PROJECT FOR SINGLE WOMEN IN THE OFFING

January 19, 2003 – (Kathmandu Post) Women for Human Rights, a NGO working for the destitute single women, is to hold a workshop on "empowerment of Single women" in 10 districts of eastern development region on Jan 27, 28 and 29.

Lily Thapa, chairman of the organisation told the media people today. Under its first phase programme, the workshop is aimed at bringing together the single women in these districts, mainly widows at the forum and thereby making them aware about social, economic and political exploitation on that ground.

In the three-day workshop, single women’s groups will be formed with the help of local concerned NGOs as well as a work plan for preventing their economic, social and legal exploitation will also be drawn up. At the same time, efforts at preventing on conflict, violence will also be made, according to the statement of the organisation. The workshop has targeted the women below 45 who are socially and economically being expoited. Over 30 singles are expected to participate in the workshop.

The main target group is the young widows including those whose husbands have been killed in the conflict, according to Thapa, whose number, she says, is increasing considerably because of conflict.

Meanwhile, the cine artiste Birendra Hamal is expected to present a ballet on ‘Shakti ‘ (Power) in Jhapa. The musical drama depicts a stigmatized widow ‘s struggle against social taboos and she emerged victorious.

From: http://www.mahilaweb.org/footer/news/jan_03/kathmandu_post.htm