Womankind in Nepal

Nepalese woman

In 2010, we directly impacted the lives of 4,842 women and indirectly supported over 15,000 women to change their lives by:

• Eliminating the high levels of violence against women.
• Increasing women’s participation.

Womankind’s work aims to ensure that the peace building initiatives across the country:

• address the issue of violence against women
• increase women’s political participation and their networks and contacts.

To achieve this, Womankind is working together with partner women’s organisations in the following two areas:

Eliminating the high levels of violence against women

The Situation

Violence against women is widespread and often accepted in Nepal’s deeply patriarchal society.

• A study by Samata (2005) revealed that 80% of respondents suffered psychological abuse; 31.6% suffered physical violence; a further 10% suffered sexual abuse and harassment.

What Womankind is doing

Womankind is working with partners to reduce violence against women by:

• Addressing discriminatory practices and harmful traditions.
• Offering counselling and access to justice for women survivors of violence.
• Challenging and changing community attitudes of gender-based violence through awareness raising and public advocacy.

Increasing Women’s Participation

The Situation

Despite women holding 33.2% seats in the national parliament, many cultural and social barriers continue to hinder women’s voices from being heard.

What Womankind is doing

Womankind is working with partners to increase participation in decision-making of the most discriminated, marginalised women in the Nepali society by:

• Addressing barriers to women’s political participation at the local and national level.
• Increasing women’s access to justice and legal support.
• Improving vulnerable women’s social and civil participation by enhancing skill capacity
• Coordinating a network of women’s organisations to monitor the implementation of the Domestic Violence law

How you can help

• £7 could establish a Dalit women’s group in rural Nepal, to provide information and advice on violence and women’s right to 25 members.
• £50 funds a Healing Support Centre in rural Nepal for 3 months, providing intensive counselling and support services to survivors of violence.

You can help by giving today