Project Goal:

"The rights and gender interests of women are better understood and more fully acted upon by local government, political parties, civil society organisations and women leaders, for greater social justice."

Project Objectives:

• Women leaders, social and political, formal and informal, will participate actively as decision makers to influence the local political and development processes.
• Women's group/networks influence local policies, social and legal, related to women's rights.
• Experiences and lessons learned desseminated to influence national and local government policies related to women's rights and development.

Background
Nepal stands at the 116th position with respect to the Gender Development Index as per the Human Development Report 2004. Gender and caste-related disparity prevails in all parts of Nepal with higher severity in remote hill districts of the Far and Mid Western Development Regions, where CARE Nepal works. Women and so-called low caste people are the most disadvantaged groups with regard to all indicators of socio-economic development such as life expectancy, literacy, nutritional status and school enrolment. Women's literacy rate is as low as 9% in the remote areas of the country. Nepali women work more hours (10 - 12 hours per day) than men, however, their work is not valued in terms of economic contribution.

Under-representation and participation of women in leadership and crucial decision making bodies means under-utilisation of women's potential; more importantly it makes for illegitimate and inappropriate governance. Global experience shows that to achieve the goal of equality, development and peace in a nation, all sectors should focus on both qualitative and quantitative aspects of women participation.

The Power Project
CARE Nepal launched the first phase of POWER in three remote districts of Far Western Nepal - Achham, Bajhang and Bajura in July 2000 and later expanded the coverage to Doti and Kanchanpur Districts in the second phase which began in December 2003. The aim of the project is to develop a core group of women leaders who will effectively influence the local development agenda to address issues of priority and rights of women through their local community based organisations.

The project is undertaking its activities through nine local partners - providing them with optimum opportunity to enhance their skills, confidence and to develop their overall capacity. Major activities of the project are the formation and strengthening of women's networks and training on gender, leadership, advocacy and networking to support the implementation of advocacy plans. The project works mainly with three specific objectives, as highlighted below.

Creating a Joint Front of Local Women Leaders
The POWER project aims to build on political and social leadership skills among women in the project districts. The project strives to build on the capacity of Women Social Leaders (WSL) or Women Political Representatives (WPR) to complement their political counterparts in lending a voice to their rights and concerns. The idea is, ultimately, to create pressure to act on the government and other stakeholders at local, regional and national levels. To achieve this the project supports women's groups, networks and associations at the village and district levels and plans to work with wide-ranging target groups at different points in time. WPR/WSL have been trained in gender and leadership development, good governance and sustainable development and in the meaning and implications of the Local Self-Government Act. At present the project works with women social leaders at Village Development Committee (VDC) and district levels enabling them to become involved in decision making.

Enabling Women to Influence Political and Social Decisions to Make Policies Work for Them
The project helps and strengthens leadership skills among women to enable them to influence local government to implement development activities that have a positive impact on women's rights and socio-economic status. The POWER project facilitates the process of strengthening the capacity of networks and groups to define their roles by extending support in areas that they have identified. As pressure groups, these networks play an instrumental role in influencing local policies by pushing issues related to women's rights and gender interest through community based organisations and local government. They also prepare and implement advocacy plans related to women's issues. WPR/WSL have started advocacy on social issues like Chhaupadi (isolating women from their families during menstruation and childbirth), equal wages for women, women representation in decision making positions, domestic violence against women, equal education opportunities and women's citizenship issues.

Learning Through Sharing
Lessons learned from the project are disseminated among stakeholders to influence local and national government policies related to women's development issues. The POWER project assists networks for alliance building of like-minded organisations to reach a broader audience to create pressure for change and modify policies, over-coming barriers to access and control over their rights and interest. Similarly, the best practices of the project such as networking, women's representation and advocacy are recognised at different forums especially at district and regional levels. Exposure visits for women and implementing partners act as forums for learning and sharing experiences.

Specific Project Activities
In order to raise women's voices for their social and economic benefit, the following major activities are undertaken:-

Formation and Strengthening of Women's Rights Forums (WRF): The project facilitates uniting women's groups into networks called Women's Rights Forums at VDC,
municipality and district levels, as well as strengthening them. The project helps enhance the overall capability of network members.

Training of Women Social Leaders (WSL): The project helps to develop the capacity of WSLs particularly on gender, leadership, advocacy and networking so as to develop their confidence to participate in political processes as local government candidates. Likewise, key family members and spouses/male counterparts are provided with training on gender roles and the role of women in political leadership.

Advocacy initiatives: It is envisaged that the trained women will raise their concerns over women's empowerment issues such as child marriage, girls' education, Chhaupadi, violence against women etc, as well as increasing women's participation in leadership and decision making positions in different Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and highlighting the budget allocation for women's empowerment and economic development activities etc. at appropriate forums. Advocacy plans on such issues will be prepared and implemented through WRFs.

Building networking/alliances: The WRFs are developing inter and intra-linkages with organisations that have similar interests and objectives to consolidate the advocacy initiatives and make concerted efforts. The WSLs align with other similar networks and influence the decisions related to women's empowerment and development activities.

Institutional capacity building of implementing partners: Besides strengthening WSLs/WRFs, the project also builds up local institutional capacity - enabling them to take local development initiatives and continue the development processes sparked off by the project. Local implementing partners are trained on rights, governance and advocacy issues; as well as on organisational management issues including conflict mitigation measures.

Chaupadi: Lost rights in the shadow of the cow shed
The Chaupadi system still prevails in the hill districts of Far Western Nepal. It is a system of segregating women during their menstrual period for fear of "ritual pollution" - it is felt woman at this time are impure. Women and girls are forced to live in tiny mud and stone huts, sometimes even the cattle shed, with barely any standing space and no windows. Often several women are expected to live in such cramped quarters for five to seven days at a time. Unable to use the village water taps, restrictions on food are also imposed - dry bread prepared themselves being the staple. In addition, their security is questionable in these often isolated huts.