The Didi foundation wants, in cooperation with the Nepalese organization IWDC (Ideal Women Development Centre), to help women who find themselves in a difficult position within the Nepalese society with the project Women’s Empowerment Nepal’. We are aimed especially on victims of women trafficking and domestic violence and divorced women. A house will be rented in the south Nepalese city of Bharatpur. This is the main city and the commercial centre of the Chitwan district. Because of the geographical location of the city, on the transit route to India, Kathmandu and Pokhara, the city has to do with some specific social problems. One of these problems being a relatively high amount of illegal prostitution and illegal trade, amongst which is women trafficking.

In the house 15 women (and their children if they have them) will be provided with food and shelter and will follow various courses given by freelance instructors. The goal of these courses is to teach the women some practical skills which will make them economically independent after a period of 1.5 years. They will no longer be dependent on their husband and/or family or sex industry to get around.

Because these groups of women will make their living in a respectable manner, hopefully a process of acceptation will be initiated within society, in which the traditional role patterns will be addressed.

Target group Women's Empowerment Nepal project
The target group consists mainly of young victims of trafficking. Because of their past in the sex-industry these women take on a marginalized position in the Nepalese society after they return. They are often no longer accepted by their own family and/or community because of their past as a prostitute and possible HIV infection. The common way to a respectable position in society, marriage, is not an option for these women. We want to prevent that these women are forced into prostitution again, because they lack education. A divorced woman has little chance to get married again, a former prostitute has no chance at all.

Besides women that have been the victim of trafficking, the Didi foundation also aims to help women who can’t stay at home because of an unacceptable situation at home. This concerns women that have had to do with (extreme forms of) domestic violence, but also divorced women. Divorced women can no longer stay with the family of their husbands, where they have been staying during their marriage, but often they also can’t stay with their own family. This is especially the case when the woman was the initiator of the divorce.

Goals of the project
We want to accomplish the following goals with the project ‘Womens Empowerment Nepal’:
- Improving the social and economic position of marginalized women in the Nepalese society.
- Stimulating the ability of the marginalized Nepalese woman to manage on their own; and stimulating generation of income by means of education and guidance.
- Address the position of women in the Nepalese society by creating modern role models.
- Breaking through taboos around prostitution, women trafficking and HIV/AIDS in Nepal and the Netherlands.
- Creating awareness with the Dutch people, specifically the youth, around women trafficking and the position of women in the world.

For the complete project plan click here

Background project women in general 

Partner organization: Ideal Women Development Centre
The partner organization with which the Didi foundation cooperates in the project ‘Women’s Empowerment Nepal’ is the south Nepalese women’s organization Ideal Women Development Centre.

The Ideal Women Development Centre (IWDC) is a Nepalese non-governmental organization, founded in 1992. At the time the organization came into being to establish and support women’s groups at the country. The IWDC saw in this grassroots groups a foundation to improve living situations of women and children. Over the years the IWDC started other activities aimed at the enforcement of the position of women and children. For example, one of these projects is a clinic especially for women and children, where, among other things, abortions can be performed safely and also other means of family planning are offered. This clinic also has a tuberculosis program aimed at the entire population of the Chitwan district. Besides this there is a rehabilitation centre where ten boys that were living on the street have found shelter and are now leading a normal life under the care of a foster mother. Furthermore the organization is closely involved with the community and mediates, amongst other things, in social conflicts and maintains in close contact with other women’s organizations.

The goal of the organization is:
“To generate and inspire self-employment leading to self-dependence, where the diversity of internal resources and potentials possessed by women are fully mobilized and utilized.’
The organization is localized in Bharatpur, the largest city in Chitwan, near the Indian border. The organization is led by Meena Kharel and is completely financed by the local community. The IWDC organizes various activities to raise money, which is invested in various projects. The IWDC works closely together with a microcredit organization.

Background information Nepal
In general
Nepal is a parliamentary democracy which is enclosed by India and China. Nepal is around three times the size of the Netherlands. The country is characterized by its natural diversity. The Himalaya with Mount Everest in the north and a subtropical climate in the south. Around 80 percent of Nepal is mountainous, varying from hills to high mountains (the Himalaya). The rest of the country, next to the Indian border is lowland.

Political situation
Since 1996 there are severe political tensions between the Maoists and the government. Fed by governmental corruption the resistance of the Maoists grew. King Gyanendra announced, after large scaled demonstrations, on april the 24th 2006 that he passed on his power and authority to the political parties. The new government, consisting of a coalition of seven parties, and the Maoist movement agreed on a ceasefire. Peace negotiations between the government and the Maoist movement, with as a main issue the position of power of the king, resulted on November the 21st 2006 in a peace treaty. Nepal is currently in a transitional phase which is meant to lead to durable peace.

Population
There are around 29 million people living in Nepal. A striking fact is that the population is growing, even though life expectancy is only 61 years. Almost 40 percent of the Nepalese people is therefore younger than 14 years of age. Only one third of Nepalese women are literate, against two thirds of Nepalese men.

Nepal belongs to the poorest countries in the world with a Gross National Product per citizen of 1500 dollars. One third of the population lives below poverty line. Over 70 percent of the population is working in agriculture and lives in the country. In the last decades there has been urbanization due to political tensions between Maoists and the government army in the country.

Hinduism is greatly represented by the Nepali people (around 80% of the population is Hindu), but also Buddhism takes an important place in the Nepalese society.

Culture
In Nepal family plays a far more important role in daily life then it does in the Netherlands. Family forms the social safety net, where in the Netherlands that role is partly taken over by the welfare state. The community and family bonds are therefore very important for the Nepalese.