Change in Numbers

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ADWAN.ORG's funding has, so far, benefited more than 50 thousand Dalit and marginalized women and their families in Nepal covering 392 groups, 7 Districts, 27 VMs (VDCs) and 35 schools. It invested 24% in children education which benefited total 14,934 students and 76% funding went to women empowerment which benefited total of 34,633 women and family members.

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ADWAN (Association for Dalit Women Advancement of Nepal) is a human rights organization for Dalit (so called low-caste) women and children. It is a non-political, not profit making and non-government organization (NGO) legally registered at Kathmandu District Administration Office (D.A.O. Reg. No. 99/055/056) and is affiliated to Social Welfare Council. The organization was founded in 2055 B.S. (1998 A.D.) by a group of young and motivated Dalit women who had overcome immense obstacles of poverty, gender and caste discrimination and is run by them.

Its main objective is the empowerment of Dalit women and children.  It is working in rural Nepal promoting solidarity for women across caste lines and empowering them through education, micro finance, human rights awareness and health trainings.

Through education, literacy-led saving groups and awareness programs the women become catalysts for social change, especially in terms of children’s education, domestic violence and caste-class-gender relations. ADWAN aims to foster a measure of economic independence, to boost self-esteem, and to instill solidarity and a sense of national pride. ADWAN currently operates in Gorkha, Ilam, Arghakhanchi, Baglung, Jhapa, Chitwan and Sarlahi. It has formed 78 Dalit women’s groups uniting over 2,200 rural women into saving and credit groups.

Bishnu Maya Pariyar is the founder of the organization. Ms Pariyar is one of eight daughters from a Dalit (Damai) family of traditional tailor in rural Gorkha. She has personally overcome immense obstacles of poverty, gender and caste discrimination to become a social worker and activist. She has currently graduated Master’s Degree from Clark University (one of the world’s top university in the USA) in “International Development and Social Change”.

Vision

“To establish equitable society free of caste, class and gender discriminations.”

Mission

The mission of ADWAN is to bring Dalit women into the mainstream of state governing mechanism by empowering and sensitizing them to establish human right, democracy, sustainable peace and equitable society.

Goal

ADWAN aims to eliminate caste and gender based discrimination against Dalit women and to empower them socially, economically, politically and educationally.

Objectives

To raise awareness against discrimination, exploitation and injustice over Dalit women
To foster economic condition of Dalit women by saving and credit program
To unite and organize Dalit women
To make rural Dalit women economically self-dependant by providing skill development and vocational trainings
To conduct workshops, seminars, interactions and training programs on human right, child right, gender and untouchability.
To conduct literacy class, pre-school class and distribute scholarships to Dalit women and children.
To develop Dalit women’s leadership for political participation and community development
To build up solidarity, network and alliance with like minded organization for advocacy, justice and empowerment of Dalit women

Program Implementation Strategy

Need assessment and survey of project proposed area
Project design on the basis of community need and geographical situation
Mobilization of volunteers and staffs
Capacity enhancement of members and staffs of all levels
Services and programs outreaching to the rural focused community
Formation of group, networking with local people and civic organizations for sustainability of the project

Regular Programs

ADWAN believes that Dalit women can be empowered through three themes. So, it works on integrated programs of all three themes. The activities of those themes are:

Theme 1: Educational Programs   

NFE
Pre-school Classes
Scholarship for school level children
Scholarship for college level girls

Theme 2: Income Generating Programs

Group Saving and Credit
Micro Loan
Skill development and Vocational Trainings

Theme 3: Advocacy and Awareness Programs

Human Rights trainings
Social and Political awareness trainings
Women Health and Hygiene Trainings
Workshops and Interaction at community level
Gender and Human Rights Advocacy

On-going Activities:

ADWAN is working dominantly in Dalit communities of rural parts of Nepal, neglected by other development agencies. It focuses on community mobilization, and creates women’s solidarity groups, where possible of mixed castes. ADWAN has organized 79 saving and loan groups comprising of more than 2200 women (Dalit in major roles and number). Groups formed since 1998 and onwards are thriving and growing. Over 1500 secondary level students are benefited by uniform stipend program, 104 students are individually sponsored by US citizens and 21 college students (girls) are benefiting from higher study scholarship program called “Ambitious Girls’ Fund”. 126 women from 20 groups are now engaged in micro enterprises with the loan provided by ADWAN’s Micro Loan Project. 4 literacy classes and 6 pre-school classes are ongoing. The group women have become the role model of community development and social transformation. The major on-going activities are:

Pre-school Classes for pre-primary children
Uniform Stipend and Sponsorship for school level children (girls and boys)
Scholarship for college level girls
Group Saving and Credit
Micro Loan
Human Rights Workshops
Advocating Human Rights, Violence against Women, Dalit and Dalit Women
Skill Development and C apacity Building Trainings
Women Health workshop
Net working, publicity and joint movements

National / Local Level Affiliation & Partnership

Dalit NGO Federation (DNF)
Dalit NGO Federation-Nepal (DNF-Nepal)
Durban Review Committee (DRC)
Dalit Citizen’s Movement
Feminist Dalit Organization (FEDO)
Jagaran Media Center (JMC)
Jan Uttan Pratisthan (JUP)
Kathmandu Training Center
Local area Development Trust Fund,
National Alliance for women human right defenders (NAWHRD),
National Badi Right Struggle Committee,
National Coalition Against Racial Discrimination (NCARD),
National Dalit Commission (NDC),
National Human Right Commission,
National Women Commission,
Protection Desk-Nepal,
Rural Empowerment Society,
SAHAS Nepal,
Women Rehabilitation Center (WOREC),
VDCs and DDCs of Gorkha, Baglung and Arghakhanchi

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International Level Affiliation & Partnership

British Council

Friends of ADWAN (FAN), USA

European Union

Karuna Foundation, UK

Output

The unity and solidarity among Dalit women has created decrease in untouchability and gender discrimination
Significant decrease in domestic violence and bad cultures
All Dalit children belonging to women’s group attend school and their performance in school has improved
Dalit women are involving in business initiatives
Dalit women are participating in community development and are involving in civic and political organizations
Improvement in home environment, cleanness and hygiene
Change in traditional mind set and awareness
Improvement in economic condition