INTRODUCTION
Lack of awareness in communities, especially amongst marginalized women and adolescent girls, has rendered the condition of sexual and reproductive health in Nepal’s rural
areas. Marginalized women and adolescent girls are unaware that they are entitled to sexual and reproductive health rights as much as any other human rights, and they do not have the agency to claim those rights. Thus, there is a huge need for building awareness, and developing agency of marginalized women and adolescent girls to improve the condition of sexual and reproductive health in rural areas.
One of the ways of raising awareness on SRHR and empowering women and adolescent girls to claim their rights is through social mobilization. Social mobilization enables women and girls to engage with local governments to hold them accountable for the services they provide.
Therefore, Ipas Nepal used social mobilization approach in Nepal’s remote areas – Arghakhanchi, Palpa, Rolpa, Achham, Bajura, Doti and Dadeldhura districts – for progressive SRHR situation. Under social mobilization, Ipas Nepal first trained highly-motivated women and adolescent girls from marginalized communities on SRHR including safe abortion and family planning services. Then, these trained women and girls voluntarily mobilized in communities to develop agency of women and girls, make informed choices on family planning, increase health service -seeking behavior and access safe abortion services. Ipas Nepal called these women and adolescent girls, natural leaders.