Reflections and Learning
2016
Reflections and Learning
2016
Reflections and Learning 2016 ŠActionAid Nepal (AAN) All rights reserved. Published in May 2017 No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without written approval of AAN. However, readers are free to make use of it for non-commercial purpose with proper acknowledgement of AAN and with a receipt of a copy of any publication produced by its assistance. References to particular geographical area are not intended to imply the expression of any opinion and/or make any judgments as to the legal or other status of the territory. Further, names of the firms or commercial products, if quoted do not mean their endorsement and failure to mention particular other is not a sign of disapproval.
Table of Contents
Acronyms Glossary Country Director’s Message Working Area Coverage of ActionAid Nepal Executive Summary THE CONTEXT
Mission
PROGRAMME OVERVIEW Natural Resources and Livelihood Disaster Risk Reductions and Community Led Reconstruction Program Participatory Democratic Governance Women’s Rights Quality Education in a Safe and Equitable Environment Other Organizational Initiatives
To work with people living in poverty and excluded people to eradicate poverty and injustice
ORGANIZATIONAL PROCESSES AND CHANGES
We Believe
KNOWLEDGE GENERATION in 2016
Vision A Nepal without poverty and injustice in which every person enjoys his or her right to a life of dignity
Poverty is a denial and violation of human rights stemming from a historical process of exclusion and injustice. It is a complex, dynamic and multifaceted phenomenon associated with social constructs, such as gender, caste, ethnicity, location, physical ability and class.
We Work With
GLIMPSE OF QUANTITATIVE ACHIEVEMENTS - 2016 ANNEX 1: LIST OF LRP PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS - 2016 ANNEX 2: PROJECT MANAGED BY AAN IN 2016
Women, Dalits, Highly Excluded Indigenous People and People Living in Poverty
Our Approach We adopt a human rights-based approach as our overarching framework to fight poverty, injustice and inequality and believe the State is the primary duty bearer for the dignity and well-being of its citizens.
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PROGRAMME OVERVIEW
Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) The HRBA is central to AAN's fight against poverty and injustice, and the empowerment of people to claim and exercise their rights. In order to enjoy their rights, people need to understand and be empowered to claim them, with the solidarity and support of others. It always ensures PLiP at the center of its programme interventions
Objective 1 Ensure improved livelihoods and build disaster resilient communities by enabling people living in poverty and marginalized people to claim productive resources.
Objective 2 Facilitate political advancement of people living in poverty and marginalized people to hold duty bearers to account, develop propositions for national development strategies and deepen democracy
Objective 3 Engage with women and girls to build their active agency to challenge and take action against all forms of discrimination and injustice against their body, sexuality and unequal burden of work
Objective 4 Support all children to attain quality education in a safe and equitable environment
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This objective will center on building an integrated response to enable people living in poverty and marginalized people to ensure food security and resilient livelihood systems, covering both ‘on and off farm’ opportunities. We will facilitate this by empowering people living in poverty and marginalized people to claim and enjoy economic rights and advance policy propositions to ensure: i) suitable agriculture for public investment; ii) pro-poor economic policies, institutions and infrastructures; iii) an end to gender discrimination around ownership of resources and wages; iv) rights to natural resources and their sustainable use for ensuring food security; v) accountability of service providers; and viii) the sustainable use of natural resources
This objective focuses on building an integrated response to changing women’s conditions and positions and to identifying, analyzing, challenging and taking action against patriarchy in all its forms. We will do this by building the active agency of marginalized women to claim and enjoy their rights and advance policy propositions to: i) have their productive contribution to the family, community and State recognized; ii) challenge patriarchal values and harmful traditional practices; iii) address gender-based discrimination and violence in public and private realms; iv) facilitate national development strategies from a feminist perspective; v) ensure female participation in decision-making bodies at all levels; vi) facilitate leadership-building of marginalized women.
This objective focuses on building an integrated response to changing women’s conditions and positions and to identifying, analyzing, challenging and taking action against patriarchy in all its forms. We will do this by building the active agency of marginalized women to claim and enjoy their rights and advance policy propositions to: i) have their productive contribution to the family, community and State recognized; ii) challenge patriarchal values and harmful traditional practices; iii) address gender-based discrimination and violence in public and private realms; iv) facilitate national development strategies from a feminist perspective; v) ensure female participation in decision-making bodies at all levels; vi) facilitate leadership-building of marginalized women.
This objective aims to build an integrated response to advance free and quality basic education and reinvigorate popular education. It strives to enable children and young people from poor and marginalized communities to develop into drivers of change and harness the potential of adult literacy towards broader democratization of society. We will do this by enabling and empowering citizens’ groups, people’s organizations and social justice movements to advance education rights and policy propositions to: i) advance accountability in public schools; ii) promote child-centered learning; iii) mainstream the Promoting rights in school framework in selected public schools; iv) promote a culture of safety in public schools; v) reinvigorate popular education.
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Glimpse of Quantitative Achievements 2016
Working Areas of ActionAid Nepal
LAND, LIVELIHOOD, EMERGENCY AND DISASTER
2210
Kathmandu Office
Community leaders trainers developed in emergency and disaster management
Western Resource Center
Local Rights Programmee (LRP) Eastern Resource Center
Ongoing LRPs
AAN’S PROGRAMME DETAILS PROGRAMME DISTRICTS
TOTAL LRPS
LRP PARTNERS
Eastern Resource Center
5
4
6
Kathmandu Office
9
2
4
Western Resource Center
8
6
9
22
12
19
Total
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1184
Women engaged in income generation activities/small scale enterprises
1044 Women receiving technical off farm training
106 VAW cases reported
Quality Education
Farmers trained on Climate Resilient Sustainable Agriculture
Post- LRPs HRBA initiatives
MANANGED BY
1524 1345
WOMEN’S RIGHTS
PROJECTS PARTNERS
19
19
Women having single or joint land ownership certificate
3700 2970
School going aged children enrolled in school within the working areas
Persons receiving capacity building initiatives on PRS Framework and Charter of 10 rights of school education
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4. NATURAL RESOURCES AND LIVELIHOOD
Thus, in order to attain maximum number of applicants, different orientation programmes within the working areas were conducted. As a result, applications from the tenants, landless people and ritghts holders have considerably increased. After the provision of removing dual land ownership was mentioned in the new constitution, the Ministry of Land Reform and Management has issued a notice for the concerned to apply. Thus, in order to attain maximum number of applicants, different orientation programmes within the working areas were conducted. As a result, applications from the tenants, landless people and rights holders have considerably increased.
The meaning of land and its use is changed by the renewed socioeconomic values. It has been associated with the assets for an individual, economic prestige, monetary value, livelihood with dignity, equality, and power and authority. With regards to women and their access to land and natural resources, the meaning of land and its ownership take a switch from just a form of earning a livelihood to power, equality and dignity. Women’s access to, use of and control over land and other productive resources are essential to ensure their right to equality and to an adequate standard of living.
This year, 7 Haliya of Bajura have received housing support and 16 Freed Kamaiya families of Bardiya got land ownership certificate. For this, various advocacy campaigns in coordination with Land Revenue Office were organized. The property has helped them to access loan from formal sectors (bank, cooperatives) and invest it to start up a small-scale business.
4.1 ACCESS TO LAND AND NATURAL RESOURCES THE NLRF IS BEGINNING TO RECEIVE GLOBAL RECOGNITION AND HAS NOW BECOME AN EXECUTIVE MEMBER OF ASIAN FARMERS ASSOCIATION FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT.
PLiP’s increased access on community forest and public land has helped them to engage in NTFPs farming and enhance their livelihood. On the other hand, strengthened land rights forum and collective efforts of squatter people has increased their bargaining capacity for receiving appropriate compensation against leaving the common land. AAN and its partner organizations are working from more than two decades to ensure land and agrarian rights of land poor farmers. The farmers were also supported to establish their own organizations at the village, district and national levels which are popularly known as Village Land Rights Forum, District Land Rights Forum and National Land Rights Forum (NLRF). These forums are well recognized by the Government of Nepal and the political parties. The NLRF is beginning to receive global recognition and has now become an Executive Member of Asian Farmers Association for Rural Development.
Campaigns on joint land ownership, securing tenancy rights, Haliya and Kamaiya Rehabilitation etc. were organized to ensure landless, poor and marginalized people’s access to and control over land and natural resources. Consequently, this year, 1,345 women have received single/joint land ownership certificate. The access on land has supported women to enhance their economic status, resulting to the shift in existing unequal power relations among men and women within the family and society. After the provision of removing dual land ownership was mentioned in the new constitution, the Ministry of Land Reform and Management has issued a notice for the concerned to apply. 10 Reflections and Learning 2016
Rally in Terhathum to ensure landless, poor and marginalized people’s access to and control over land and natural resources. Reflections and Learning 2016 11
4.2 PROMOTION OF CLIMATE RESILIENT SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE (CRSA) KITCHEN GARDENING BY SLUM COMMUNITIES FOR DAILY CONSUMPTION OF VEGETABLES BY UTILIZING USED PLASTIC BOTTLES AND SACKS HAS HELPED TO MINIMIZE THE DEPENDENCY ON MARKET PRODUCTS AND IS COST EFFECTIVE AS WELL
chemical fertilizers has significantly reduced and the concept of community seed bank was highly adopted. In Morang, 265 smallholder farmers have been promoting CRSA, using botanical pest control and preparing compost manure through improved cowshed.
As mentioned above, the intervention has also empowered people to claim available government support for livelihood. For instance, 35 farmers of Palpa were able to receive shed improvement support from District Livestock Office. The support has also helped them for goat rearing. Additionally, AAN is also providing support for smallholder farmers to improve their production
and enhance their livelihoods. For instance, monetary support to install pumpset/deepboring for irrigation, construction of community seed banks, support to start up small-scale enterprise and livestock rearing are some of them. They were also supported with seeds to promote agriculture.These supports are done to fulfil their basic immediate needs and complement to our interventions on rights based approach.
The community seed bank has become important step for the preservation of native seeds, for the conservation of agro-biodiversity Series of capacity building initiatives on organic and for being involved in seed exchanges, seed farming, soil and water management and processing and seed marketing. procedures of making organic pest control manures were organized for lead farmers to On the other hand, One House One Kitchen promote CRSA and ensure farmer’s engagement garden Campaign has also supported to adopt in it. Further, ReFLECT participants were also CRSA in each individual household. Kitchen engaged for empowering rights holders on gardening by slum communities of Kathmandu CRSA and model plot was established with by utilizing used plastic bottles and sacks has small grant support and mobilization of technical helped to minimize their dependency on market person. Following the practice of CRSA, use of products and is cost effective as well.
4.3 IMPROVED LIVELIHOOD OPTIONS
35 FARMERS OF PALPA WERE ABLE TO RECEIVE SHED IMPROVEMENT SUPPORT FROM DISTRICT LIVESTOCK OFFICE. THE SUPPORT HAS HELPED THEM FOR GOAT REARING. Skill development trainings, small scale livelihood support, awareness and advocacy to tap available government resources and fund mobilization of community groups and cooperatives for improved livelihood alternatives have motivated 1,897 people for engaging in diverse agro-based and off-farm income generating activities; out of which 12 Reflections and Learning 2016
1,568 are women. Collective/individual vegetable farming for commercial purpose, livestock farming, poultry etc. are some of their agro-based livelihood activities; whereas, upscaling the traditional skills like making mudha, dhaka, handicraft, carpet weaving, dhakiya and leaf plate, mason, carpentry, plumbing, tailoring etc. are their major off-farm livelihood engagements. After being involved in livelihood activities, transformation in women’s lives has been noticed. They are now independent, not only economically but their rights to equality and an adequate standard of living has also been ensured.
Rights holders engaged in mushroom farming training in Bardiya as an on-farm livelihood alternative. Reflections and Learning 2016 13
CASE STUDY WATER TANK CREATED HOPE FOR VEGETABLE FARMING Water scarcity is one of the major problems of Chirtungdhara VDC, Palpa. In the village, men usually work in farms and some of them have migrated abroad for employment. So, the women have the responsibility of fetching water. The difficult geographical location has added more complication to the problem. Further, the hardearned water is not enough for all the household purpose; it is not sufficient even for bathrooms, so irrigation is never prioritized. “The situation was really bad for us; we had to wake up at 03:00 AM and it used to take almost 6 hours to fetch water.” Ms. Rima Chidimagar (48) remembers. It had become a kind of daily schedule for the women; to wake up at 3, fetch water and perform household chores; leaving them no time for additional task like checking homework of their children or being engaged in income generating alternatives. The problem was discussed in ReFLECT circle; after which, the villagers visited VDC office and registered
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their demand for constructing a water tank in the village. But the VDC could not prioritize the proposal as its number of beneficiaries is too small. Then they approached to Social Resource Development Center-Nepal (SRDC-N), a partner organization of AAN. The PNGO supported NRs. 55,000 for the construction and the community people contributed with labour support equivalent to NRs. 95,000. The water tank has solved our problem to the greater extent. Now, we don’t have to wake up so early in the morning. We have also started growing vegetables in our kitchen garden. It has become a good livelihood alternative for our family. We have also formed an agriculture group to motivate others and have collective engagement. The ReFLECT circle has helped us to improvise our lives and livelihood,” says Ms. Chidimagar, also a local agriculture group member.
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ACTIONAID NEPAL (AAN) COUNTRY OFFICE Apsara Marga, Lazimpat Ward No. 3, Kathmandu, Nepal P.O. Box. 6257 Tel.: 977-1-4002177 Fax: 977-1-4002118 Email: mail.nepal@actionaid.org Website: www.actionaid.org/nepal EASTERN RESOURCE CENTRE Panchali, Ward No. 16 Biratnagar, Morang, Nepal Tel.: 021-470575, 471637 Fax: 021-472635 Email: infoerc.nepal@actionaid.org WESTERN RESOURCE CENTRE Karkando, Shantinagar, Ward No. 2 Nepalgunj, Banke, Nepal Tel.: 081-551198, 551366 Email: infowrc.nepal@actionaid.org 16 Reflections and Learning 2016