What our young facilitators felt in sharing their ideas about dating violence and SDGs to people of their age

We want to give a round of applause to our facilitators who carried out orientations on gender-based violence and dating violence in Kathmandu Valley under the ‘We for Change’ project supported by Global Youth Empowerment Fund and implemented in collaboration with Men Engage Alliance. Through this project, we aimed to raise awareness on gender-based violence, dating violence and SDG's Goal 5 and promote positive behaviours and role of young people in eliminating violence against their partners.

We directly reached 1146 young people through orientation sessions in different colleges in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur.

Let’s hear what our facilitators have to say regarding their experience of being part of the ‘We for Change’ project.

पानीजन्य रोगहरूबाट बच्न र यसबारे जनचेतना फैलाउन हाम्रा क्रियाकलापहरू

कविता बस्नेत

सन् २०१५को विनाशकारी भूकम्पपछि धेरै ठाउँहरूमा पानीजन्य रोगको महामारी फैलिएको थियो । भूकम्पबाट पानीका मूहानहरूमा क्षति पुगेकाले तथा हजारौँ जनसङ्ख्या विस्थापित भएकाले धेरै मानिस स्वच्छ पानीको पहुँचबाट टाढा भए ।

गाउँमा भन्दा पनि सहरी क्षेत्रमा हैजाजस्ता रोगको प्रकोप बढ्यो । नेपाल सरकार, स्वास्थ्य सेवा विभाग अन्तर्गत इपिडिमियोलोजी तथा रोग नियन्त्रण महाशाखाको तथ्याङ्कले पनि काठमाडौँ उपत्यकाका सहरी बस्तीहरू हैजाको जोखिममा रहेको देखायो ।

जथाभाबी दिसापिसाब गनार्ले, दूषित तथा सडेगलेका खानेकुरा खानाले तथा पानी शुद्धीकरण नगरी पिउनाले हैजा लाग्ने गर्दछ । समयमा उपचार नपाउँदा हैजाका बिरामीको मृत्यु नै हुन सक्छ । तर, सामान्य सावधानी अपनाएमा  यसबाट बच्न पनि सकिन्छ ।

Child club graduates from across Nepal meet in Kathmandu

Four organisations led by child club graduates including Yuwalaya organised a two-day National Consultation of Child Club Graduates in Kathmandu this week.

Changa Foundation, Creation Society Nepal, JCYCN and Yuwalaya successfully concluded the first ever National Consultation of Child Club Graduates on July 1 and 2 at the Staff College in Jawalakhel of Lalitpur. 

Yuwalaya celebrates Girls in ICT Day with Kavre youth

Yuwalaya on June 2 and 3 organised a capacity building training for girls of Kavre district on the occasion of the International Girls in ICT Day.

The Day is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday of April. This year, it was marked with the theme "Expand Horizons, Change Attitudes".  

Total 33 young women from the district had participated in the event supported by the Nepal Telecommunications Authority and the Creative Society Nepal. 

Diary from March 8

Kshitij Kayastha

On March 8, 2017, I witnessed one hundred or so men walking along the busy roads of Lalitpur, holding placards that voiced their solidarity against the violence faced by girls and women. The march was not anything special because a march walked by a few men cannot change the way of the world, but it surely can bring about a revolution: a spark to change the way of the world.

MENstruation talk with MEN

On the occasion of Menstrual Hygiene Day, youth-led organization Yuwalaya in coordination with youth radio talk show 'Saathi Sanga Manka Kura' organized the MENstruation talk with MEN, on Saturday, May 21.

Total 20 young men aged 15-24 participated in the interaction where they discussed various aspects of menstruation.

महिनावारी सरसफाइमा पुरुष

विश्व महिनावारी सरसफाई दिवसको अवसरमा युवालयले रेडियो कार्यक्रम ‘साथीसँग मनका कुरा’सँगको सहकार्यमा युवा पुरुषहरूसँग महिनावारी सरसफाइका विषयमा छलफल कार्यक्रम सञ्चालन गरेको छ ।

गत जेठ ८ गते शनिबार सञ्चालित ‘मेन्स्ट्रुएसन टक विथ मेन’ नाम दिइएको उक्त कार्यक्रममा १५ देखि २४ वर्ष उमेरमा २० जना युवा पुरुषहरूको सहभागिता रहेको थियो ।

केही गर्न सक्छु भन्ने भएको छ

मुना थापा मगर, सिन्धुली
मेरो नाम मुना । सिन्धुली जिल्ला, कमलामाई नगरपालिकाको वडा नम्बर ४मा बस्छु । असाध्यै हरियाली र सुन्दर ठाउँ छ मेरो गाउँ । भूकम्प आउने समयमा म कक्षा १२को परीक्षा दिएर बसेकी थिएँ । उत्तिसारो बोल्न मन लाग्दैनथ्यो मलाई । मन लाग्दैन पनि के भन्नु, सिधासिधी भन्दा डर लाग्थ्यो । संस्थाका मान्छे भन्ने त कोही चिनेको भए त के ! त्यही भएर पनि म आफैलाई आफू कमजोर छु, बोल्न पनि सक्दिन भन्नेजस्तो हुन्थ्यो । आत्मविश्वास कम थियो भन्दा नि हुन्छ । कस्तो नरमाइलो हुन्छ नि त्यस्तो हुँदा :(

आज युवालयले मलाई थप परिचय दिएको छ

राजन बस्नेत, दोलखा
मान्छे भएर जन्म लिइसकेपछि मानवता लिएर बाँच्न सक्नु नै मानवता हो जस्तो लाग्छ मलाई । हुन त मान्छेले जानेरै त आएको हुँदैन । ऊ हुर्कने परिवार, देख्दै बढ्दै गरेको समाजबाट नै यसले धेरै कुरा सिक्छ । र बिस्तारै उसका सिकाइ, ज्ञान र बुझाइका आधारमा आफ्नो परिचय तयार पार्छ । मैले पनि बाल क्लब हुँदै जिल्ला बाल सञ्जालसम्मको यात्रामा यसरी नै परिचय बनाउँदै गइरहेको थिएँ । आज युवालयले मलाई थप परिचय दिएको छ ।

Men express commitment against violence against women

KATHMANDU: More than 100 men on Tuesday, March 8, held a march in Lalitpur expressing their commitment against violence against women and girls.

More than 15 youth organisations had joined hands to hold the Men's March: Men against Violence against Women and Girls, on the occasion of the 106^th International Women's Day.

Post-quake joint youth initiative approaches its end

The Youth Leads in Emergency project being run by UNFPA, Restless Development, Y-PEER, Yuwalaya, and Yuwa is soon to conclude in this December.  

In this project, a group of 35 peer educators have been orientated to work with youth in the communities on different issues and conduct awareness programs at post-earthquake camps, schools and clubs of the Kathmandu Valley.

आँटिलो बन्नुपर्ने रहेछ

लक्ष्मी भारती

जाडो महिनाको समयमा दिन छोटो, रात लामो हुन्छ । बेलुकी ६ नबज्दै झमक्क अध्यारो भइसक्छ ।

एउटा त्यस्तै दिनमा बेलुकी ६ बजेतिर म अफिसबाट घर फर्किदै थिएँ । सधैझैँ मेरो घर जाने बाटोमा केटाहरूको एक समूह बसिरहेको थियो । उनीहरू मलाई सधैँ जिस्काउँथे, तर म कहिल्यै पनि वास्ता गर्दैनथेँ । आफ्नै सुरमा हिँडिरहन्थेँ ।

तर त्यो दिन एक्कासी तिनीहरूले म हिँड्ने बाटो छेके । मैले वरिपरि हेरेँ, म एक्लै थिएँ । त्यसैले म डराएँ । म अर्कै बाटोबाट जान खोजेँ, तर तिनीहरूले फेरि छेके । त्यत्तिकैमा एक जना केटाले मलाई हेर्दै भन्यो, “बहिनी, तिमीलाई यो राजेश भन्ने केटाले मन पराउँछ  । तिमी उसलाई मन पराउँछौ कि मन पराउँदैनौ भन त ?”

उसले त्यति के भनेको थियो, सब केटाहरु गलल हाँस्न थाले । म केही बोल्न सकिनँ । अनुहार रातोपिरो भइसकेको थियो । तैपनि आँट गरेर त्यहाँबाट हिँड्न खोजेँ र सफल पनि भएँ ।

घरमा गएर दुःखी हुँदै सोचेँ, “मैले लिएको र दिएको बाल यौन दुव्र्यवहार भन्ने विषयको तालिममा, आफूलाई मन नपर्ने व्यवहार कसैले गर्दै छ भने त्यतिखेर नै उक्त व्यक्तिलाई आफूलाई त्यस्तो व्यवहार गरेको मन पर्दैन भनेर भन्नुपर्छ भन्ने कुरा सिकेको र सिकाएको थिएँ । तर आज त्यो कुरा आफ्नै जीवनमा लागू गर्न सकिनँ ।”

तर, अब भने त्यस्तो केही भइहाल्यो भने मसँग भएको सीप लागू गरेरै छाड्छु ।

भारती युवालयकी सदस्य हुनुहुन्छ । 

Why didn't I tease girls?

Sanjog Thakuri

In my teenage, I was called a jogi (a sadhu) by my male friends – for I abstained from smoking and drinking. Neither did I make any love proposal to any girl. Even, which was the most important for earning the jogi nickname, I did not tease any girl on streets and I did not write any girl's name on wall of my school's toilet!

Instead, I would help my mom and sister in domestic chores. The boys would tell me that I was girlish. While many of my men friends do not believe that I have never eve-teased, others find it shocking – As if I failed as a man for not involving in any of such activities, as if I could not showcase my masculinity.

But, it makes me sad that even those educated friends find me different for not teasing girls on streets. I feel like crying aloud to express pity over them. But, I do not cry – for I feel proud that I am working for gender equality. Those friends who tease me for not teasing girls, indeed, are reasons why I work for equality between men and women.

Men march in City to protest VAW

KATHMANDU: Expressing their commitment to work for reducing and ending violence against women, more than 200 men staged a rally in the Capital on Monday, March 23.

Jointly organised by more than 15 social and academic organisations, the 'Men's March: Men against Violence against Women and Girls' proceeded through various parts and corners of New Baneshwor, Old Baneshwor, Gaushala and Sinamangal area on Monday afternoon.

Yuwalaya condemns recent cases of violence against women and girl children

Yuwalaya's short movie against VAW (Watch video)

Hello all,
Like the previous year, the world is marking the 16-day Activism against Gender-based Violence, from November 25-Decelber 10, this year also. So is Yuwalaya.

PHOTO BLOG: Yuwalaya begins club for hearing impaired kids

After months of homework and discussions, Yuwalaya has finally begun a child club for children with hearing disability.

The Saksham Child Club comprising of students from the Bhaktapur School for the Deaf was recently established. The club involves 20 children from the age 8 to 16. Currently, it is meeting every Friday for two hours.

Kalpana Dhimal is facilitating the activities.

Our Executive Member Bipana Dhimal who looks after the project has shared that the Club has already conducted following activities:

#HeforShe campaign in Nepal

Around the world, especially in developing countries, many girls and women are facing various forms of violence against them. They are suffering from gender-biased cultural, ritual and social norms and practices. In such cases, we generally present women as helpless and men as perpetrators; but it is not an actual case. We cannot claim women as helpless creatures and men as powerful dominant characters always. When a global research on violence against children was carried out, the UN had clearly specified one of the most important recommendations; i.e. men's and boys' engagements in ending violence against girls and women. We cannot imagine a world without men and women both, so it is very important that both sexes go together.

My Experience in Digging the World We Want

By Rubina Shrestha

In May of 2013, Restless Development, a youth-led INGO announced a Training of Trainers (ToT) programme on Post-2015 Development Agenda for youth affiliated with different organisations. On behalf of Yuwalaya, I got an opportunity to participate in that ToT, where I not only learnt about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and post-2015 agenda but also got an opportunity to meet youth from different areas having diverse expertise. 

Post-2015 Development Agenda: Yuwalaya celebrates Global Week of Action

As the United Nations has called the world to speed up campaigning to collect more votes under the 'My World' campaign, Yuwalaya is organising various programmes to collect more votes from Nepal about the priorities for the post-2015 development agendas.