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Child / Youth development
> Overview of child development in Nepal
Today,
the quality of the environment in which
millions of children are growing up is inadequate
by any number of criteria. Overcrowding,
lack of potable water and sewage facilities,
lack of adequate food and inadequate care
taking characterize the environment of many
young children, depriving them of basic
rights. The quality of care the young child
receives determines his/her development,
care which includes much more than keeping
the child safe and free from harm. The type
of care-giving behaviour depends to a large
extent on the child's developmental age
and the health and nutritional risks that
the child is facing. For example, during
the first year of life, the child is at
the greatest risk for mortality. During
the late infancy and during the toddler
period, the child is at greater risk for
growth stagnation. |
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In Nepal, the children of 0-6 years age group
are usually neglected in development programs
of both governmental and non-governmental organizations.
There are no facilities to bring out their hidden
talents and creativity and they lack support for
their overall development. Women, particularly
mothers, have to take responsibility for their
care, nourishment and development, and in most
cases they take their children with them to their
work places. While the child is then deprived
of the right to socialization, proper health and
nutritional care, s/he is also exposed to various
infections or put at-risk for accidents. The mother,
on the other hand, is over-burdened and the opportunity
to generate extra income is limited for her. Children's
development is a holistic process as it cannot
be compartmentalized into health, nutrition, education
and social or emotional variables. All of these
aspects are interwoven in a child's life. It has
thus created a need of a comprehensive childcare
and early childhood program.
Early childhood programs are expanding rapidly
due to increasing demand. The demand has come
from both urban and rural communities, from those
wishing to have better healthcare, from those
concerned with supporting the child's cognitive
development, and from those seeking a safe place
for their children. In order to develop good habits
among the children and to provide them with opportunities
and support for their development and education,
the need for child-centred programs was identified
by many community groups. This resulted in the
establishment of 10 community-based child development
centres in the district of Udayapur, in partnership
with donor agencies as well as community groups.
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Child / Youth development
> Goals of WOREC's community-based child development
programs
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To provide education and advocacy about
child rights and health issues to grassroots
communities.
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To improve communities' overall capacity
to enrich the state of the child's entire
development process.
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To have regular health, nutritional and
growth assessment of children to support them
in having better health and hygiene.
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To support children's right to formal education.
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Child / Youth development
> Activities
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Education and advocacy workshops and
training on the issue of child rights
to child care centre workers, as well
as with the VDCs and DDCs.
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Regular health, nutritional and growth
assessment of children.
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Community-based mobile nutrition clinic.
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Operation of child care centres for
children aged 6 months to 7 years to
provide education and nutritional support,
and to promote healthy child development.
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Targeting of children from marginalized
communities.
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Training of parents on health rights
of children, working towards 100 percent
basic education.
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Child / Youth development
> Overview of youth development in Nepal
Young children are not the only neglected group
in Nepal. Youth are yet another group that have
been typically marginalized from the mainstream
development process. The potential for the positive
contribution by youth to the economic, political
and cultural development of the country has been
overlooked, and consequently, the development
of their potential has not been tapped into. Youth
is a stage in a person's existence, a period of
transition, and a period of socialization and
maturity during which they are often exposed to
various risks, such as HIV/ AIDS, drug use, peer
pressure and challenges within the family. Adolescent
girls and married young women are exposed to various
forms of sexual harassment at home, in villages,
schools and during public events, such as marriage
ceremony, cultural and recreational programs,
and in the bazaar. Often, women and girls themselves
are blamed for provoking men for sexual harassment.
Recognizing
the importance of developing youth leadership
qualities and in strengthening youth as
a resource for social change, WOREC has
been facilitating youth involvement in the
formation and strengthening of social democratic
intuitions directed towards protecting human
rights of people through their independent
participation. |
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Child / Youth development
> Goals of WOREC's youth mobilization programs
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To establish a peer support network by youth
and for youth.
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To mobilize youth to work towards the prevention
of violence against women.
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To raise community awareness about violence
and safe migration through mass mobilization
of youth and adolescent groups.
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To strengthen the leadership quality and
capacity of the youth to combat violence against
women and children.
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To facilitate and provide skill and technical
support to local youth groups as a pressure
group to the community level to safeguard
the rights of the women and youth.
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Child / Youth development
> Activities
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To provide a forum where youth can share
and discuss emerging issues and problems with
their peers.
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Mobilisation of youth to raise awareness
about violence through street dramas, local
assemblies, and peer education.
- Counselling centres.
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