By Rabin Malla | Project Leader
Background:
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.
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.
The work initiated during the past years has prompted that the flow of girls/women joining this profession and use of sophisticated means to lure the victims also has been increasing every year. This means that there is an urgent need for action to identify various strategies and stakeholders to tackle this situation. One of the strategies would be to organize girls/women in this sector to through empowerment and make them capable to assert their rights. In the process there is also a need to involve other stakeholders, such as employers, law implementers, police and policy makers, youth organizations and parliamentarians.
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.
Mjor Activities of the Quarter:
Activities in Details:
1. Conduct basic vocational and skill development training for alternative livelihood (sewing/cutting, cookery, SPA and beautiparlor)
In the past three months a total of fifteen women were trained in various skills. Nine were trained in sewing-cutting, 3 in beauty parlor, 2 in cookery, and 1 in driving. All were trained at the basic level. In the next phase Raksha will select women from this group for the advanced training. These trainings were held in different places. Sewing/cutting was held at Raksha Nepal, and the rest of the trainings were held at various training institutes. The trainings are held from October-December.
One woman, Shrijana Tumbahamfe (Name Changed), who was recently trained in sewing/cutting, said that she is very happy to get this training and to gain new skills. She worked very hard to be able to get the next level of training, because she wants to get advanced level skills so that she can eventually open her own tailoring shop and leave her old job in the entertainment sector. Sumi Sapkota (Name changed),who was trained in beauty parlor, said that she also wants to get the advanced training, and that she either wants to get a job in an existing beauty parlor, or to gather the funds to open her own beauty parlor in the future. She is happy to get this first level training and to gain these new skills. Maiya Awale (Name Changed), who received driving training, said that she is also very happy. She wants to be a professional driver, and this gave her the skills to work towards this. If Raksha Nepal had not supported her, she would not have been able to get this training. The training is normally very expensive, and she would not have been able to put together the funds for it otherwise, so she is extremely happy that Raksha Nepal could help her with this.
2. Rescue of girls from police custody.
Many times the police arrest women and girls from the cabin restaurants, massage parlors, and dance bars, blaming the women for prostitution. Raksha facilitates with police, explaining the reality of the situation, and rescues the women and girls from police custody.
Sometimes the police will also send young girls to Raksha Nepal for shelter. 25 girls and women were released from police custody in the last three months, and four girls came to Raksha Nepal for shelter. Raksha provided them with counseling and use of the transit shelter. After counseling, Raksha sent them back with their families.
In one case, a girl was rescued who was from India. She was trafficked from India to Nepal before being picked up in Kathmandu. Many organizations think that the trafficking works going from Nepal to India, only, but we can see from this case that that is not true. A restaurant owner took this girl from India and forced her to get involved in prostitution. The police know about things like this, and arrested this man, and the girl was sent to us. Raksha Nepal counseled her and contacted her parents in India and called them here. After they came to Raksha, the girl was sent home to India with her parents.
3. Interviews conducted with various media outlets such as TV, radio, and newspaper on the subject of women’s advocacy.
Raksha Nepal’s Chairperson, Menuka Thapa coordinated advocacy through a partnership with the media for women’s rights, especially those women in this sector. She gave interviews to various media outlets such as Mountain Television, Himalayan Television, NTV 2, E24, BFBS Gorkha radio, Image FM, Kantipur FM, and also newspapers such as Kantipur Daily, The Kathmandu Post, The Himalayan Post, Saurya Urja, etc. Through this media she raised the voices of the women and girls who are victimized through forced prostitution and sexual exploitation.
4. Counseling services to the women and girls.
In the last three months nearly 300 women and girls received general counseling from Raksha’s office. They came to the office after hearing about Raksha through various sources. Raksha’s counselor met with them and listened to their problems and helped them, and gave suggestions. If they come needing psychosocial or trauma counseling Raksha will help them. In this period of time two girls received psychosocial counseling.
After hearing about Raksha Nepal through the radio program or through other sources, many women come to Raksha and ask for help and support from the organization, but Raksha cannot always able to support all of the women who come. Instead, Raksha works to counsel them, and to refer them to other related organizations or government agencies who can help them more immediately.
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.
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By Rabin Malla | Project Leader
By Rabin Malla | Project Leader
