NAWHRD has organized several public hearing events to bring crucial issues of human rights, women’s rights, right to citizenship, rape in the foreground.
National and district Alliance of WHRD organized several programs in the occasion of 16 days initiative to stop violence against women, 8th March, Women Martyr’s day, etc. in order to sensitize about women’s human right. Here is short introduction to those programs:
1.Women Martyr’s day (6th December):
On the occasion of International Women’s Martyr’s day, 2018, National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders along with its network organizations organized a poem recitation program followed by candle lighting ceremony in the remembrance of those valiant, courageous and strong women who through their perseverance, sacrifice and hard work gave women’s movement this height. Six immensely talented and creative poets recited their poems foregrounding contemporary issues of women.
2. Rally against the proposed citizenship bill:
National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders organized a rally against Nepal Citizenship Act Amendment Bill tabled in the house of representatives for a discussion on 17th August 2018. Several organizations and individuals who believe and work in women human rights participated in this rally. Over 150 people participated in that rally which started from Maitighar Mandala and ended with gathering. Various slogans such as: ‘My Citizenship, My Identity’, ‘Women are not second-class citizens’ and ‘Mothers can’t be treated as second-class citizens’, among others were demonstrated on placards and the protesters marched towards Baneswor. Addressing the gathering, Chairperson of National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders Dr. Renu Adhikari/Rajbhandari shared that despite having a democratic government, it is highly frustrating and embarrassing that we are still fighting for the provision of citizenship through the mother. She also demanded the amendment on the discriminatory provision on the constitution act. She mentioned that keeping mother as secondary in the constitution act shows the government’s view and attitude toward women and its attempt to keep women as a second class citizen which is direct violence against women.
Despite heavy lobbying for the right of citizenship through either the father or mother, the new draft has once again attempted to keep ‘the mother’ as secondary through its new implications. The bill requires the mother to voluntarily disclose the name of the father or provide official evidence that the father cannot be identified to get a citizenship certificate for her kid in her name. This clearly depicts where we stand today and where our thinking stands. This bill contradicts Nepal constitution’s article 10 and article 11 (5) which mentions that ‘No citizen of Nepal may be deprived of the right to obtain citizenship’ and ‘A person who is born in Nepal from a woman who is a citizen of Nepal and has resided in Nepal and whose father is not traced shall be provided with the citizenship of Nepal by descent. Provided that his or her father is held to be a foreign citizen, the citizenship of such person shall be converted into naturalized citizenship as provided for in the Federal law’. Despite having this provision in the constitution, the bill that has been proposed have directly questioned a women’s/ mother’s existence and her importance in her child’s life. This provision has also questioned the struggle, sacrifice, motherhood, and self-respect of those single mothers who have been raising their children alone.
3. Activism against rape:
National and district Alliance of WHRD organized several programs in the concern of rape in order to sensitize the government and other stakeholders about women’s human right. District network of WHRD of Saptari organized a discourse program on this very issue. Addressing the rape and murder cases of Maya Bishwokarma, KabitaBista and NirmalaPanta at Kailali and Kanchanpur, the district network organized an anti-rape campaign from 3rd August. The first phase of that campaign ended on 9th August.
Addressing the rape and murder case of 13 years old NirmalaPanta, NAWHRD has organized a four months (10th August to 10th December) anti-rape campaign. This campaign is addressing the rape and murder cases of NirmalaPanta, 13 years old girl from Pokhara, Kidnapping and murder of 9 months old girl, rape of 6 years old girl and 20 years old lady from Saptari, rape of 20 years old woman from Siraha, rape of 25 years old woman from Dhanusha, kidnapping and murder of 55 years old woman from Siraha, and demands for prompt and proper investigation of these cases and strict action against for culprit. This campaign also demands proper protection mechanism from the government, psychosocial counseling, and assurance of proper education and establish an environment for rehabilitation In the society for rape survivors below the age of 18.
The campaign demands for the eradication of root cause of rape which is the discriminatory traditional practices which see a woman as secondary, management of community police, psychosocial counseling, sexual education for youth, adolescents, effective implementation of fast-track court of government.
Public Hearing Events
NAWHRD has organized several public hearing events to bring crucial issues of human rights, women’s rights, right to citizenship, rape in the foreground.
National and district Alliance of WHRD organized several programs in the occasion of 16 days initiative to stop violence against women, 8th March, Women Martyr’s day, etc. in order to sensitize about women’s human right. Here is short introduction to those programs:
1.Women Martyr’s day (6th December):
On the occasion of International Women’s Martyr’s day, 2018, National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders along with its network organizations organized a poem recitation program followed by candle lighting ceremony in the remembrance of those valiant, courageous and strong women who through their perseverance, sacrifice and hard work gave women’s movement this height. Six immensely talented and creative poets recited their poems foregrounding contemporary issues of women.
2. Rally against the proposed citizenship bill:
National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders organized a rally against Nepal Citizenship Act Amendment Bill tabled in the house of representatives for a discussion on 17th August 2018. Several organizations and individuals who believe and work in women human rights participated in this rally. Over 150 people participated in that rally which started from Maitighar Mandala and ended with gathering. Various slogans such as: ‘My Citizenship, My Identity’, ‘Women are not second-class citizens’ and ‘Mothers can’t be treated as second-class citizens’, among others were demonstrated on placards and the protesters marched towards Baneswor. Addressing the gathering, Chairperson of National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders Dr. Renu Adhikari/Rajbhandari shared that despite having a democratic government, it is highly frustrating and embarrassing that we are still fighting for the provision of citizenship through the mother. She also demanded the amendment on the discriminatory provision on the constitution act. She mentioned that keeping mother as secondary in the constitution act shows the government’s view and attitude toward women and its attempt to keep women as a second class citizen which is direct violence against women.
Despite heavy lobbying for the right of citizenship through either the father or mother, the new draft has once again attempted to keep ‘the mother’ as secondary through its new implications. The bill requires the mother to voluntarily disclose the name of the father or provide official evidence that the father cannot be identified to get a citizenship certificate for her kid in her name. This clearly depicts where we stand today and where our thinking stands. This bill contradicts Nepal constitution’s article 10 and article 11 (5) which mentions that ‘No citizen of Nepal may be deprived of the right to obtain citizenship’ and ‘A person who is born in Nepal from a woman who is a citizen of Nepal and has resided in Nepal and whose father is not traced shall be provided with the citizenship of Nepal by descent. Provided that his or her father is held to be a foreign citizen, the citizenship of such person shall be converted into naturalized citizenship as provided for in the Federal law’. Despite having this provision in the constitution, the bill that has been proposed have directly questioned a women’s/ mother’s existence and her importance in her child’s life. This provision has also questioned the struggle, sacrifice, motherhood, and self-respect of those single mothers who have been raising their children alone.
3. Activism against rape:
National and district Alliance of WHRD organized several programs in the concern of rape in order to sensitize the government and other stakeholders about women’s human right. District network of WHRD of Saptari organized a discourse program on this very issue. Addressing the rape and murder cases of Maya Bishwokarma, KabitaBista and NirmalaPanta at Kailali and Kanchanpur, the district network organized an anti-rape campaign from 3rd August. The first phase of that campaign ended on 9th August.
Addressing the rape and murder case of 13 years old NirmalaPanta, NAWHRD has organized a four months (10th August to 10th December) anti-rape campaign. This campaign is addressing the rape and murder cases of NirmalaPanta, 13 years old girl from Pokhara, Kidnapping and murder of 9 months old girl, rape of 6 years old girl and 20 years old lady from Saptari, rape of 20 years old woman from Siraha, rape of 25 years old woman from Dhanusha, kidnapping and murder of 55 years old woman from Siraha, and demands for prompt and proper investigation of these cases and strict action against for culprit. This campaign also demands proper protection mechanism from the government, psychosocial counseling, and assurance of proper education and establish an environment for rehabilitation In the society for rape survivors below the age of 18.
The campaign demands for the eradication of root cause of rape which is the discriminatory traditional practices which see a woman as secondary, management of community police, psychosocial counseling, sexual education for youth, adolescents, effective implementation of fast-track court of government.