Distinct voicemy choice

YALC
March -June 2013
Issue 2 Volume-3

YOUTH ACTIVISTS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL 2013

EDITORIAL voice
Being a part of YALC is a life time experience. It has added meaning to our lives and moreover this journey has providInside this issue:
I, we, government Whos responsible for Defending Thy Dignity Voices Heard Our SMS campaign What I saw Sexual Violence Within Marriage Up coming Activities

ed direction to our ambitions and dreams. We have come to understand that the things that really matter takes place not in the broad rooms, but in the kitchens of the world. The main objective of YALC is to raise the voices of young girls and women which are left unheard and to take their voices to larger group of people. We have put on a great effort to provide a meaningful contribution to Nepali youth especially young girls and women in any way we can. We are very much excited to bring forth the second edition of newsletter of YALC third batch. We hope you will enjoy reading this newsletter. Sapana Sharma

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Whos responsible for Violence against Women ? ?

Shristi Khadka

s a part of our initiative to advocate for raising awareness on Violence Against Women, Youth Activist Leadership Council had organized a week long discussion event on Facebook under the title I, WE or Government? Who is responsible for Violence Against Women? A total of 75 Facebook users approved to being part of the event. The event was a success with each participant presenting their views on who they believe to be more responsible for violence against women. I personally feel I is more responsible for violence against women. Until and unless the victims themselves are ready to open up about the situations faced by then, are willing to take actions and raise their voices, neither community nor government can do anything. So every woman should be aware and conscious that no one has the right to her body and soul but herself. At the same time, we cannot disregard the influence WE or the community has over its people. Our society has been so constructed that any injustice to woman is seen as normal and is unfortunately considered a natural way of maintaining social harmony. For e.g. - husband beating wife for voicing her opinion, mother-in-law mistreating her daughter-in-law for not doing household work etc.

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.No one in the society objects to those as they are socially acceptable actions, for women (as per social belief) should be dominated and kept under control. Sadly, even women comply with those injustices and accept them as her fate (the core reason why violence against women is still so prevalent). Society cannot change overnight..It is a gradual process and for it to change, we, as the members of the society, should be conscious of our actions and those taking place around us. We cannot also overlook the fact that unless the government or the local bodies providing justice frame very strict laws against Violence Against Women, the efforts of I and WE might just go to vain. Strict laws instills fear of punishment in perpetrators, thereby reducing the rate of incidence of activities related to violence against women. One of the participant of the event, Miss Ruja Luitel rightly said, all have equal role to play...........individual ideology create violence.........social structure and beliefs favor violence and weak government promotes it So, may be all of us are equally responsible for Violence Against Women. Along with rights comes responsibility. If I, We and Government all fulfill their responsibilities and duties honestly, Violence Against Women can be reduced if not eliminated.

A saying of the event : I makes We , We makes Government, it is ultimately I that causes violence. So I needs to change, when I changes We does good , We makes good government and the violence lessens..
Subash Sharma

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Defending Thy Dignity

Nishchhal kharal

n 10th June 2012, YALC team organized a 1st workshop for young girl students aged 13 -16 at Suryodaya English Secondary School, Dilibazar. The major aim of the workshop was to provide participant with a strong knowledge regarding Sexual and Reproductive Health and Right. Workshop objective was also to involve them in generating new ideas to compete against the existing SRH and Gender Violence in our society. The workshop was divided into 3 major categories. To make it more participatory and easy, council member started the Introduction session with game Snow Ball which was able to make the participant feel comfortable. Then, council member brainstormed about SRHR and Sexuality with participant. The Introduction session was followed with the Introduction to SRHR and Sexual Violence. This included meaning, rights regarding SRH, policies and also critical review of lack of age appropriate sex education. Second Session continued with Energizer where council member divided participants with 5 groups were each group was given with different scenario regarding Sexual violence. Third and last session was introduced with motivational story. This session was more focused on Sexual violence that exists in our society. Council Member shared the idea to defend oneself from such kind of violence. Some protective techniques were also introduced which might be needed for them if they are in real trouble. Most importantly, this session was focused on Defending Thy Dignity of individual.

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Voices heardOur SMS campaign

Smarika K.C

iolence against women and girls is a form of discrimination as well as a violation of human rights. Instances of gender-based violence in the form of physical, sexual, psychological, socio cultural and economic abuse have been rampant in Nepal. Violence against women has damaging consequences on women's health and their social and economic well-being. It is sad that usually women themselves are unlikely to report or complain about the injustices faced by them. They practice the culture of silence in a patriarchal social structure like ours. YALC 2013 considers Violence against Women as a very serious issue that needs to be discussed openly. Hence with this thought, they have initiated an SMS campaign to minimize the social evil against women in our societies. This campaign has been carried out in collaboration with YUWA and Sparrow SMS in recent times. We now have an international social media platform to raise voices against violence. This has definitely made it easier for the Nepalese people to pour out their problems, bitter experiences and any type of instances related to gender based violence through a SMS. Thanks to mobile phones! It has made the procedure to report such cases to be hassle free These days, most of us have an access to cell phones. Thus, the SMS campaigns main idea is to reach out to most of the people. This initiative has shown that a simple text from our cell phones can now be used to voice our issues to the lager group of people. We can now SMS our voices in 5455. Our voices will be posted in the Facebook group Voices Heard.

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The main aim of YALC is to act as a mediator and to conduct effective follow up of the cases. Some of the cases have been evident in Facebook group. YALC works to connect the victims to concerned organizations or people who can help them with legal aid, counseling service, protection, case management, referral etc. Other than that, YALC has been conducting weekly online discussions on Facebook about topic related to gender based violence to promote this campaign. They are also going to visit different schools and colleges to disseminate the information among the Nepalese youth. This is also an effective way of raising awareness.

Text, Be Heard end violence against women simply by texting

5455 from your

mobile phone

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WHAT I SAW ???

Deepak Ghimire

ong term advocacy, awareness was done in Nepal to make access of family planning to every family, but still only 25% are using it. Nepal is such a country where large number of cultural background people live in which the use of family planning is regarded sin to conduct. Among them, Muslim community is one that believes using of family planning is greater sin they could ever do. With the dream to get a boy child, many daughter are also born where daughter are not respected as they should be. I am telling a story what I saw happened to one of my friend. Sakina Khan(name changed), a normal Muslim girl in a small village of Kapilvastu called Krishnanagar was born in the desire of a baby boy. 5 girls were born and the race was finally stopped when 6th child was the boy. While comparing with her brother, they were never loved and treated as a family member. Even if they went to school, their parents had already plan for their level of education. Her elder sister got married as soon as she gave the exam of class ten. I always had a query why her parents send to school if she planned for such an early marriage and the reason why the price of dowry decreases does when the girl is educated to certain level. With the phase of time when we entered to our adolescent period, I noticed my various bodily changes and so did Sakina. When her body changes increased, her restrictions from parents also increased day by day. She no longer wore T-shirt and pants and was always with her brother wherever she went. She never participated in any outings of school and was never sent to school when she was under menstruation period. She never was understood by her family as the practice was culturally rooted.

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Sarine was married at the age of 16 once her father saw her talking to a boy living nearby. Since she was unaware about simple sex education and other basic knowledge, she entered to her married life and became pregnant at the age of 18. Being pregnant at such a young age, carrying out household activities and lack of proper nutrients was increasing her health risk. Her child was born at critical state and unfortunately her baby died after ten days. After this, she didnt receive proper care and rest and was back to her daily household work. I am still in contact with Sakina, she is 22 and mother of two children. She tells that she now knows why her mother never helped her when she was in trouble. She says that we females are always in restriction by either by Male or by culture. Culture is used as tools to create fear in them and to be under the dictatorship of male member. I cannot challenge the culture and nor their belief nor I can mess with their parents why they practiced an early marriage. Her married life would have been better if she would have a better knowledge about the sex education in appropriate age. I feel so proud that, since last year, I have been working as an activist in YALC and we were able to make a change in age appropriate sex education in Nepal. I believe, we have and can make a change in certain life of young people.

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SEXUAL VIOLENCE WITHIN MARRIAGE

Alina Acharya

epal is a patriarchal family structure country where most women have relatively less or no power on whom and when to marry, whether or not to have sexual relations, and when to bear children. As in many societies, it is common knowledge that sexual violence within marriage (SVM) exists in Nepal but it has been scientifically studied and documented and has received little attention from researchers, policy makers and programme designers. There are only few studies related to domestic and sexual violence conducted in Nepal. Until 2006, Nepal law did not recognize SVM. Very recently however, the Government of Nepal has recognized the problem of SVM and made a law that acknowledges forced sex between spouses as a form of marital rape and have made the provision of punishment. I. Whoever commits the act of domestic violence shall be punished with a fine of 3000 rupees which may extend up to 25000 rupees or six months of imprisonment or both. II. Whoever attempts to commit domestic violence or abets the crime or incites others to commit the crime shall be liable to half the punishment of that of the perpetrator. III. Whoever has been punished once for the offence of domestic violence shall be liable to double the punishment upon every repetition of the offence.

IV. If a public servant commits the offence of domestic violence he shall be liable to an additional ten percent punishment over and above the prescribed punishment.
V. Whoever doesnt obey the court orders issued according to section 6 should be fined 2000 to 5000 or four months of imprisonment or both.

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V. Whoever doesnt obey the court orders issued according to section 6 should be fined 2000 to 5000 or four months of imprisonment or both. Record review of WOREC Nepal and INSEC provides information about the situation of violence against women in Nepal. WOREC reported that there were 1,569 cases of violence against woman from 2-1- June 2011 June. Out of these cases 1,002 were domestic violence, 124 rapes, 64 murders, 47 trafficking and 266 were social violence. INSEC reported 183 cases of rape in 2006 while in 2007, it reported 203 cases. Regarding the characteristics of the victims, the most alarming fact is that the majority of them are girls under the age of 18. Out of 216 victims whose cases were reported to INSEC, 144 are minor girls. Violence against women is a global phenomenon. It had existed in past, existing in present and will exist in future if the policy, rule and regulation regarding the women issues in Nepal doesnt change according to the changing situation and changing time.

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Upcoming Activities...

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Youth Activists Leadership Council (YALC) is a group of 13 youth activists,

YALC

aged 18 to 24, who advocate at the national and international level for improved sexual and reproductive health policies that support reproductive health/family planning services, comprehensive sexuality education, programs that support meaningful youth participation, orienting and strengthening young women and girls. The main objective of this year are to include reference to enabling youth to advocate to end sexual violence and to build understanding about issues relate to SRHR amongst young girls and women.

YALC is a part of International Youth

Speak out (iYSO) project which YUWA is implementing in Nepal in partnership with Advocates for Youth. Advocates for Youth is an organization based in Washington, DC that is implementing iYSO in different countries including Ethiopia, Nigeria, Jamaica and Nepal.

www.twitter.com/yalcnepal
www.facebook.com/yalcnepal www.YUWA.org.np/yalc

Lay out sumit kc

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