Rights Action Week 2004 Program in Nepal

In response to Global Call to Action Against Poverty, an alliance of various networks and people’s movement in Nepal has planned series of actions during the Rights Action Week 2004. The actions includes activities at regional and national level for the promotion of human rights, peace and poverty alleviation.

Objectives:

• Identify people's perspective on government initiatives in response to commitment and pledges made at international forums.
• Bringing voices of socially marginalized community to attention of policy makers, political leaders.
• Raise mass awareness in demanding to raise dignity of socially excluded community.
• Bring major issues on human rights, peace and dignity raised by the local level civil society groups before the government.

Main Slogan of the Program:

"Nepalese people under violence, Human Rights and Equality for Peace"
 

Partner Organizations:

• NGO Federation of Nepal
• Civic Solidarity for Peace
• FECOFUN
• Federation of Nepalese Journalist
• Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities
• Dalit NGO Federation
• South Asian Alliance for Poverty Eradication
• Alliance Nepal
• Women Security Pressure Group
• National Federation of Disabled Nepal
• Nepal Forum of the Environment Journalist
• Nepal Bar AssociationFeminist Dalit Organization

Programs:

1. Regional Level Programs:

To increase mass awareness to demand for rise in dignity of socially marginalized community and to convey the voices of socially marginalized community to the policy makers,

• Peace rally and consultation meetings will be conducted at five development regions on December 5, (World Dignity Day)
• The programs will be conducted together with other programs of the Dalit NGO Federation member organizations.

1.1 Human rights, peace and dignity rally

• Massive human rights, peace and dignity rally will be organized from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm.
• Large mass from war victims, trade unions, students, teachers, human rights activists, laborers, peasants and common people will be gathered for the peace rally.

1.2 Regional Consultation

• Interaction program will be conducted from 2-5 pm.
• 6 representatives from each region will be selected for the national program during the interaction program. Due consideration will be given to choose representation from women, children, disabled, indigenous population, Dalit and backward community.
• Programs will be conducted in collaboration with partner organizations; Regional Committee of the NGO Federation will facilitate.
• Maximum representation will be encouraged from the organizations of war victims, trade union, students, teachers, human rights activists, laborers, peasants, etc.; participation from maximum districts will be encouraged.
• Priority will be given to participation from war victims, indigenous nationalities, women, children, Dalits, disabled and backward community.

1.3 Orientation on Regional Programs

• A day long orientation program will be held in Kathmandu on how to conduct regional programs to 2 representatives from each development regions on 27th November, 2004.

1.4 Venue for Regional Programs

The venues for regional programs will be as follows:

2. National Level Programs

2.1 National Consultation

• A massive national consultation will be organized with participation of about 200 people on December 8 (International Debt Day) from 9:00 am to 3:30pm.
• The program will be conducted in presence and participation of 30 representatives from five development regions, 2 representatives each from partner organizations, as well as representatives of other organizations, trade unions, international organizations, etc.
• There will be representation from national and international organizations concerned with human rights.
• Honorable Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister will be the chief guest and the President or Member of the National Human Rights Commission will be the keynote speaker for the program.
• President of the NGO Federation will be the chairperson on this occasion.

Other speakers would include (tentatively):

• Dr. Mathura Prasad Shrestha, Coordinator, Civic Solidarity for Peace
• Taranath Dahal, President , Federation of Nepalese Journalist
• Shambhu Thapa, President, Nepal Bar Association
• Sahana Pradhan, Women Security Pressure Group
• Durga Shob, President, Feminist Dalit Organization
• Dr. Om Gurung, President, Federation of Indigenous Nationalities
• Birendra Pokharel, President, National Federation of Disabled-Nepal
• Bhim Prasad Shrestha, President, FECOFUN
• Each speaker would speak for 5 minutes only, in a panel discussion type.
• Banners related with human rights and peace will be exhibited elaborately in and outside the conference hall and during the peace rally.
• Banners from other organizations will be displayed with the main slogan.
• Extensive posters and flyers will be distributed extensively during regional, national consultations and rallies.

2.2 Human rights, peace and dignity rally- human chain

• A massive human rights and peace rally will be organized on December 8, after the closing of the consultation session from 4:00-5:00pm.
• The rally starting from the program venue would end in Ratna Park in form of a long human-chain.
• Massive participation from war victims, trade union, students, teachers, human rights activists, laborers, peasants and other common people will be sought for the human chain.

2.3 How to end the rally?

• The rally will conclude with special address by Dr. Mathura Prasad Shrestha. Conclusion of the consultation meeting will be made public on the same occasion.

2.4 How to gather the participants for the rally?

• A press call would be made publicly to invite everyone to join the human chain.
• The public call would also be sent to all the organizations working for human rights, poverty alleviation, social justice, etc. appealing to join the human chain as part of the campaign on Global Call for Action against Poverty.

2.5 Program Venue

• Nepal Tourism Board Hall, Bhrikuti Mandap, Kathmandu

2.6 Other decisions

• The report of the whole program would be published and submitted to the government and policy makers.
• The program will carry the logo of the 'Global Call for Action against Poverty'.