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  • Sensitization Program for Religious Leaders

    June 13, 2011

    A sensitization program was organized for religious leaders on stigma and discrimination against single women, to raise their awareness of the problems associated with single women and to have constructive ideas on how to move ahead together to fight against the discriminatory practices against single women in the community.

    Altogether 50 participants including 32 religious elites attended the program at the Chhahari Training Hall in Kathmandu on Friday, June 10, 2011. The religious leaders were drawn from Hinduism, Buddhism, Muslim, Om Sahi, Christianity and Kirat religions.
     
    The welcoming and opening speeches were made by Assistant Legal Officer of WHR, Rajin Rayamajhi. Treasurer, Kunda Sharma highlighted on the objectives of the program. General Secretary of WHR, Nirmala Dhungana then gave the brief background of the organization and presented the plights and situation of single women in the Nepalese society.
     
    Subsequently, following three broad topics were put forward among the participants.
    • Perception towards single women in respective religion
    • Perception towards changing status of single women in the society
    • Constructive ideas for moving ahead together against contradictory notions in religion regarding single women.
     
    The participants were then divided into groups as per the religion and ample time was provided to discuss on the topics presented. The program culminated with presentation from each group which clearly indicated that the discrimination and malpractices against single women have no religious ground and origin and are all human-made traditions that have been followed from centuries.
     
    All the religious leaders shared that the program proved to be very useful in making them understand and aware about the situation of single women which they had overlooked. They even shared their commitment to make best use of the knowledge they acquired during the program to change the mindset of people in their localities regarding ill practices maintained for the single women in the name of religion. Shridhara Baskota from Om Sahi Kendra gave her commitment to incorporate support within their 'women wing' specifically for the single women and their children. The leaders also appreciated the work and effort of WHR towards the empowerment of single women.
     
    Last but not the least, Senior Program Manager of WHR, Srijana Lohani expressed her gratitude to religious leaders and all other participants present for responding to the request to be part of the program despite their busy schedule and providing their valuable knowledge and information on single women issues in relation to their respective religion.
     
    With the support of European Union, a number of sensitization programs have been organized by Women for Human Rights, single women group (WHR) targeting its different stakeholders. Through the programs organized for media personnel, youth, government officials and CA members, WHR has been able to receive remarkable support during its endeavour.
     
    This current sensitization program was organized as its continuous process to augment the positive change of attitude towards the single women with the support of religious leaders. Further, this program hopes to bring these leaders to support actions that are geared towards abandoning harmful traditional, cultural and religious practices prevailing in Nepalese society against the single women. As the target audiences of the program are decidedly respected in the community, WHR believes that the use of such credible sources would lead to greater results in addressing the issues of single women.
     
    WHR is soon organizing another sensitization programs for lawyers, women entrepreneurs and academicians.
     
     
    To view the photos of the program, please click the link below: