Women Awareness Center Nepal
Further Development
A key feature of WACN’s work in 2011-2012 has been the further development of existing cooperatives. WACN uses strategic and operational planning to assist these organizations in effectively managing their greater size. The cooperative members themselves have identified key areas for improvement. To heed these requests, WACN has been offering more training and support in leadership, goal-making, governance, management, and finance to help the women better run their cooperatives and personal businesses. WACN is also developing the capacity of its resource centers. It will be launching a few programs in 2012, which will aim to strengthen the operations of these community centers.
WACN is also expanding its advocacy program. Historically, it has advocated for better resource allocation to women's groups as well as the proper implementation of legal rights already granted to women. Now, WACN would like to launch a campaign to include more women in the decision-making processes of the local government. While the Interim Constitution mandates that 33% of the state mechanisms comprise women, only the Constituent Assembly meets this quota. Representation of women in other civil sectors remains low.
WACN is also expanding its advocacy program. Historically, it has advocated for better resource allocation to women's groups as well as the proper implementation of legal rights already granted to women. Now, WACN would like to launch a campaign to include more women in the decision-making processes of the local government. While the Interim Constitution mandates that 33% of the state mechanisms comprise women, only the Constituent Assembly meets this quota. Representation of women in other civil sectors remains low.
To further combat oppressive patriarchal systems, WACN has been conducting more trainings on gender to increase gender sensitivity and encourage men and women to share private and public sector roles. Along with general capacity-building and strengthening of cooperatives, WACN has also started to prioritize children in its mission and goals. Currently, WACN has 5,000 child members. WACN would like to design more child-specific programs to address their emerging needs and include them in the economic and social empowerment processes of community development. Its collaboration with World Education to prevent the trafficking of children to Kathmandu for seasonal brick-making is part of this greater plan.
Another major area of concern which WACN has recently become involved with is the ailing health of the village women. Overworked and uninformed due to systematic violence, many women are incapable of looking after their health. Health education and efforts to correct reproductive health problems such as infections and prolapsed uterus help the members take better care of themselves. WACN has made significant strides in establishing and maintaining water sources, necessary for the health and sanitation of the community. Previously, many women were experiencing prolapsed uterus due to the burden of carrying water long distances. The construction of water tanks and preservation of natural water resources nearby the villages reduces this risk. To help conserve water sources, WACN also promotes tree plantations. WACN would like to continue addressing health and sanitation issues.
Key Trainings and Programs include:
Another major area of concern which WACN has recently become involved with is the ailing health of the village women. Overworked and uninformed due to systematic violence, many women are incapable of looking after their health. Health education and efforts to correct reproductive health problems such as infections and prolapsed uterus help the members take better care of themselves. WACN has made significant strides in establishing and maintaining water sources, necessary for the health and sanitation of the community. Previously, many women were experiencing prolapsed uterus due to the burden of carrying water long distances. The construction of water tanks and preservation of natural water resources nearby the villages reduces this risk. To help conserve water sources, WACN also promotes tree plantations. WACN would like to continue addressing health and sanitation issues.
- Advocacy
- Saving, credit, and cooperative education
- Advanced accounting
- Institutional auditing of the cooperatives
- Governance and working mechanisms of VDCs and DDCs
- Legal Rights and Advocacy
- Health and Sanitation
- Water source preservation
- Gender and leadership
- Child Welfare
- Development of cooperatives as resource centers
- Vocational Training for school drop-outs of girls and boys