Project “Empowering Young People in Human Rights, Democracy and Constitution Making Process”

YOAC and NED are working together to operate various programmes to strengthen human rights and democracy in Nepal. Activities include a study session on human rights, democracy and national constitution making process, monthly discussion series, capacity building training for youth network, cultural initiative, community support programme and intergenerational dialogue

Working district and VDCs;

Jhapa: Garmani, Surunga, Ghaildubba, Sanischare, Gauriganj

Bara: Nijghad, Dumarwana, Amlekjung, Ratanpuri and Bharatganj Singaul

Palpa: Bandipokhara, Baugapokharathok, Chhappani, Chirtungdhara and Devinagar

Dang: Narayanpu, Sishaniy, Gaduwa, Rampur and Kohilabas

Kailali: Chasmal, Beladevipur, Shreepur, Urma and Geta.

For more information about NED, visit their website

The project ‘Youth Initiatives for Sustainable Peace and Community Development’ aims to integrate and involve Nepalese youths in ongoing peace process thereafter strengthening democracy and human rights for overall development of the country. Through trainings, interactions, and campaign to strengthen the social harmony, confidence of local youths is built so the probability of youths be misguided reduced. The incidents against social harmony reduced, youths are taught on both rights and duties, and cross-cultural dialogues initiated, hence, social harmony and national integrity maintained through the effort of youth.

Age range: Youth of 16-29 age groups

Caste: Ethnic minorities, Dalits, marginalised, socially disadvantaged, improvised, excluded, Muslims, untouchables and the Internally Displaced

Major Activities:

1. Annual Peace Learning School
2. Community Peace Project
3. Youth Work Camps
4. Nepal Youth Social Forum
5. Days celebration

Youth Action Nepal (YOAC) and Pravasi Nepali Coordination Committee (PNCC) have jointly started a project ‘Mobilizing the Media to Facilitate Safe Labor Migration for Nepali Women Migrant Workers’ in partnership with UNIFEM Nepal office. The project through the media campaign intends to deepen media advocacy in Nepal to highlight the concerns of WMWs with the aim of protecting the rights of women migrant workers. While working on the issues of migration, it is also crucial to enhance the capacity of the media persons including the management to understand the perspectives of foreign labor migration and have regular reporting on the issue. YOAC and PNCC, therefore through the project, will jointly:

• Advocate with policy makers and relevant stakeholders on the issues of WMWs
• Develop linkages to network with other organizations working on safe migration
• Mobilize media persons to report and advocate on Safe Labor Migration
• Develop a framework to track the progress in implementing Foreign Employment Act.
• Develop an information hub for updated on knowledge and information on safe labor migration with special focus to WMWs and members of this families

The major activities that will be carried out are:

• 10 District level and 5 regional consultation with stakeholders
• National consultation with CA members and policy makers
• Training to media persons
• Handbook publication, Development of IEC materials- stickers and posters
• Publication of bi-monthly newsletter
• Establishment of local level Migration Information Centre

Objective:
General:
Find out sexual abuse situation of young girls studying at private colleges in Kathmandu valley.

Specific:

1. Identify the nature and condition of sexual abuse;
2. Find out the potential individual or group engaged in sexual and physical exploitation of young girls studying at the college of Kathmandu;
3. Learn the impact of sexual abuse in their personal and social life; and,
4. Emphasize the major gaps between sexual right and knowledge on sexual abuse against young girls.

Young college girls are more victimized by the unwanted physical and emotional exploitation by the opposite sex. The girls are victimized by means of regular teasing; touching to their body; using slang, taboo and offensive words; forcing love letter and physical and sexual behavior etc. Young girls who are studying at private colleges don’t want to expose such harassments with their teacher and parents because they think that this is an individual thing and probably they feel embarrassed while talking to such things. Protest against the physical and emotional harassment is almost difficult for them because they have fear of being accused of involvement by the family and society. They also deny taking the legal action because they think that the issue gets social detection which they don’t like at all. Sexual abuse results in long standing health and psychological impacts such as chronic pain, use of drug and alcohol, low self-esteem, lack of trust, dropout from their study and inability to articulate feelings. Due to the lack of friendly environment and information, young girls have less idea to avoid the sexual abuse in the real situation.

This research therefore identifies the actual sexual abuse situation of young college girls studying at private colleges in Kathmandu valley.

This research will reach out a total of 120 young girls with the research activities. Particularly the research will adopt FGD and questionnaires for the target population. Hence, the project expects to reach out 60 varied young college girls through two FGDs in each district making six such discussions and 60 other girls of the same colleges with the questionnaires in different private colleges located in Kathmandu valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur).

The provision of public security and access to justice are essential public services, and are one of the main requirements for a peaceful, democratic society and sustained social and economic development. With increasing space at the national level for the discussion on security and justice sector issues following the April election in 2008, the coming years will present significant opportunities for meaningful reform of Nepal’s security and justice system.
One key actor, in particular, that is being excluded from national level, state-centric debates are youth. Despite the overwhelming and highly-visible role of young people as perpetrators and victims of insecurity, the degree to which security and justice needs and provision are understood from a youth perspective remains limited.
This project, therefore, seeks to work with youth to critically inform security and justice policy and practice so that the specific and diverse needs and experiences of diverse youth are addressed.
Funded by Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the project is jointly carried out in partnership with International Alert and Equal Access Nepal.

Main objective to start this project is because of the deteriorating condition of peace and disturbance of social harmony in the Terai region underlaying various factors. Hence to strengthen the capacity of local youth and make them more engage in productive development with community level planning and to act as agents that support peaceful change during transition and political crisis in Eastern Terai is the key to work with the young people from 12 various VDCs of the Morang district. The project is aimed to last for 6 months as a pilot phase. After the successful completion , Youth Action Nepal will move to other Eastern -Terai districts such as Illam, Dhankuta, Jhapa, Sunsari, Siraha, Saptari .

Youth Activism towards Social Development and Peace Building Initiatives in Nepal" aims to create a national network of young people from all sectors of society who are informed, educated, and sensitized to issues relating to peace, justice and development. Based on this knowledge and related skill development, youth will be empowered to responsibly contribute to peace building efforts in their communities and at the national level.
With the vision to increase and enhance youth involvement in peace building initiatives at local, regional, and national levels by addressing issues of conflict, injustice, and underdevelopment, there are various activities designed in three phases. There are programs like training in peace justice and development, regional training and work camps on peace justice and development in different development regions. Besides these, campaign based activities like regional nepal youth social forums are planned in three regions. Holding the spirit of the first national youth social forum held in 2006, these social forums are also expected to encourage broader dialogue, debate and participation among young people for developing new visions, action plans, and promising policies for peace, justice, and sustainable and equitable development in Nepal.

After many years of struggle and conflict, Nepal has accomplished the historical constituent assembly election and the constituent making process is set off. In this context YOAC Nepal in partnership with Search For Common Ground (SFCG) is going to create Youth Constituent Assemblies at the regional and central (national) levels, enabling young leaders from diverse political, caste and ethnic backgrounds to write a youth constitution. It will provide a forum for young people to identify the issues that they wish to see incorporated in the constitution and give policy recommendations. Regional Constituent Assembly will be conducted in three Development Regions. A national Assembly will be conducted in Kathmandu with 80 participants including participants of Regional Assembly and other participants from indigenous group. The National Assembly forms a drafting committee which would draft a youth constitution. The final product will be publicized in a press conference and submitted to the national parliament and the constitution drafting committee as the consensus opinion of Nepal’s youth.

"SangSangai "is an effective educative and interactive methodology, a tool for communication with young people aged 15 years onwards. It has been scientifically tested in more than 15 countries for the last 10 years. As a large number of people visit SangSangai in a short time, it is most suitable for groups in certain settings, e.g. youth clubs, schools, vocational training institutions or work places. Potentially, SangSangai can also be used with other, social or professional groups e.g. teachers, police, and military recruits. SangSangai consists of six physical stations. Up to 90 participants are divided in six groups which move simultaneously from station to station. At each station they learn about one particular topic with the help of a team of youth facilitators. They remain in each station for 15 minutes and complete the entire circuit in 90 minutes. Topics are revealed and discussed through the use of pictorials, role plays, exhibitions, and games. The Stations: i. Sexually Transmitted Infections: This station explains the symptoms of the most common STIs and provides the message that these diseases are curable. ii. HIV Transmission and prevention: In this station the participants learn to differentiate between risky and non-risky behaviour with regard to HIV transmission. iii. Protection: This station focuses on the reasons for and benefits of condom use. iv. My Body: Given the taboos regarding adolescents’ sexuality, participants are encouraged to discuss the physical and emotional changes during growing up. v. You and Me - Gender: This station addresses situations of daily gender inequality and possible ways to change this. vi. My Life - Solidarity: This station has the purpose of establishing a sense of solidarity for the people living with HIV and reducing stigmatization.

Migration study and research is another part of its operation. With the support of NHRF, YOAC has carried out the research level work nationally and internationally. In some of the remote hilly districts, mini research work was carried out to find out the sensitiveness and magnitude of international out-migration. It is also working on policy advocacy on migration by gathering the stakeholder media persons and the concerned authority in workshops, interaction and training programmes. It is also supporting small grants to six youth organizations at the community level under the name of Youth Organization Empowerment Fund to sensitize the human rights activities at the community level. In the nearest future, it is going to publish a handbook of human rights.

YOAC is active in building its partnership with different national and international organizations. In its contact and network, there are many local level NGOs which help in the coordination of different programmes at community, district, regional and national level. One of the achievements of this organization is developed partnership with many likeminded organizations. You can find the profile of our network and likeminded organizations at the end of this document.

Youth Action Nepal has several ongoing projects. It has primarily focused over the sexual and reproductive health and rights as a major youth issue. YOAC and CHOICE for Youth and Sexuality are undergoing with the SRHR issues in Nepal from community Level to the policy advocacy level. A three-year project is being launched since 2006 . This year YOAC plans to work with young political leaders and discuss with them on the issues relating with SRHR.