A Force for Change in Nepal

A FORCE FOR CHANGE IN NEPAL SUMMER 2017 www.womankind.org.uk LETTER FROM THE EDITOR WOMEN’S MOVEMENTS WELCOME Women unite Caroline Haworth Chief Executive Womankind Worldwide across a continent The landscape for women’s rights has been shifting dramatically over the past few months, leaving uncertainty in the air for women’s rights organisations worldwide. However, in this newsletter we are heartened to share stories of women, communities and entire women’s movements uniting in times of crisis, to rebuild lives, to demand their rights are upheld and to pave the way for change. With your Earlier this year, Womankind’s Laura Brown exploit women and state control over women’s support, women are rising up. visited the African Women’s Development sexual and reproductive health choices. A year on since our appeal highlighting the plight of Womankind Worldwide’s vision is and Communication Network (FEMNET) – a We’re proud of Womankind’s history of refugees living at the Nyarugusu of a just world where the rights of feminist network working towards ‘mobilising working with women’s organisations across “WE ARE refugee camp in Tanzania, on page all women are respected, valued African women for the achievement of Africa, supporting women to achieve their HEARTENED TO 4 we share the achievements of our and realised. We work in solidarity gender equality and the realisation of rights. Yet, we know that to achieve long- SHARE STORIES partner WLAC, made possible with with women’s movements around women’s rights and girls’ rights at all lasting change for women, we must now your support. the world to bring about lasting levels.’ FEMNET is the only member-based work to strengthen whole movements of OF WOMEN As Ethiopia gears up to become change in women’s lives. women’s rights network working across Africa, women to collectively push for women’s rights UNITING IN the world’s next big manufacturing Aims: stretching across all five regions. to be realised. TIMES OF centre, on page 6 we explain • An end to all forms of violence FEMNET is a powerful force for change in To do this, we will be supporting and CRISIS” why women’s economic rights in against women and girls the African women’s rights movement. It seizes strengthening the work of FEMNET, working the workplace are at risk. With • Women’s economic rights and opportunities to share knowledge in spaces with them to create the tools to develop their an election looming in Zimbabwe, women and girls face control over resources of influence such as the African Union and communications work, providing new channels increased levels of violence. We share on pages 10 & 11 • Women’s equal influence in the UN, helping to develop frameworks and to broaden the reach of their awareness raising how Womankind is supporting a coalition of women’s decision making and ability to policies to ensure women’s rights are realised. and their advocacy. This complementary organisations to prevent political violence and provide safe exercise political power FEMNET defines the struggle that unites all relationship will increase our own knowledge zones for women most at risk. women across Africa, transcending identities, and understanding of the challenges facing Womankind Worldwide With your support, I am more determined than ever to cultures and geographies – patriarchy. A women across this diverse continent, and will Wenlock Studios ensure women’s voices are counted, their rights are realised system of male authority which legitimises enable Womankind to better support the 50-52 Wharf Road and their lives are free from violence. Thank you for being London N1 7EU the oppression of women through political, rights of all African women. part of the global women’s movement. social, economic and legal, cultural, religious 020 3567 5930 and military institutions. While patriarchy [email protected] manifests itself differently in different contexts, FIND OUT MORE www.womankind.org.uk characteristics of this are similar across the Find our more at Registered Charity No. 328206 continent, including the exclusion of women www.womankind.org.uk Company Reg. No. 2404121 in decision making at all levels, economies that 2 WOMANKIND WORLDWIDE SUMMER 2017 3 PARTNER UPDATES PARTNER UPDATES participate in demonstrations. They have Refugee rights: conducted social audits of public health services, presented the results to service providers and officials and lobbied for change. women and the law Together, they have shared their learning with more than 42,000 people. Last year, we asked you to support our work sexual and reproductive health, teen Attitudes towards talking about sexual and in the third largest refugee camp in the world pregnancy rates are high in the camp, but the reproductive rights are shifting and, in addition – Nyarugusu in Tanzania. With your support training has helped students to become aware to this, the increase in adolescents’ self-esteem through UK Aid Match, we have been working of the risks of early pregnancy and the effects has been astounding. Fully informed young with our partner, Women’s Legal Aid it can have on their education. It has also people are now confident in exercising their Centre (WLAC), on an innovative programme equipped them with the skills to support peers sexual and reproductive rights and talking to strengthen the community response to to return to school after having their children, CIES Santa Cruz Change Agents to their parents about their new knowledge. violence against women and girls. By training as Silvie explains (pictured front row left): Parents are becoming more comfortable 308 Community Paralegals in the refugee “Thanks to the training provided speaking to their children, with a refreshing camp, WLAC has been able to provide free by WLAC, I was able to support a girl openness and enthusiasm about matters they legal advice to 2,742 women and girls. to return to school and complete her My body, were previously too embarrassed to talk about. Additionally, WLAC has been training a education after she gave birth to a still Whilst our work in Bolivia is coming to an network of local service providers including born baby at 17.” my rights: end, the consortium members and Change the police, community chiefs, youth groups Thanks to your support, knowledge Agents will build on the momentum to take and local militias, who in turn have supported and attitudes are changing within the the work to new levels, large public awareness campaigns and the Nyarugusu refugee camp and the surrounding breaking taboos to ensure all young distribution of women’s rights learning communities. The services WLAC is people’s sexual and resources in and around the camp. So far, providing directly to women have knock-on in Bolivia reproductive rights are 8,945 people have been reached through benefits within both their families and their understood and fully awareness raising activities and information communities; benefits that will enable more In Bolivia, our partners continue to support respected. on women’s rights, violence against women women to learn about the services offered by young people, teachers, parents and health and girls, female genital mutilation and forced WLAC, to understand their rights, and to claim providers to challenge the taboos surrounding At 19 years old, Julio has been involved marriage. those rights in their everyday lives. sexual and reproductive rights through the in the project for five years. Asked what Pictured opposite “Body and Citizenship Consortium”. At the the main challenges were, he said: are members of the heart of this work is the training of young camp’s Youth and School women and men aged between 13 and 19, “We try to make people realise and Committee, who have in sexual and reproductive rights, health understand – adolescents, mothers, received training from education awareness and advocacy, and the fathers, even teachers who sometimes WLAC. The training prevention of violence against women and tell us that violence against women provides members with girls. is normal. It’s a problem here, people knowledge of human Thanks to the Big Lottery Fund, more than normalise violence. They say because women suffer violence, it is their rights and teaches young 1,400 young people have received training, problem. But as men we can support people about basic with 450 going on to become ‘Change the empowerment of women to know marriage laws, aiming Agents’. The Change Agents give talks in their rights. It can be very difficult to to encourage girls to schools and health clinics and meet with talk about the topic in schools but it is complete school before parents and teachers. They produce radio something I do to prevent men from Members of the Nyarugusu getting married. With programmes, write and perform sketches, committing acts of violence.” taboos surrounding Youth and School Committee run information stands at public events and 4 WOMANKIND WORLDWIDE SUMMER 2017 5 POLICY YOUR IMPACT Women’s economic rights BBC Radio 4 Appeal at risk in Ethiopia In May, BBC Woman’s Hour host, Dame Jenni Dame Jenni Murray presented the BBC Radio 4 Appeal Murray recording on our behalf. The appeal featured our work Womankind’s BBC Radio 4 Appeal When women lack financial in Ethiopia, where we support women-only independence, they are more likely to shelters run by our partner, Association for face violence and have less say in the Women’s Sanctuary and Development decisions affecting their day-to-day (AWSAD). Jenni said: “I know a lot about lives. But whilst paid work is critically domestic violence, we’ve talked about it a important for women to exercise great deal on the programme (Woman’s control over their own lives, there are Hour), and that’s why I am prepared to be so other aspects of women’s economic supportive of Womankind Worldwide.” rights that go beyond financial Jenni presented a powerful appeal, which her brother.

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