28 December, 2013
Amnesty International Nepal held two regional workshops on ‘My Body, My Rights’, a new global campaign focused on Maternal Health and Sexual and Reproductive Rights. The first training was held in Damak, Jhapa on 23 and 24 December and the second was held in Butwal, Rupandehi on 27 and 28 December.
The workshops were organised to meet the following objectives:
(i) to empower AI Nepal’s affiliated Groups and Youth Networks to take effective actions on ‘My Body, My Rights’ campaign by discussing the concept of Maternal Health, and Sexual and Reproductive Rights through human rights framework and
(ii) to discuss campaign strategies and materials for Uterine Prolapse (UP) prevention in Nepal so as to localize and advocate on issues.
To fulfill the objectives, various session on the following topics were held: (a) introduction about Maternal Health and Sexual and Reproductive Health (b) link between human rights and maternal health, sexual and reproductive rights (c) Nepal’s obligation to fulfill national and international standards related to maternal, sexual and reproductive rights (d) Amnesty International’s research finding about Uterine Prolaps and discrimination, (e) Amnesty International’s strategy on campaigning against discrimination against women causing Uterine Prolapse, and (f) campaigning plan to localize the AI’s campaign through the activities of affiliated AI Groups and Youth Networks.
The workshops were targeted for the representatives of AI’s local entities (AI Groups or AI Youth Networks) who had shown interest to take part in the global campaign.
Damak
The first workshop was held in Damak, Jhapa on 23 and 24 December 2013. The training was facilitated by Rameshwar Nepal, Director of AI Nepal and Abhiram Roy, Maternal Health and Sexual and Reproductive Rights Campaigner. A total of 21 participants (15 female and 6 male) from five districts (Dhanusha, Sunsari, Morang, Jhapa and Ilam) representing AI’s local Groups or Youth Networks participated in the workshop.
Earlier on 22 December, an inaugural event was organised to draw the attention of media, civil society groups, human rights activists and other local stakeholders to the subject matter.
On the occasion, chief guest of the program and senior human rights activist, Krishna Pahadi expressed concern over political parties not including issues of sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls in their parties’ manifesto.
Rameshwar Nepal, Director of AI Nepal spoke about the objectives and aims of the workshop. Similarly, Women Human Rights Defender and Assistant Campus-chief of Damak Multiple Campus Radhika Subedi said that the new Constitution should include sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls, and it should clearly mention that women and girls have rights over their body.
The other speakers were Krishna Kadel, advisor of AI Nepal, Shambhu Thakur, chairperson of AI Nepal, Hem Kumar Khadka, former chairperson of AI Nepal, K.P. Subedi, representative of Nepal Human Rights organisation, Surya Bahadur Adhikari, Vice-chairperson AI Nepal and Gangadhar Adhikar, Vice-chairperson of Human Rights and Peace Society.
Over 130 participants from different sectors including students, media, civil society groups, police personnel and AI activists participated in the inaugural event organised with the joint efforts of AI Nepal’s affiliated local Groups-60, 75 and 83 in Damak.
Butwal
The second workshop was held in Butwal, Rupandehi on 27 and 28 December 2013. A total of 21 members (8 female and 13 male) from 9 districts (Kalali, Surkhet, Banke, Rupandehi, Kaski, Tanahu, Gorakha, Parsa and Sarlahi) participated in the workshop. The training was facilitated by Rameshwar Nepal, Director of AI Nepal and Abhiram Roy, Maternal Health and Sexual and Reproductive Rights Campaigner.
Earlier on 26 December, an inaugural event was organised in Butwal, Rupandehi. The event was organised by AI’s local Group-12 of Butwal. The chief guest of the program was Bal Krishna Khand, a newly elected Constituent Assembly Member of Nepali Congress.
“I acknowledge the work being done by civil society organisations particularly by Amnesty International in Nepal, despite it being really tough to work on the issues of women and girls health. Still our society is hesistant to believe the recent scientific interventions that hamper the health of women,” said Khand.
Ms. Maya Gautam, Women Rights Activists and Female Community Health Volunteer (FCHV) highlighted that among the total allocated budget for local development, government has allocated 10% for women’s issue, but the budget is being used for other purposes like road construction and electricity infrastructure.
The other speakers were Ganesh Chandra Pokhrel, representative of Butwal Jaycees, Krishna Prasad Aryal, representative of local Rotary Club, Keshar Mani Aryal, representative of Democratic Lawyers Association of Butwal, Govinda Khanal, member of Human Rights and Peace Society, Vice-chairperson of AI Nepal Surya Bahadur Adhikari and Lawyer Shaligram Banjade.