REPORTS
The Formal Launch of WHR/ICA- Sydney, Australia
Date: 2009-08-25
Women for Human Rights, single women group announces the successful launch of our first International Chapter in Australia. This International Chapter has been registered in Sydney under the Department of Fair Trading in April 2009. The formal launch event of WHR/ International Chapter Australia Incorporated was organised on Saturday, 22nd August 2009 in The Korean Sydney Centre, Croydon Park in Sydney.
The vision of this International Chapter is to create a non discriminatory world where discrimination on the basis of marital status will be non-existent with the mission to mainstream the issues of widowhood into international development agenda by mobilizing widows globally so that widows are able to live dignified lives enjoying values of human rights.
The formal launch began with the lighting of the lamp by Hon. Mr. Ferguson, Ms. Lily Thapa and Ms. Anjana Chalise Regmi symbolising the unity and non discrimination on the basis of gender and marital status. This was followed by the formal welcome speech by Ms. Protshpa Katuwal (Core Committee Member of WHR/ICA).
Beginning with the sharing of personal experience, Ms. Lily Thapa (Founder President of WHR) focused on the importance of understanding the plight of widowhood in Nepal and the role of international stakeholders in helping to grow the International Chapter.
On this occasion, Honourable Mr. Laurie Ferguson, Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural and Settlement Services began by congratulating WHR and Ms. Lily Thapa for the historical achievements of the organisation. Highlighting the major achievements through his own research on WHR, he added the importance of incorporating the issues on the plight of widowhood in an international agenda through the parliament in the settlement services. Addressing as the keynote speaker he announced recruiting Ms. Thapa on his Federal Electorate Commission meeting held in Granville at his Electorate Office on Sunday, 23rd August 2009.
Launching the official logo and the website, Prof. Radha Devi Sharma (Advisor/ WHR) shared the importance to strengthen and institutionalise the organisation and the cause building the global network working on the issues of widowhood.
On the same, Honourable Mr. Deepak Khadka, Nepalese Honorary Consul for New South Wales expressed the delightful experience of coming across the Nepalese organisation that has grown from the grassroots to the global level. He has shown his commitment of helping the organisation in achieving its objectives and mission as an International Chapter in Australia and inspired all those present in the launch to help the organisation in every ways possible.
Following to this, Ms. Anjana Chalise Regmi (Coordinator/ Public Relations- WHR/ ICA) presented on the strategic action plan of WHR/ICA 2009-2011. Speaking on the evening, Ms. Regmi spread the awareness not to wait till we experience the plight ourselves but to come together to work on the cause and to sensitize the stakeholders.
Acknowledging the exemplary contribution through support, sponsorship and assistance in establishing the organisation and organising the launch event was formally carried out during the event. Honourable Mr. Khadka did the honours to the following:
APPRECIATION
? Baulkham Hills Holroyd Parramatta Migrant Resource Centre (For their Support in organising this event)
? Crown Institute of Business and Technology(SPONSORS)
? Oli and Associates (SPONSORS)
? Curry Monitor (SPONSORS)
? Star Finance and Investment (SPONSORS)
? Yeti Travels Australia (SPONSORS)
? 4 Corner Bazaar (SPONSORS)
? Nepalese Australian Democratic Forum (Thanks for introducing International Widows? Day in Australia and Organising Fund Raising Dinner for the same.)
? Dinesh Raj Joshee (Thanks for incredible support in establishing WHR/ICA )
? John Carrigan (Facilitator for Strategy planning and for his ongoing support )
? Therese Douglas(Facilitator for Civic Education Programme)
? Christian Tancred (For the technical support for tonight)
? SWEG ? Nepal (Poonam Pathak ? for introducing the products from the Single Women Entrepreneur Group-SWEG products in Australia and bringing them all the way from Nepal )
? Swastik Institute of Dance and Music (For KAALI DANCE performance )
? Dipesh Raj Joshee (Technical support for the WEBSITE Development)
? Sunil Tamang (Technical support for the WEBSITE Development)
? Sunil Shrestha (Technical help in POSTER Designing)
? Kaushal Dixit (For your continuous technical help throughout this event )
? Utsab K.C. (Master of Ceremony and continuous help and support in organising this event)
? Archana Bhattarai (Master of Ceremony and continuous help and support in organising this event)
? Gyanendra Bhandari (Photography)
? Sagar Lohani (Video production of this event)
Finally, coming towards the end of the event Ms. Angela Rajbhandari (Core Committee Member of WHR/ICA) extended her vote of thanks on behalf of the team of WHR.
After the formal launch event, Prof. Radha Devi Sharma, Ms. Lily Thapa, Ms. Anjana Chalise Regmi and Ms. Poonam Pathak were invited at the Federal Electorate Office to share the experience of working on the issues of widowhood and growing from local to global level during the meeting with the Federal Electorate Commission.
The meeting has been considered successful following the discussion on the role of the electorate office in assisting the organisation to establish the International Chapter as well as helping the cause in Nepal. Numerous potential stakeholders were identified during the meeting that included representatives from diverse communities and organisations. During this meeting the research on the status of widows in Australia, helping in the reintegration programs of displaced widows in Nepal, education and scholarship opportunities of widows and their children have been identified as the first step towards beginning the International Chapter in Australia. Along with these, working with different communities from the diverse groups following the strategic action plan 2009-2011 was discussed to lead the organisation at the next level.
Similarly, different follow up meetings have been scheduled for the week to work on establishing WHR/ICA. With the coordination of Department of Immigration and Settlement Services the team of WHR/Nepal and WHR/ ICA is meeting with the team of Baulkham Hills Holroyd Parramatta Migrant Resource Centre this week to design the strategy of working in collaboration for the future programs. Another meeting has been scheduled with the help of the facilitation service by Mr. John Carrigan to finalise the WHR/ICA Strategic Action Plan 2009-2011.
Through all these achievements in the short run we aim to redefine the meaning of widowhood and in establishing widows as the social capitals rather than the beneficiaries only.
Contact:
Ms. Anjana Chalise Regmi
Coordinator/ Public Relations
Women for Human Rights, single women group/ International Chapter Australia Incorporated
Tel: 95911546/ 0423 398 646
