http://www.guardian.co.uk/global-development/poverty-matters/2011/may/27/nepal-women-in-politics

gender, politics, Nepal....

Bill Easterly talks 'feminism' with GAB...

http://www.genderacrossborders.com/2011/05/05/saving-the-second-sex-or-how-aid-fails-women-a-conversation-with-william-easterly

Spring Break Trek

click here to see photos of the Dier-Surborg Girls Spring Break Trek in Annapurna.

Field visit to Nepal's far west

click here to see photos of Astrid's field visit to the beautiful far-west districts of Dadeldhura and Baitadi

More Nepal...

click on the photo to see more images from the past few months... Christmas, family, Kaja's birthday, outings, work field visits...

More snapshots from the field...

My field visits continued into March with a couple of short trips into rural Lalitpur District and then a nine day trip to the far west districts of Dadeldhura and Baitadi to visit CECI's projects in the agriculture and local governance sectors. In Lalitpur I participated in Claire's (CECI vet and dairy health expert) animal health workshops for local farmers. Don't worry- I wasn't doing any advising on animal health (as someone who is struggling to care for two small domestic kittens and only recently acquired the confidence to distinguish a buffalo from a cow I felt somewhat unqualified... not to mention that I just learned that mules are a cross between horses and donkeys... who knew?!?!). So I left the animals up to Claire and focused on the people- my role was to facilitate a short discussion on gender and social inclusion in the dairy sector. This is part of our strategy to integrate a gender perpective into all Uniterra volunteer mandates and reinforce the link between social and technical programming. This is good for me too and makes me step out of my social science comfort zone and embrace trees, crops and buffalo- a more balanced approach overall. In the dairy sector the main gender and social inclusion challenges involve the lack of participation by women, Dalits and certain ethnic groups in leadership and decision making positions and control over resources. Although women typically spend more time than men caring for and managing livestock, men are more likely to be members of dairy cooperatives, especially in executive board positions. Men are also more likely to control the financial resources connected to dairy farming. Many ethnic groups and certain castes are excluded from the dairy sector all together. We're working with the dairy unions to promote inclusion by recognising the rights of women and all castes and ethnic groups and valuing their contribution, voices, perspectives and knowledge. Soooo... there's lots to do- let's start on the upside...

Life on the upside...

Nepal, with the exception of the Terai region in the south, is a hilly and mountainous place. Lots of upsides and downsides- both literally and metaphorically (people often describe places as being on the downside or upside of a town or village and life on the downside can be tough). One day I had some free time during a workshop in rural Lalitpur District and I met up with a local education official who wanted to show me his farm on the 'upside' of the village. And it it was definitely up, up ,up a winding gravel path to a hilltop overlooking the terraced hillsides surrounding the village. When we arrived at his home he introduced me to his wife who was busy taking care of their two buffalo. He then went to the house and prepared our lunch over a wood fire and then served his wife first (the biggest portion), then myself and the three of us sat down and ate together. His English was quite good and he explained that his wife didn't have the opportunity to go to school so they felt that it was important for all three of their children (2 girls and 1 boy) to have a good education right through university. Now all three are in Kathmandu studying at uni and working while their very proud parents are managing day to day life on the little farm with the beautiful view on the 'upside'. There was so much that I wanted to ask his wife but I was too slow and missed my opportunity. She ate quickly and then jumped up and went back to her buffalo- busy, busy, busy with only two people on the farm but it's a sacrafice they've made for their children's future. And I left the little farm with a tummy full of delicious food and with a little bit more hope that the young girls of this generation will have more opportunities than their mothers and grandmothers ever dreamed of.

more upside...

I'm back in the same village a couple of weeks later with colleagues from Vietnam and Canada and we've broken into small groups to do farm visits. I'm starting to feel a bit discouraged because it seems to be men, men, men controlling our agenda and sitting down to meet with us. In our first meeting with dairy cooperative members it was mostly men and a just a few women. As we begin the farm visits the same pattern is emerging- the men sit down to talk to us and show us around while the women remain in the background doing household chores or shyly watching us and chatting amongst themselves. So we adopt a radical approach... we ask to talk to the women. And... it's fine, no problem. The men get up and make room and the women come and take their places. We have a great discussion and get to hear their perspective- all we had to do was ask (but it would be nice to not always have to ask...). And the best part of it was an articulate young girl- maybe 14 or 15 years old- with really impressive English skills who took on the role of translator/spokesperson for her female relatives (as her father the local school headmaster looked on proudly) and shared some her own views about the value of including women and educating girls. You go girl!

and the downside...

We're in Dadeldhura in Nepal's relatively remote far west region and I'm walking back to the district headquarter with two of my colleagues after a meeting. We're feeling hopeful because the women at the meeting were enthusastic and regular attendance for their literacy classes had markedly increased since the last time my colleagues visited. However, there's also a shadow hanging over our impressions of the visit as we noticed that at least two of the women were sitting off to the side of the group. This is because they're menstruating and chaupadi is still openly practiced in this part of the country. This practice labels menstruating women as 'impure' or untouchable and also extends to women who have just given birth and are then left alone for a length of time caring for their new babies and themselves. We're following a meandering path along the river in this picturesque green valley and discussing the meeting while my colleagues greet friends and neighbours as we pass by villages. Despite the many challenges faced by people here, at this moment life seems peaceful and hopeful. But then we see a scene down on the riverside which quicky shatters this image. As I look down at the river I see something that I recognise immediately as a body under a cover being prepared for a cremation (a Hindu ritual- the ashes are then released into the river). The cover is very simple and there doesn't seem to be any ceremony or anyone attending the ritual. My colleagues are filled in by some people in the nearby village. It was a 15 year old girl who had committed suicide. As my mind was spinning about what would lead a 15 year old girl (only 3 years older than my own daughter) to commit suicide I could see how unsettled my colleagues are too. A sad, sad scene to end the day.

and more downside...

The next day visit we're in neighbouring Baitadi District and hiking down to a village about a 40 minute walk from the road. We were invited there by a young woman at another meeting earlier that week- she really wanted us to see her village and some of the challenges they face and also their achievements. We arrive too early and everyone is still busy preparing and eating 'dahl bhat' (the lentil and rice midday meal). As we're waiting outside one of the houses for the women to gather for our meeting some workers pass by carrying building material. A few minutes later the woman from the house comes out and starts flicking drops of water at us and all around. I'm confused but my colleague recognises what's happening right away and tells me it's because the workers are Dalit so the woman is attempting to 'cleanse' her house. My colleague bristles and says to me that now the people don't know that she's Dalit but as soon as she introduces herself at the meeting they'll be able to tell from her family name. She doesn't hold back- at the meeting she clearly states her full name and when we leave we speculate if they are throwing water after our departure too. The meeting has an air of tension to it- partly because of the water throwing incident and also because of the drunk men hanging about and telling the women that they shouldn't bother to listen to us. The women themselves appear malnourished and irritable- frequently getting into arguments with each other and finding it difficult to articulate their thoughts and ideas to us. We ask where the Dalits in this village live and we're told that they live on the downside and that there aren't very many families. I wonder if the 'downside' means further away from fertile land, irrigation schemes and other resources but I'm not sure- sometimes everything gets lost in translation and I misinterpret or jump to conclusions too quickly. There is a positive or optimistic side to this interaction too. The woman who invited us to this meeting is a young woman with natural leadership skills and a vision for the women and men in her village. Hopefully she'll have more opportunities to put these leadership skills to use and be a role model for other women and girls in her community. As we leave the village we're also shown small agirculture projects which show a lot of potential and my colleagues offer guidance and advice. After a week of festive welcomes which made us feel a bit like local celebrities it's good that we had this learning experience too- a good reality check to put our work into perspective.

Tales from the field...

The most beautiful meeting...

Kaja and Claire: hitching a ride with the milk truck

Travel by 'magic'

One of the highlights of travelling is often the actual method of travel... rickshaw, tuk-tuk, cyclo, horseback, camelback... and Nepal is no exception. Here we have safa tempos, tata sumos, microbuses, macrobuses, motorbikes, milk trucks and yes even magic. So now you're thinking 'really? magic?'. Maybe not quite as romantic as it sounds but a fun ride nonetheless. Tata magics are 10 (officially if you don't count the people hanging out the windows and sitting on the roof) seater diesel trucks which are used for public transport in and around Hetauda and Makawanpur District. And hey- it's just fun to say 'let's go by magic':)!

Many cups of tea...

In the spirit of Greg Mortnensen's controversial book 'Three cups of tea' a colleague and I recently agreed that we would call our memoirs 'Many cups of tea'. Yes- many, many, many...
During recent trips to Hetauda and surrounding villages in Makawanpur District we indulged in many cups while visiting and meeting with local dairy unions, cooperatives and farmers to assess the animal health situation (Claire and Pierre's role) and the gender equity and social inclusion situation (my role). Kaja was even able to join us for a few days during her December school holidays to take in the 'thrill' of travelling by sumo, magic and milk truck and experience small town, village and rural life in Nepal. Offering delicious sweet, milky Nepali tea is a standard courtesy in offices and homes and I'm not complaining as it is often a welcome 'pick me up' and all part of the relationship building process.

The 'many cups of tea' continued in late February during a field visit to beautiful Dolakha District where I met with women's savings and credit cooperatives, local NGOs and community forest groups (CFUGs) together with my colleague Ganesh. I'm more than happy to continue with this approach to relationship building and establishing partnerships- as long as my bladder holds out and my body can handle the occasional caffeine induced sleep challenges!

In the shadow of the Himalaya: the most beautiful meeting in the world

I've been fortunate to have opportunities to travel and work in many places around the world but last month I think I had the most 'beautiful' meeting ever with a community forest users group and women's savings and credit group in Dolakha. Ganesh and I took a half hour dusty local bus ride from Charikot, the district centre, then got off and walked uphill for about forty minutes to a community 'open space' meeting place. Stunning snow capped himalayas and green terraced hillsides dotted with farming villages provided the backdrop to our meeting. Most of the (mainly women) participants had walked one or two hours down the hillside and were enthusiastic about sharing their achievements and challenges and plans and... it was a very inspiring exchange which kept me from getting too distracted by the scenery. However... having these 'open space' community meeting places may seem idyllic to a naive foreigner like me but one of the challenges the women described was (of course!) the rainy season. I was lucky enough to be there during the dry season but during the rain soaked summer months it's difficult to find a suitable dry meeting space and often carefully handwritten documents and accounts are lost to the challenges of the elements. The women were animated and enthusiastic as they described their plans for a community meeting building- just a simple structure on the hillside where the local people can meet and keep themselves and their paperwork dry and healthy. As they recounted their stories, experiences, hopes and plans I relied on Ganesh for translating the words but the faces of these women- the eyes, the lines, the smiles- told a million stories without words.

What about work?

Oh yes work- what brought us here in the first place! We've lived, worked and travelled in southeast Asia for a number of years but this is our first experience with South Asia and everyday is a rich and at times overwhelming learning experience.

Nepal is a fascinating, complex and often heartbreaking place to be a Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Advisor. In addition to gender based discrimination there are complicated social dynamics based on caste and ethnicity the extent of which varies from region to region, districit to district, village to village and household to household. For the past few months I've been trying to learn as much as I can and figure out how I can effectively support mainstreaming a GESI perspective into CECI's programs. Luckily, I'm not starting from scratch and CECI has already successfully implemented several GESI strategies and approaches. My task is to continue to support and scale up this process with a focus on our work with partners in the dairy, forestry and local governance sectors.

The gender/caste/ethnicity dynamics are further complicated by the political situation here which is a bit of a mess under a caretaker government still struggling with drafting a constitution and reaching any kind of consensus. Also, Nepal is dealing with the scars of its ten year conflict (1996-2006) and has not even reached 'post-conflict' status yet but is still considered 'in transition'. The crumbling beauty of Kathmandu and the picturesque rural villages can't hide the reality of Nepal's poverty which is all too evident in the faces of hungry children who are working instead of going to school, severely challenged infrastructure, stories of deaths from preventable diseases and the shantytowns along garbage filled rivers...

So the challenges are many but so are the encouraging signs that this country has a potentially brighter future. The recent UN Human Development Report highlights Nepal as one of the fastest 'movers' due to its progress in health and education. Nepal is also a leader in community forestry- an innovative concept which promotes environmental sustainability, bio-diversity, social justice and economic development through community managed natural resources. During my relatively short time here I've heard tragic stories of violence against women, caste discrimination, and war and I've witnessed scenes of blatant inequality, poverty and injustice. However, I've also been impressed and touched by the many dedicated, thoughtful and intelligent women and men I've met who are committed to an equitable, healthy and safe new Nepal. So onwards and upwards (literally- everything is uphill here!)...

Tales from KTM and...

Sea of plastic: a river in KTM


Escape from the city: hiking near Pokhara

There's a lifetime worth of adjectives to describe Kathmandu (or KTM or the 'Du...). My choice of descriptive vocabulary is usually influenced by my mood and the type of day I've been having- and for the most part my days have been pretty good! Especially the days when the sun is shining, the Himalayan Peaks are visible and the traffic jams are somewhat manageable. Bjoern has dubbed KTM 'charmingly chaotic' which is a good description I think. Some days it feels more charming and others more chaotic but usually it's an interesting mix of both.

So we are starting to find our place here amid the chaos... and the charm. Kioni is at the French International School and Kaja is at the British School. They each seem happy, are adapting well and making new friends. Let's face it- it isn't easy having such 'transient' parents! Kioni tell us that she isn't learning any French but luckily her teacher tells us otherwise. Since the French School here only goes up to grade 5 Kaja has had to join the British system where she's in the first year of secondary school (ie. lockers, rotary classes and looming teenagerhood...).

Although we really are enjoying the cafes, food, architecture, markets, new friends, culture, street life and of course charm of KTM, one of the highlights of living here is definitely 'getting out of the city' and taking a break from the garbage, pollution and traffic and breathing some badly needed fresh air. Luckily this is pretty easy to do- a quick taxi, bus or bike ride beyond the Ring Road takes you to another side of Nepal...

KTM is in the beautiful Kathmandu Valley which offers tons of trekking, biking and walking opportunities. So far our family travels haven't taken us too far afield- just some one or two day treks around the valley to Shivapuri, Chisopani, Nagarkot and a few days in Pokhara (gateway to Annapurna). The scenery is breathtaking- deep valleys, terraced hillsides and friendly villages topped off with the Himalayan peaks. Kaja and I have acquired mountain bikes- another good way to explore the valley once we make our way out of KTM's traffic and smog. We're starting to discover some good routes and backroads but also find the bikes handy for absorbing the many potholes, bumps and pavement challenged sections this city has to offer!

Namaste Nepal

Click the photo to view a Picasa slide show of our first few months in Nepal.

Asia cont'd...

So for those of you who haven't heard the full story here's a quick re-cap...

We spent last year in Vietnam where I was working as a Gender Specialist with World University Service of Canada (WUSC) and their partner Tra Vinh University (TVU) through the CIDA funded Uniterra program. This was my second stint with WUSC- we were also in Hanoi for two years (2002-2004). We loved quaint, green and friendly Tra Vinh and I really enjoyed working with TVU's Gender and Community Department. However, our year was complicated by the kids having to to school in Ho Chi Minh City which meant a four hour commute each way for me every weekend. So when a Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Advisor position came up with WUSC's partner CECI (Centre for International Studies and Cooperation) in Kathmandu it seemed like a good opportunity to immerse ourselves in a new region and culture, continue to promote and support gender and social inclusion programming, expand professional horizons and all live in the same place!

When my WUSC contract wrapped up in August we packed our bags and said good-bye to glorious Mekong sunsets, cafe sua da, amazing food, inspiring bike rides through the back roads of the Delta, peaceful Khmer pagodas, rivers and tributaries dotted with the daily activities of village life, waving children and lovely people and friends. The Mekong is a special place. Then there's Saigon's crazy traffic, non stop construction and vibrant street life... it's a country full of potential and ambition but also challenges, contradictions and an interesting future...

Namaste Nepal

After a five week stint in Vancouver re-connecting with family and friends and dealing with unpacking and re-packing we were on a flight (or flights!) to Kathmandu- home for the next two years.

After spending our fist ten days getting oriented and staying at the CECI passage (guest) house we moved into our own apartment in Dilli Bazar- a very central neighbourhood in the heart of the hustle and bustle of KTM.