Ms Suvekchya Rana presented a different perspective of using sport to address gender issues through her presentation at Maidan Summit 2011. She mentioned a football programme run in Nepal and talked about how a sport, which usually males play, can aid uplift their counterparts. She also mentioned how it works to address violence against women. She also took the audience through the journey of Saathi, explaining how its programmes help in building competency, raising awareness and providing support services in Nepal, where football is extremely popular. She advocated the engagement of men as partners in running these programmes. She also spoke about using the influence of popular footballers to reach out to more people, especially women, and deliver development programmes to them. Ms Rana proposed partnerships with the government, NGOs and the corporate sector in making such programmes more effective.

1. Suvekchya Rana
Saathi

2.  Established in 1992
 First organization to address domestic violence in Nepal
 Initial years focused on raising awareness on domestic violence
 Opened the first women’s shelter in Nepal in 1995
 In spite of funding challenges Saathi now operates four shelters
 As lack of legal provision was a major handicap n securing the rights
of victims of doemestic violence Saathi started to advocate for DV
Law from 1995
 After 14 years of persistent advocacy along with other network
members the Domestic Violence Law was passed in April 2009
 Saathi manages the national network against domestic violence (42
NGOs)

3.  Saathi’s initial program focused on women only – building capacity,
raising awareness and providing support services
 From 1997 limited engagement of Men through interaction and
sensitization program to media, police and legal and medical
professionals and the youth
 Realizing the important role of men in addressing VAW from 2005
Saathi started specific program to engage men
 Formation of community men’s groups and their capacity building
 Formation of Inter Faith Men’s Groups
 Creating an ally of media men (mainstream media)

4. Partnership with All Nepal Football Association
Reason for Partnership
 Football very popular all over Nepal across all generations
 Footballers are revered and idolized by young men and boys
 Disciplined Institution so easy to instill changes and programs
 Has national level institutional strength (41 District Associations)
 Effective role models to create greater national level awareness

5. Signing of MoU and Launching of the campaign “Our Goal: Stop
Violence Against Women”

6.  Organize awareness and training on gender based violence for football
officials and footballers
 Aware the general public, particularly the youth about violence against
women and girls by placing banners and carrying the slogan of the
campaign before the start of every event and tournament organized by
ANFA
 Selected footballers to serve as role models to aware the public on the
issue through different media and public outreach programs
 All footballers to raise awareness and combat violence against women and
girls at the district and national level through personal and institutional
initiative
 Contribute to the effective implementation of the Nepal Government’s
National Plan of Action on Gender Based Violence

7.  Reaching out to a whole lot of new stakeholders
Greater awareness amongst men and boys (footballers
and football lovers)
 Policy Changes within the institution
 Recognition from the government GBV unit
 The campaign activities institutionalised in ANFA
programs and events
 Personal attitudinal change recorded (family and social
role)
 The program has been successful in creating a more
impressive outcome rather than just raising awareness.

8.  Close partnership with ANFA in all processes to
strengthen ownership
 Develop messages that are relevant to the issue and
that which appeals to the footballers
 Capacity Building workshop to be based on the
footballers own individual case studies
 Full time human resources and allocated financial
resources required to sustain the momentum of the
campaign

9.  Consultative Workshop in 5 selected districts
 Formation of a steering Committee
 Orientation Workshop to “A” Division Clubs
 Public Event

22. Thank You.