Where: Nepal
Area of Work: Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment in the context of COVID-19, Engaging Men and Boys for Gender Equality, LGBTQI Rights
Through its Gov-HER-nance initiative, Accountability Lab Nepal (ALN) used a well-honed civic engagement approach involving ¡°Inclusive Fellows'' to champion gender inclusion in Nepal¡¯s Dhangadhi sub-metropolitan city. Nine Fellows, representing women and the LGBTQI community, were provided with capacity-building support to raise awareness around gender and social inclusion in their communities. The program - part of ALN's Civic Action Teams - has seen community members and government representatives working together on a new Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Policy for the region.
Engaging women and gender diverse groups was not easy. Women are especially burdened with household chores and do not have much time to engage in initiatives outside of their homes. The pandemic made interactions even more difficult. People from the LGBTQI community face another set of challenges as they are not always socially accepted and there are very few government mechanisms to cater to their needs. Engaging a diverse group of youths from the community was key to managing these challenges. Fellows like Rewati S.K, a woman from the Dalit community, were instrumental in reaching out to their respective communities on a day to day basis - interactions that built trust with vulnerable communities.
Rewati S.K. notes how being part of this initiative has meant she now visits the ward office more frequently to gather information and has access to influential officials, including the Deputy Mayor. Ward officials are also working with the Fellows to disseminate information and to reach out to women in the Dalit community. "One of the major learnings was that I got to know about the issues, status and concerns of people beyond my community. This institution and project has definitely enhanced my capacity and made me a more sensitive, responsible and active citizen," Rewati S.K. said.
Photos provided by Accountability Lab
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