Paralegal Trainings
Nepal has innumerable women and children who are deprived of their rights and are the victims of numerous problems and also are in a poor and helpless condition, especially in the rural areas.
In this context, UNICEF Nepal has established a Paralegal Committee in different Village Development Committees (VDCs) of 15 different Districts of Nepal. Such Paralegal Committees are expected to develop Community Surveillance System in the local level and raise awareness for women's and children's right, stop violence and increase legal access to the victims of torture, domestic violence and other major offences. Such Committees are expected to mediate trivial disputes, provide general legal counseling and establish local network with the support system to minimize the violation of rights of women and children.
For the purpose, FWLD with the support of UNICEF produced a comprehensive training manual with an objective of providing Training for the Trainers (TOT) in all districts where Paralegal Programs were to be launched. Different issues relating to Women's and Children's human rights, legal mechanism, legal procedures, Alternate Dispute Resolution, Counseling skill, international instruments and national instruments relating to protection of human rights, etc. were included in the training manual. After completion of developing the training manual, Phase 1 training was designed in five development regions with the master trainers including lawyers and social activists of the Decentralized Action for Children and Women (DACAW) districts.
General Proceedings
Training of Trainers (TOT) was divided into three phases, all phases conducted in the districts viz: Kathmandu , Pokhara, Biratnagar and Nepalgunj. The first phase focused especially and entirely on the women's rights issues. The second phase of the training was focused on child's rights issues. The third phase of the training thoroughly updated the women's and child's rights issues that had been dealt with in the first and the second phases. The third phase of the training brought to light the emerging issues, the prevailing Constituent Assembly, reconciliation, negotiation, mediation, leadership, development, organizational development, transitional justice, inclusion of excluded groups and the rights of the disabled.
The TOT, divided in three phases, was designed for a twenty-three-day package. The first phase consisted of a nine-day-package, the second of seven and the third, also of a seven-day package. Participants consisted of lawyers and social activists from fifteen districts who were working for the Decentralized Action for Children and Women (DACAW) Program. All three phases focused on social activists and lawyers.
The training program was designed for 23 districts of five-development regions. Eastern Region included Sunsari, Saptari, Panchthar and Udayapur districts. Central Region included Kavre, Parsa and Chitwan Districts. Western Region included Kaski, Nawalparasi, Kapilvastu and Tanahu. Likewise Dolpa, Kalikot, Jumla, Mugu, Rukum, Bajura, Bajang, Jajarkot, Dang, Achham, Dadeldhura, Humla and Doti were included in Mid-Western and Far-Western Regions.
The objectives of the trainings were:
- To establish the communal security system for the protection of children and women's rights
- To prevent the violation of right (children and women) in local level and to create the affectionate environment for consuming such right
- To enhance the capacity of participant whereas they can prevent the children and women's right violation and to settle the general dispute in local level
The expected outcomes of the trainings were:
- Increased awareness among the participants regarding the rights of Women and Children
- Participants being able to create a social group or forum for Women and children for the advocacy of their rights
- Participants to bring fourth the news and incidences relating to violence against women and children in their community and mobilize their community to report such incidences to the concerned agencies
- Participants to provide access to justice for women and children from backward community
- Legal support to the victim
- Coordination with and support form other Local network
- Lessening of violence, torture and exploitation against women and children
- Broad network amongst the Paralegal Committees
- Input for the refinement of Training manual
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