Nepal Social Development and People Empowerment Centre (NESPEC)

NESPEC is a small organisation using various methods to promote a culture of peace in the local area.

Overview

NESPEC works for human rights protection, promoting peace and good governance, improving health conditions and increasing income through skill development training. The organisation has been providing training and awareness programmes for human rights and conflict resolution and peacebuilding. It has been raising awareness of its areas of work for people in the district and has been providing health services by establishing health camps at the local level.

NESPEC aims to create awareness and respect for human rights, to establish a culture of peace, improve the health situation and work in the development sector. The organisation also aims to work on areas of facilitation, mediation and negotiation, providing tools and techniques through training/workshops and to get people involved in local issues at the local level. It has already started initial work on this.

NESPEC has implemented the "Peace and Development" programme for conflict-affected people - particularly women, children and youths. The programme benefits around 815 people. The organisation is also implementing an education programme for children who have never attended school and for child conflict victims. Many of these children have dropped out of school because of the following reasons: their parents have been either killed or displaced; they have become involved in Maoist activities; or one of the parents has fled across the border through fear of both the conflicting parties. Many of them have now entered school for formal education after completing the programme. The organisation is also providing skill development programmes for women to generate income and sustain themselves economically. The organisation has realised that women's economic prosperity opens up the possibility of their involvement in public issues and it is working to get them involved in the peace process by organising peace rallies and mobilizing them to anti-violence activities. It plans to do more work to help conflict victims: rehabilitating them and involving them in peace activities at the local level.

What Services Are Provided?

The organisation has been providing rehabilitation services such as returning conflict victims to their homes, providing them with basic items for living and sending child victims to school. It has raised peoples' awareness of human rights and peace and has trained local people so they can become involved in settling local issues. These services have been provided to conflict victims, poor and marginalised ethnic groups and Dalit women.

Geographical Area of Operation

Udayapur district in Eastern Nepal.

Funding resources

United Nations Development Fund - Support for Peace and Development Initiatives (UNDP-SPDI), (Nepal), DFID through APPS & local resources.

What further information would you like?

Information on national and international organisations working in conflict affected areas and their activities.

What new contacts would you like to make?

Contact with Human Rights and Peace and Conflict Experts.

Associated Organisations

COCAP.