5) Description of initiative: WHR is an organization that has been working for the rights of single women (widows) WHR from past eleven years. WHR use the word “single women” for widows as the word widow in Nepali society is attached with humiliation and agony. The main initiatives that WHR has undertaken for managing conflict are Mobilization of single women (widows) as peace makers in districts. WHR aims to incorporate gender perspective into peace building process (re-conciliation, re-integration & re-settlement) through involving conflict affected single women (widows). This initiative prioritizes involvement of single women as peace makers referring UNCSR-1325 which emphasizes involvement of women in every step of peace building process. Government of Nepal has signed on various international human rights treaties such as the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), UNCSR-1325 and other human rights instruments. However, very small number of people, even in the decision making positions, has knowledge about these and they have been poorly implemented. It is necessary to raise issues and to demonstrate how to utilize these instruments in the on-going peace building process in Nepal. This initiative contributes to operationalize UNSCR- 1325 in practice at local level.

6) Description of innovation: WHR is Pioneer in single women‘s issues as it has been addressing issues on mainstreaming single women in development and peace building projects through enhancing capacity of single women themselves to be agents for change. It could highlight the issue of single women in the 10th five year plan of the country. Government of Nepal, for the first time, has allocated budget for the empowerment of single women in 15 districts of Nepal.

WHR has an unique contribution to re-conciliation at grassroots level by promoting involvement of all categories of widows together no matter they are families of security personnel or Maoist or of any political background or caste, class, ethnicity, keeping in mind only that they all have the similar kinds of needs and interests in the same communities. This allows them to be involved in many activities for empowerment as well as to make them agents of peace makers in the community. These initiatives have also reduced violence and decrease revenge attitudes among each other in the community. Single women (widows) are primary beneficiaries as well as vital change agents of these initiatives.

This initiative is unique in a way because Government of Nepal has signed on various international human rights treaties such as the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), UNCSR-1325 and other human rights instruments. However, very small number of people, even in the decision making positions, has knowledge about these and they have been poorly implemented. It is necessary to raise issues and to demonstrate how to utilize these instruments in the managing peace in Nepal. SCR 1325 clearly mentioned to address conflict affected women and children AND WHR is working for the widows and children from past 11 years WHICH IS THE ONLY organization in Nepal working for widows.

At another front widows’ movement in Nepal is one of the unique movement in Nepal because the socio- cultural setting of Nepalese society is such that widows are considered taboo, ill luck and bad omen. Widows are deprived from normal socio cultural life. Due to last ten years conflict in the country many young women have become single. In such setting society WHR widows’ movement is one of the Cultural Revolution and it is very hard to break these norms and setting.

7) Delivery model: Mechanism/methods used by WHR: a) Rights-based approach WHR follows a rights-based approach in that it seeks to empower single women to claim their rights and influencing the duty bearers in fulfilling their legitimate claims. This initiative contributes to conflict transformation and peace building processes by bringing women together for peaceful outcomes. b) Non-discrimination and Inclusive approach The unique methods that WHR has adopted is the involvement of all categories of widows together in the groups, from both sides of the conflict, together in its groups and thereby gives them a mutual platform for dialogue. This allows them to be involved in many activities to empower as well as to make them agents of peace makers in the community. c) Application of international human rights instrument in local context At present, very small number of people has knowledge on UNSCR-1325 and it is poorly implemented. Trainings, workshops and advocacy campaign are needed to make everyone aware on it. In order to operationalize UNSCR- 1325 at grassroots level, simple tool kits will be compiled in a handbook that support local women’s peace initiatives and indigenous process for conflict resolution. Based on this handbook, training manual will be developed in simple Nepali language so that it will be easy for women in rural villages to understand. Women peace makers will be trained with training manual. The peace makers will conduct monthly classes to single women group and make them aware on conflict prevention, management and resolution.

d) Victims turn to change agents In these initiatives, there are series of trainings of trainers (TOT), workshops and advocacy campaign for and by single women. At the same time, single women support each other in overcoming problems and challenges at personal level. Their single women groups themselves will begin to mobilize and to practice democracy at the grassroots level. In this context they are no longer victims but change agents in their society. Various cadres are the key player to reach to target population as these cadres are selected from the existing widows group of WHR in districts. At present, WHR has 110 widows groups with the members of more than 18000 single women (widows) from 38 districts.

8) Key operational partnerships: WHR has built up national level network as well as at district level network with various local networks in district with various agencies like legal organization, District Development Committee, Village Development Committee, local women and members group, human Rights Organization. With the help of partners organization WHR has been able to change various discriminatory legal laws against single women of Nepal such as single women no need to return property of deceased husband after remarriage, no need to reach the age of 35 to inherit deceased husband's property, No male consent required while acquiring a passport and citizenship and single women no longer require the consent of their adult sons and unmarried daughters to sell or hand over property ownership.

WHR is also highlighted single women and peace building issues in international arena as WHR has organized International Conference on Capacity Building of Single Women and passed Widows Charter based on UN Human Rights Instruments like UNSCR-1325, CEDAW, and Beijing Platform for Women in Action .Ms Lily Thapa, the chairperson of WHR has presented paper on challenges on implementing UNSCR- 1325 in Nepal and the status of women in Nepal in Wilton Park Conference on UNSCR-1325.

WHR has not directly urged the Secretary-General, however we have been lobbying for United Nations to place a UN Special Rapporteur for widows issues. We are also in the process of lobbying for a special desk to be set up at the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, as well as at the National Women’s Commission of Nepal. WHR has also formed global Networking South Asian Network for Empowerment of Single Women (SANWED) and WHR is the Secretariat of this Network.

9) Financial model: The direct beneficiaries of WHR initiatives are single women and their children. Indirectly these initiatives are benefited to family members, community and society. And in long run it contributes in National Development. WHR form groups at grassroots level and once groups are formed WHR gives money to each group to open bank account. Once account is opened, each group start doing saving and credit and also organized monthly meeting. WHR also established Single Women Entrepreneur Group (SWEG) widows take small loan from the group to start small entrepreneur. Further WHR organized need identification workshop to identify local resources. Based on local resources, WHR provide various skill development training to make them SELF SUSTAIN.WHR focus on non traditional skills training like electrical appliances trainings, driving, motor bike repairing, mushroom farming, bicycle repairing , grinding mill and so on.

          • Costs as percentage of income: 5%

          • Financing: WHR proposed to various donor agencies to support for these initiatives. Two levels of financial sustainability have been planned for WHR-District Committees (DC) by WHR Central office. The WHR-DC will be sustained through its own saving and credit program by groups. At the secondary level, for instance, WHR-DC tries to claim land from the government and they will start agro farming in that land. The income that they got from agro farming will be financial support to the WHR-DC while single women get employment in farming. Institutional level WHR-DCs will have ownership from the very beginning of this project and even post project period. WHR country office will continue coordination and monitoring of WHR- DCs for their management. Similarly the trained women cadres will be valuable asset for WHR-DCs who can raise awareness in their communities even in post project periods

10) Effectiveness

          • Project outcomes: Incorporate gender perspective for stable peace and less human rights violation in the region. These initiatives facilitate all stakeholders to incorporate gender perspectives in peace building and to commit themselves to operationalize UNSCR-1325 Hitherto invisible Single women organized into groups and empowered to claim their rights. Increase self-confidence and security of single women members and their family members. Ensuring livelihood of conflict affected women/girls. Changes of relationship in larger communities through the awareness raising campaign organized in the districts, the communities will become well-informed about the plight of single women and their children. As a result, single women and their children will be treated in these communities better in the long run. .

          • Number of clients in past year: More than 5000 single women capacity have been build up with these initiatives

11) Scaling up strategy

          • Stage of the initiative: Start Up stage.

          • Expansion plan: Incorporate gender perspective for stable peace and less human rights violation in the region. These initiatives facilitate all stakeholders to incorporate gender perspectives in peace building and to commit themselves to operationalize UNSCR-1325 Hitherto invisible Single women organized into groups and empowered to claim their rights. Increase self-confidence and security of single women members and their family members. Ensuring livelihood of conflict affected women/girls. Changes of relationship in larger communities through the awareness raising campaign organized in the districts, the communities will become well-informed about the plight of single women and their children. As a result, single women and their children will be treated in these communities better in the long run. More than 5000 single women capacity have been build up with these initiatives.

12) Origin of the initiative: WHR is the only organization that is working for the empowerment of widows in Nepal. Due to marginalization and socio cultural barrier to single women, this organization was established to raise the socio economic status of single women. Furthermore conflicts in the country have increased many young single women in the country. Keeping these in mind WHR started forming group WHR has more than 14000 widows as members. WHR is bound to implement UNSCR 1325 as very small number of people, even in the decision making positions, has knowledge about these.. At a personal level, this initiative has given them a sense of security and confidence. Their involvement into a group has provided them with the much needed social space, where they can share and open up their repressed feelings. Similarly there is no data of widows even with the government. So WHR is working to make data bank of widows in Nepal

Contact Information:
Women for Human Rights  Single Women Group
Acting Ex Director
WHR
(NAtional NGO)
8973NPC427, Kathmandu , Nepal
Nepal
Tel: 09771-4413868/4446020
Fax: 09771-4413868
Email: csw@mail.com.np
Website: www.whr.org.np