Community Strengthening for Peace and Development

In the Bara District of Nepal, this initiative mobilises women's groups to train them in income generation, to raise their awareness of their rights, and to develop public awareness of the peace process and conflict transformation.

Description

In order to achieve a lasting peace and to strengthen democracy, it is essential that the impacts of conflict be addressed properly. In addition, those communities affected by conflict have to be prepared and able to address those impacts and find out peaceful solutions to the issues threatening their well-being. Women have faced the most severe impacts of the Maoist conflict; therefore those impacts (war widows, gender-based violations such as rape and sexual harassment, separation from family, the burden of household work etc.) are in most need of specific responses. This initiative takes all this into account and tries to find solutions.

Aims / Objectives

The objectives of the project are:

• To raise awareness in vulnerable communities of human rights, social discrimination and social violence, in order to build respect for human rights and to eliminate discrimination and social violence; and
• To support people’s participation in peace-building, democracy, community strengthening, and the rehabilitation of conflict-affected people in general and conflict-affected women in particular.

How it is Articulated

• Selection of conflict-affected, vulnerable and poverty-stricken women;
• Formation and mobilisation of groups;
• Training on income generation, women's rights, leadership, conflict transformation and peace-building;
• Awareness campaign;
• Income generation programmes and training;
• Mobile health clinic;
• Marketing and micro-entrepreneurship training; and
• Gender and development training.

Achievements / Learning Points

The initiative began with the formation and mobilisation of 12 women's groups in the communities. The women's groups include poor, vulnerable and conflict-affected women. There are around 25 women in each group. First of all, members of the groups have received training and awareness raising in income generation, gender and development, women's rights, and gender-based violations. JJA is further working to develop the capacity of women by providing them with leadership training to involve them in politics and the current peace process. It has also provided training to the groups and other people on human rights, women's rights, gender, and social inclusion.

Finally, the groups have been mobilising to create a mass awareness of the current peace process, human rights, women's rights, gender, and social development. People have become more aware of their rights and in particular women have become more aware of their own specific rights. The initiative has led to around 250 awareness meetings and discussions in the district for the local people most affected by conflict. In addition, there has been a separate workshop on human rights, conflict resolution and peace-building. Community people have been advocating for a peaceful resolution to any differences at the local level and have been generating opinions for the peaceful resolution of the Maoist conflict.

Geographical Area of Operation

Three Village Development Committees of Bara District.

Funding Resources

Canadian Cooperation Office.

Organisations Involved

JJA's four partner organisations (PPNGOs).