#16Pledges: Facilitate job opportunities for women facing domestic violence and financial hardships due to COVID-19 pandemic

Day 8 of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

#16Pledges: IAWRT members around the world share their efforts and vision how they can contribute to eliminating violence against women

IAWRT Board Member Mandira Raut of Nepal: I pledge to educate, train, and facilitate women who are looking for the opportunity to re-join their job or business, with special priority to those who are facing domestic violence and financial crisis due to COVID-19 pandemic.

 

Through my organization “Utsah Nepal”, I have collaborated with national banks to provide micro-finance loans to the women, members of Utsah “Mothers’ Club, who are running small businesses. 

 

Utsah Nepal has employed women with disabilities to make ornaments from beads. We used to sell these products in the local and national exhibitions. But due to the pandemic situation, we are selling them using an online platform. We have a cluster of women groups who support and encourage each other in the business by sharing best practices, training, and networking through weekly and monthly virtual meetings.

 

A single mother of three 3 children, Maiya Sharma, who got support from Utsah Nepal says, “I was facing financial crisis due to the pandemic, but now I’m relieved because, through the support from the Utsah Nepal, I could get a loan from the bank with 5 % interest and could run my business of a small fancy shop. Earlier, when I needed to take a loan, I had to pay 18% interest to the Micro Finance companies”