. RN providing counseling service in different level and different stages to the group members and by group coaching and individual level as well. Regular field visits and provide counseling to the group and its members by RN staff members and consultant counselor. In 21 groups two times within a year counselor provided counseling coaching and find out the individuals problem and also findout who really need what types of counseling. After visiting and providing group counseling at their working places, counselor also provides regular counseling to the individual in Raksha premises. RN had been providing counseling support since 2011, and through July 2014 has helped more than 163 women and girls who received individual counseling within the period. Through counseling in group meetings or other programs women often share their views that they are very happy and able to tackle and gained confidence day by day.
  
  
• Meetings and coordination with the owners of the informal entertainment sectors: RN holding coordination meeting with different stake holders in regular basis. Raksha Nepal tried to raise women issues and tried to solve it through the help of different stakeholders who are directly related in this issue. Through these meetings RN collects the support and voice to protect the rights of women and girls collectively and also disseminate the information about the informal entertainment sector. And also, women and girls who are working in the same sector. RN conducted 1 coordination meetings within this quarter held in Durbar Marg premises dated 23 June 2014, with different stakeholders. RN facilitate them for the protect rights of women and girls from the informal entertainment sectors. More than 55 stakeholders participated in the meetings; the participants were from administrative office, police representatives, and owners, representatives from different associations, and members from the proposed union and women from network.

• Provide legal support for needy girls and women as and when required: Provide legal support for needy girls and women as and when required. Legal support is one of the major services among the other services from the Raksha Nepal. RN provide this service from two ways, one conducting the regular visit program and increased the legal awareness during the group meeting programs and the other way of support is case study and provided free legal support. In this way, RN is continuing legal support program to the needy women and girls. Similarly, women and girls come to RN and they expect support from the RN on legal perspectives. As we know, women and girls are facing various forms of violence and mistreatment due to lack of awareness. As they are unable to manage such problems or don’t know where they can go, the culprits take advantage of them and use them to their benefits.Number of women and girls have come to RN through various sources, such as from mouth to mouth, other organizations referral, by listening RN’s radio program or talking with field staff where they refer to RN. There are some organizations also referring to RN for legal and other support to the women and girl victims, especially from the field of informal entertainment sector. In the past quarter, RN supported more than 98 women in legal advice on their cases and 3 field cases for property and 3 cases of rape were filed. These women were provided with free legal aid and provided transit shelter as required.
  

• Conduct vocational and skill development training for alternative livelihood (Sewing/cutting, cookery, SPA and Driving), advanced level trainings for 15 women and girls :  RN Conducted vocational and skill development trainings for alternative livelihood (Sewing/cutting, cookery and SPA ), basic level trainings for 15 women and girls. Raksha Nepal conducted various skill trainings in Basic and Advance level for the women and girls from the 21 groups. This quarter RN provided different Basic skill training for 25 women and girls, in tailoring 9 are still receiving in new season which is conducting in RN premises, 20 women and girls has been received SPA training in April-June 2014, 3 girls are receiving Beauty parlor training in this quarter and 2 women receiving cookery training. 

• Radio Program: Raksha Nepal conducted radio program for awareness and campaigning to protect and promoting women’s rights. RN is also closely working with different media. The radio program started from last year with a joint effort with Radio City FM and Raksha Nepal. We completed more than 104 episodes within 2 year period and have broadcasted same number of participants with different understandings and suggestions on women rights, women issues, voice against all kind of violence, awareness raising on different issues, experience sharing, happiness sharing, etc. Interviews on lots of other activities through the radio program were broadcasted. Thousands of women succeeded to find RN office and get its services. Radio program also supported in disseminating the information about different issues in wider range. We have experiences to interact with women who are coming in RN office from surrounding districts after they heard stories about RN’s activities and support through same radio program.

Dear Donors and Supporters,

We are currently working to support these regular activities through the continued donations that we receive. All   these donations are vital to keeping our programs going, and to helping to provide better lives for these women and children. We greatly appreciate your continued support and suggestions as well.

Background:

Raksha Nepal (RN) is a non government, non-profitable social organization, established in 2004. It is working for sexually exploited girls, women and their children. It also empowers and provides care and support to them. RN is run by women and girls who have been sexually exploited. Therefore, the organization is dedicated to those women and girls who have landed knowingly and unknowingly in the dance bars, massage parlors and cabin restaurents, where they are sexually exploited by the owners as well as the customers. RN is committed to making these women and girls aware of how to protect themselves in their current roles. RN also empowers them to build their capacity to identify alternative livelihood oppertunities to start a safe and respectful life. Raksha Nepal believes that if women are confident and educated the entire family benefits from it. This is one of the reasons that the organization is determined and committed to work towards the overall welfare of women and girls who are exploited and marginalized from the society.

Nepal being a patriarchal society, Nepali womenface multiple forms of discrimination. Existing culture and legal inequalities are also some of the basis of abuse and exploitation. Women who have been working in dancebar, massage parlor, cabin restaurant as such are the most marginalized groups in the country, who face a higher risk of gender based violence than in any other job sector. This is serious issue and RN is stepping up and working with the beneficiaries to tackle this problem in the work place violence.

The rehabilitation centre’s experience showed that RN is the only organization who is taking this particular group in the shelter. Mixing with any other group of GVB victims, sometimes, proved to be difficult for RN and its staff members. The approach to psycho-social counseling also had to be specific for girls/women from this background as they have been through a lot of trauma which needed trauma counseling also.

Key Activities

• Skill Trainings
• Peer Education Training
• Network Meeting
• Peace Rally on Raksha Nepal's 10th Anniversary

Activities in Details 

Skill Trainings: Raksha Nepal has been conducted various skill trainings for selected women group members. Trainigs has basic level such as 3 months basic training on Tailoring, where 15 women were participated, 3 months basic training on SPA, where 21 women and girls were participated and 3 months basic training on beauty parlor, where 3 women were received parlor training. After completed these training they were very happy and hopeful to get new job or start new business as per their skills.

Peer Education Training: Raksha Nepal has conducted peer education training coordination with international volunteer from USA. 10 women ere participated on that training. Peer Education trainings main aim is to provide practical knowledge to the training participants and these participants later will transform to the other group members. 10 participants of the training were from different women's group. Training mainly covered these areas such as; leadership devlopment, phycosocial counseling, health, life skill and spritual. 10 women from different groups are ready to get training for next phase.

Women Network Meeting: women network meeting has conducted as thier schedule, every 2 months network meeting have conducting at Raksha Nepal. Members of the network are chairperson from  their different women groups. Through this network women discuss and raise their problem and oppertunity for the solution. Raksha Nepal facilitate them and did plan for the solution. This networks main aim is to colaborate among the women groups and build up strong voice against women violence.

Peace Rally on Raksha Nepal's 10th Anniversary: Raksha Nepal has celebrated its 10th anniversary and organized peace rally against all kinds of women violence. Raksha Nepal appeal to all related stakeholders, women group members, individuals from the women sector and government line agencies as well. More than 8 hundred women and girls were participated on that peace rally. Raksha Nepal completed its 10 year journey with women who are victim of different violence. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister was chief guest on that program and he also promise to women mass, he will make the policy for implementation especially from thoe women who are working in informal entertainment sector and who are working at risk. 

Dear Donors and Supporters,

We are currently working to support these regular activities through the continued donations that we receive. All these donations are vital to keeping our programs going, and to helping to provide better lives for these women and children. We greatly appreciate your continued support and suggestions as well.

Links:

• official website