In the first phase of the Strengthening Abortion Ecosystem project, 117 Natural leaders and 45 champions from Lumbini Province (Argakhanchi, Rolpa and Palpa) and Sudurpaschim (Accham, Bajura, Doti and Dadeldhura) province have been trained on the Gender transformative approach, rights-based approach, impact of GBV on maternal health, sexual and reproductive health rights, intersectionality and power, facilitation, and communications skills to develop their agency and mobilize them to create an enabling environment, where women and girls can determine their sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Natural leaders training at Arghakhanchi
The natural leaders are the right holders/representatives from the marginalized communities who have been selected as volunteers based on their willingness to work in the field of SRHR/safe abortion. NLs together with Champions will be instrumental to establish SRHR and SAS as an agenda for political decisions and social movement for a sustainable safe abortion ecosystem. Therefore, these two actors of the project through organized diffusion will reach the community to build their agencies and also amplify the process of advocacy activities at community and local government levels. The role of Natural leaders has been based on the principles of agency, relations, and structures where after the training first they will start communicating about their needs (sexual and reproductive) and challenging the norms within the household through intergenerational dialogues and small doable action of gender roles transformation (male as carers and woman as decision maker/workload issue). They will then start reaching out /building more community support of like-minded women and adolescents through reflective sessions and then through formal community sessions based on Gender Transformative Approach will initiate programs, plans, and budget for SRHR and SAS.
Body mapping exercise to understand the changes in adolescents body and also the issue of rights by asking the question of pleasure and pain . This tool was effective to make the participants comfortable and speak openly about their rights , needs and sexuality.
Barrier and Resource mapping
Simulation exercise -Natural leaders learning how to present themselves in different community forums
Honorable Provincial Parliamentary Member, Ramji Prasad Ghimire presenting to Natural leaders about human rights and women’s rights on the 72nd National Human Rights Day
