Social Work Education and Socia Work Profession : Nepal and South Asia

List of United Nations Agencies, Programmes, NGOs and Foundations working on Contemporary Forms of Slavery

2011-04-27T02:45:00.000-07:00

All contemporary forms of slavery

Amnesty International http://amnesty.org

Human Rights Watch www.hrw.org

Derechos Human Rights http://www.derechos.org

Front Line, The International Foundation for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders
http://www.frontlinedefenders.org

Human Rights Internet http://www.hri.ca

Human Rights Network International database http://www.hrni.org

Human Rights Resource Center http://hrusa.org

Human Rights Web http://hrweb.org

New Internationalist http://www.newint.org

Anti-slavery www.antislavery.org

Anti-slavery society www.anti-slaverysociety.com

American Anti-Slavery Group (ASSG) www.iAbolish.org

Free the Slaves www.freetheslaves.net

Save a slave www.saveaslave.com

The Wyndham Charitable Trust http://uk.geocities.com/wyndham_ct

Polaris Project www.PolarisProject.org

Committee Against Modern Slavery http://www.esclavagemoderne.org

SOS Esclaves Mauritania www.sosesclaves.org

Trafficking and sexual slavery

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime: www.unodc.org

The emancipation Network www.emancipationnetwork.org

Coalition against Trafficking in Women www.catwinternational.org

Project to end Human Trafficking www.endhumantrafficking.org

Humantrafficking.org www.humantrafficking.org

People Against Trafficking Humans http://www.orgsites.com/mi/people-against-trafficking-
humans/

Ban-Ying (Germany) www.ban-ying.de

Bangladesh National Women Lawyer’s Association www.bnwla.org

Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women www.gaatw.org

Global Rights, Initiative Against Trafficking in Persons www.globalrights.org/trafficking

Human Trafficking Search (National Multicultural Institute) www.humantraffickingsearch.net

International Organization for Migration, Prevention of Trafficking in Women in the Baltic States project www.refocusbaltic.net/en

La Strada International www.lastradainternational.org

Perm Center Against Violence and Human Trafficking (Russia) www.cavt.ru

Stop Albanian Slavery www.stopalbanianslavery.blogspot.com

The Barnaba Institute www.barnabainstitute.org

Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Trafficking www.castla.org

Bilateral Safety Corridor Coalition www.bsccoalition.org

Shared Hope International www.sharedhope.org

AFESIP www.afesip.org

Action to End Exploitation www.endexploitation.org

Protection Project www.protectionproject.org

Forced labour and migrant exploitation

International Labor Organisation www.ilo.org

International Labor Rights Fund www.laborrights.org

International Organization for Migration www.iom.int

Kalayaan – Justice for migrant workers www.kalayaan.org.uk

Matahari Eye of the Day www.eyeoftheday.org

Global Workers Justice Alliance www.globalworkers.org

Human Rights for workers www.senser.com/index.htm

Irish Congress of Trade Unions www.ictu.ie

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions www.icftu.org

Sweatshopwath www.sweatshopwatch.org

Trades Union Congress UK www.tuc.org.uk

Instituto Sindicale per la Cooperazione et lo Sviluppo www.iscos.cisl.it

Coalition of Labor Union Women www.cluw.org

International Organization of Employers www.ioe-emp.org

World Confederation of Labour http://www.ituc-csi.org/

Children (forced labour and sexual slavery

UNICEF http://www.unicef.org/

International Initiative to End Child Labor www.endchildlabor.org

ECPAT International (child prostitution and trafficking of children for sexual purposes)
www.ecpat.net

ustice for Children International www.jfci.org

Save the children www.savethechildren.org

Child Labor Coalition www.stopchildlabor.org

World Tourism Organization – Task to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation in Tourism www.world-tourism.org//protect_children/index.htm

South Asian Coalition on Child Servitude http://bbasaccs.org

Child Rights Information Network http://www.crin.org/resources/index.asp

Action Against Trafficking and Sexual Exploitation of Children (ALTEN) http://atsec.tripod.com/atsecbangladeshchapter/id1.html

Association pour la lutte Contre le Travail des Enfants au Niger (ALTEN) http://alten.apinc.org

Butterflies Programme for Street and Working Children (India) www.childrightsindia.org

Casa Alianza Latina America www.casa-alianza.org

Casa Alianza UK www.casa-alianza.org.uk

Child Labour Awareness http://childlabour.typepad.com

Child Rights Information Network www.crin.org

Child Workers in Asia www.cwa.tnet.co.th

Child Workers in Nepal www.cwin.org.np

Child Watch www.phuket.com/island/child.htm

Concerned for Working Children www.workingchild.org/htm/cwc.htm

Free the Children www.freethechildren.org

Free the Children India www.ftcindia.org

Global March Against Child Labour www.globalmarch.org

HAQ: Centre for Child Rights and Campaign to Stop Child Labour www.haqcrc.org

International Federation of Free Trade Unions (Child labour section) www.icftu.org

ILO – International Programme of the Elimination of Child Labour www.ilo.org/ipec/index.htm

Child Trafficking Digital Library www.childtrafficking.com

World Congress Against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children
http://www.csecworldcongress.org

The World Bank- Child Labour www.worldbank.org

Understanding Children’s Work: An inter-agency research cooperation project on child labour
http://www.ucw-project.org/

ECLT Foundation – addressing the challenge of child labour in tobacco growing www.eclt.org

World Congress against Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC) www.csecworldcongress.org

RugMark Foundation www.rugmark.org

List of Additional Donors for NGOs

European Commission http://ec.europa.eu/justice_home/funding/intro/funding_intro_en.htm

freedom, security and justice

Ford Foundation http://www.fordfound.org/

KIOS Fundación http://www.kios.fi/

Human Rights in developing countries, legal, capacity building

Mac Arthur Foundation http://www.macfound.org/site/c.lkLXJ8MQKrH/b.3599935/

Human rights and the funds work in about 60 countries, with special emphasis on four important countries in different regions of the world: India, Mexico, Nigeria, and Russia.

OAK foundation http://www.oakfnd.org/

Human rights, women’s issues and child abuse

NORAD http://www.norad.no/default.asp?V_LANG_ID=0

Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation

SIDA http://www.sida.se/sida/jsp/sida.jsp?d=121&language=en_US

Development Cooperation Agency

Sigrid Rausing Trust http://www.sigrid-rausing-trust.org/

Human rights, equality and environmental justice.

Change to Change - sowing the seeds of change

2011-04-18T21:09:00.000-07:00

Change to Change - sowing the seeds of change
Change to Change is a month long program for youth from diverse
backgrounds. Youth go on trips for social change and as messengers of
peace, sustainability and development. This year we will take you to
Mugu.

Eligibility: Only youth can apply (24 and under), Applications must be
submitted by- Saturday, 30th April, 2011.

Application available at

http://www.tude.org.np/changetochangeMugu11.php
..........................................................................................................................................................................................................
Young Explorers' Fund- igniting difference
The Young Explorers' Fund is initiated by Tourism Development
Endeavors (TUDE) dedicated to the advancement of travel and
exploration among youth who wish to explore Nepal. It aims to ignite
and support the innate sprit for exploration and travel that youth
possess while facilitating tourism based research and documentation.

Eligibility: Youth (16-29)|| Grant Amount: up to Nrs 20000/- ||
Deadline: May 15th, 2011

Application available at

http://www.tude.org.np/Application_Explorers_Fund_2011.doc
.........................................................................................................................................................................
To keep yourself connected with TUDE go to
www.tude.org.np<http://www.tude.org.np/> and like the page! You will
then be connected through facebook

Niraj Tamrakar
International Climate Champion 09/10
Cordinator: Our Mountains our Responsibility- for COnservation and promotion
Team member: International Climate Champions network - Nepal

--
Environment Professionals’ Group [EPG]: Water, Climate Change and
Biodiversity Information Network <http://bit.ly/EnvTalk> was
established by Mr. Tek Jung Mahat
<http://realisingchange.blogspot.com/> in Nov. 2005 as a voluntary
service function, to promote networking and knowledge exchange among
concerned professionals at global, regional and local level. Since
then, it has developed an alliance of over 520 environment
professionals (individuals and institutions) from over 30 countries in
Asia, Europe, Australia, Latin and North America. Group’s popularity
and supporting activities eventually led to birth of ClimateHimalaya
<http://www.climatehimalaya.org.np/>, an independent 'Himalaya
regional initiative' on 5 June 2007.

Pls contact Mr. Laxman Belbase, Group Moderator at
<l.belbase@gmail.com> for more information or send suitable
information directly to <Environment-Professionals@googlegroups.com>

Applications for the SMK Campaigner Awards 2011 are now open.http://www.smk.org.uk/smk-awards-2011/

2011-04-18T00:07:00.000-07:00

Applications for the SMK Campaigner Awards 2011 are now open.

This year there are nine award categories as listed below. To apply, read about each of the award categories below and follow the link to the application form and guidelines.
The closing date for receiving applications is 1pm on Monday 20th June 2011.
To nominate a campaigner, click here.
If you have any questions, please visit our FAQs page or e-mail awards@smk.org.uk.

Consumer Action
Sponsored by Which?
The things we buy in the shops, the services we use whether in a hospital or a school are central to our lives. This award is for campaigners who are fighting to get a fair deal for all.
Criteria: Applicants must be over the age of 18 and based in the United Kingdom. To apply, click here.
Environment
Sponsored by Tellus Mater
This award is for campaigners working to provide sustainable solutions to the environmental problems we face locally, nationally and globally. We are particularly interested in applicants who are forward-thinking and have cutting-edge ideas that might change the rules of the game.
Criteria: Applicants must be over the age of 18 and based in the United Kingdom. To apply, click here.

International Campaigner
Sponsored by SMK
This award is for campaigners outside the UK working to achieve social, economic or environmental justice in their home countries. We will work with the successful applicant both in their home country and here in the UK to help them make best use of the resources available to them, build their networks and alliances in the international community, and develop a successful strategy to achieve change.
Criteria: Applicants must be over the age of 18 and a resident of and working in one of the 80 eligible countries. To apply, click here.
Local Campaigner
Sponsored by Department for Communities and Local Government
This SMK Award is to promote and encourage local campaigners raising awareness across England of the importance of local action. This award is for individuals campaigning at a local level, helping to set the agenda themselves and taking action on issues important in their area or community.
Criteria: Applicants must be over the age of 18 and based in England. To apply, click here.
London Social Justice
Sponsored by Trust for London
This award is for campaigners tackling poverty and inequality in London.
Criteria: Applicants must be over the age of 18 and based in the London. To apply, click here.

Shout Out!
Sponsored by The City Bridge Trust
Shout Out! is an award for young campaigners who are campaigning on their own or in a group of up to 5 people. This is for young people living in London who are campaigning or thinking about starting a campaign about something which matters to them.
Criteria: Applicants must be between 14 - 18 years old, apply individually or in a group of up to 5 people, and be based in London. To apply, click here.

Social and Economic Justice
Sponsored by Shelter, Traidcraft, TUUT and individual donations through JustGiving.com
This award is for campaigners working to break down social barriers and maximise the opportunities open to all members of society. The Social and Economic Justice Award is for campaigners who are tackling social and economic disadvantage and inequality. To apply, click here.
Criteria: Applicants must be over the age of 18 and based in the United Kingdom. To apply, click here.

Take Action Award
Sponsored by Age UK
This new award aims to recognise and encourage older campaigners who are aged 60 or over who campaign about issues that matter to them. Please note that this award is not exclusively for people campaigning on age related issues.
Criteria: Applicants must be age 60 or over and based in the United Kingdom. To apply, click here.

Transport
Sponsored by Dr Simon Norton
This award is for campaigners working anywhere in the UK to improve access, create sustainable, integrated solutions and/or help change the way people think about transport to meet the challenges of our time.
While any transport campaigner who meets the criteria is welcome to apply, we are keen to broaden the take up of this award and increase applications from those campaigning on issues or in areas that have been under-represented in previous years. This includes, for example, rural buses and railway lines; aviation; traffic levels; integrated transport strategies; and improving access to the countryside.
Criteria: Applicants must be age 18 or over and based in the United Kingdom. To apply, click here.

Building Rural Resilience in Seismically Active Areas

2011-04-17T23:39:00.000-07:00

Building Rural Resilience in Seismically Active Areas

UK Team: Alex Densmore, Dave Petley, Lena Dominelli, Jonathan Rigg, Nick Rosser, Katie Oven (IHRR, Durham University) and Samantha Jones (DDC, Northumbria University)

Nepal partners: Amod Mani Dixit, Surya Narayan Shrestha and Ranjan Dhungel (NSET-Nepal)

Bala Raju Nikku and Ruja Pokhrel (Nepal School of Social Work)

Regional partners: Ouyang Hua, Hari Krishna, Vijay Kadgi (ICIMOD)

N.M.S.I. Arambepola and Peeranan Towashiraporn (ADPC)

Academic advisors: Ben Wisner and Greg Bankoff

Contact: Katie Oven (email: k.j.oven@durham.ac.uk)

Introduction

A multi-disciplinary team comprising academics and practitioners from the UK and Nepal has undertaken a four month scoping study funded by the UK government’s Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) to identify the key research needs across the natural and social sciences with the aim of increasing the resilience of rural communities to seismic hazards. The research, led by the Institute of Hazard, Risk and Resilience (IHRR), Durham University, was undertaken in collaboration with three local partners: the National Society for Earthquake Technology (NSET), the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the Nepal School of Social Work.

The study comprised three components:

· bottom-up engagement with two communities in central Nepal to develop an understanding of the interface between natural hazard science, the concerns of the community relative to seismic risk, and their perceptions and understandings of earthquake-related hazards;

· a one month consultation with the project partners to identify the relevant initiatives that are already underway and the key research needs from the perspective of the practitioner community; and

· an invited expert workshop involving our local and regional partners and academic experts from the US and UK, with the aim of contextualising the findings from the study.

Key Findings

Our findings fall under four major themes.

1. Local understandings and perception of earthquake-related hazards

It must be recognised that earthquake-related hazards are always placed in the context of wider societal concerns. In a risk ranking exercise undertaken with eight community groups, landslides were prominent, but earthquakes were not. Rare but damaging hazardous events were viewed differently from the everyday pressures and hardships associated with economic and social insecurities. While some individuals and households have little choice but to dwell in ‘risky’, landslide prone locations, others were willing to substitute a safer existence for what was, in their terms, a better quality of life (with access to health care, education, and business opportunities). People may be unwilling to strengthen their resilience to rare events if doing so compromises their resilience to everyday risks. In developing practical steps to increase resilience, we need to recognise people’s agency and decision-making.

2. Uneven local knowledge

We found that there was a highly uneven local knowledge of different earthquake-related hazards. Rather than being viewed as part of a continuum of possible hazards, recurrent events, such as yearly monsoon-triggered landslides, and infrequent high-magnitude events, such as the effects of catastrophic earthquakes, were considered to be separate and unconnected. Knowledge of large earthquakes and their effects in this area was limited by little or no social memory or seismic culture. In general respondents did not make the link between the small, regular tremors that are experienced and the possibility of large, high magnitude earthquakes. Additionally, associations between related hazards, such as landslides triggered by earthquakes, were rarely made. Conversely, and potentially advantageously, respondents had a good understanding of the causal factors and triggers of seasonal landslide activity and the characteristics of different landslide types, and were able to identify areas that have or could be affected by landslides in the future. Landslides in this area affect people every year and have wide-reaching impacts upon livelihoods. Landslides therefore offer a possible entry point into discussions around comparatively rare, high magnitude events.

3. Forecasting primary and secondary seismic hazards

Improving scientific understanding of earthquake hazards with the ultimate aim of forecasting earthquakes will provide practitioners with much needed information regarding the possible location, magnitude and frequency of future events. In addition, forecasting the distribution and magnitude of secondary effects, including earthquake-triggered landslides, deforestation and land-use change, changes in ground water and surface water availability and downstream sedimentation, is vital for preparedness, planning and response.

4. Science communication and the governance of earthquake risk reduction activities

A wide range of earthquake risk reduction activities are already underway at the local, national, and regional level in earthquake-prone countries, e.g. NSET’s schools-based earthquake safety programme in Nepal and the regional training programmes on community-based disaster risk reduction and earthquake vulnerability reduction organised by the ADPC. However, it is important to note that not all earthquake-prone countries have government departments or NGOs that are actively engaged in earthquake risk reduction. Governments and NGOs may prioritise other concerns over comparatively infrequent earthquake hazards (as was the case in Haiti); alternatively, they may not know where to obtain information about seismic hazards or how to interpret the information that is available. This raises important questions around the communication of information between scientists and the practitioner community and highlights the importance of engagement with end-users.

Comments and recommendations

1. It is essential that we increase our understanding of, and preparation for, high magnitude earthquakes in Nepal and elsewhere along the Himalayan Arc.

2. It is vital that we improve the scientific understanding of both primary and secondary hazards associated with earthquake activity. Building resilience to the shaking alone is not enough.

3. We must ensure that the scientific and social scientific questions being asked reflect the needs of the practitioners on the ground.

4. We must recognise the vulnerability of rural areas, in addition to urban areas and mega-cities, to seismic hazards. As recent earthquakes in Kashmir and Sichuan have shown, a significant proportion of the affected population in earthquake-prone countries are in rural areas.

5. We should look to address the knowledge gaps that currently exist around rare, high magnitude event across communities, governments and NGOs.

6. There is a pressing need for tracking the use of outside ‘expert’ knowledge by stakeholders and for assessing its impact on the ground. All too often, research is handed over to governments and NGOs to implement without advice, support or appraisal.

7. As past development activities have shown, a one-size-fits-all approach to earthquake risk reduction should be avoided. In some countries, working through national and local level government may be the most effective way of engaging communities and rolling out wider initiatives; but for countries without a stable or able government platform, NGOs or community groups may be the most effective conduits for resilience building activities.

8. It is essential that we identify suitable entry points through which to engage vulnerable populations. Focusing on rare, high-magnitude events of which there is little community awareness or experience, and for which there are limited strategies available, is unlikely to be effective. These entry points may be defined, for example, in terms of specific earthquake-related hazards (e.g. landslides) that can introduce the populace to earthquake effects as well as to specific activities that they can undertake to increase resilience.

We welcome comments from the wider practitioner community on the above with a view to shaping future natural and social science research in this area.

POLITCS OF ADOPTION POLICIES IN NEPAL

2011-04-17T00:16:00.000-07:00

Adoption in Nepal: Mythologized, Misunderstood and Mobilized
A Retrospective Study of Kathmandu Valley
by : CWISH and NEPAL SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK

Executive Summary

1.                Twenty years on from the adoption of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, children’s rights are still not seen as a serious political issue. Legal measures and government policy documents proclaim that best interests of children should be of paramount consideration while deciding about adoption in Nepal. Family-based community care; in-country adoption should be an option explored before any child is sent for intercountry adoption from Nepal. If and when possible, children should be given an opportunity to decide about their choices. In addition to these governmental efforts, there are many NGOs named as child care homes and orphanages in Nepal that are involved in facilitating adoptions especially intercountry adoptions. This research report documents and analyses domestic and intercountry adoption policy and practices in Nepal.

2.                The general objective of the study is to review the legal procedures and gaps regarding inter and intra country adoption procedures, study the status of child care homes in the Kathmandu Valley and to identify the people’s perspective on domestic and international child adoption. The specific objectives of were to understand the adoption practices by the government, child care homes and international child adoption agencies involved in Nepal, to analyze the views of various stakeholders regarding the efficacy of legal measures and services provided by Child Care Homes., o appraise the human resources and infrastructure (status of the) available at child care homes and to recommend policy intervention and strategies to address the issues of adoptions.

3.               The study used both qualitative and quantitative research tools and collected the perceptions of different stakeholders from the Kathmandu Valley. The study also analysed the status of the child care homes and found that more than 80 percent of the child care homes donot have adequate human and infrastructure facilities. The main findings and recommendations are: Though the current study is located within the Kathmandu valley the results will have implication for the Nepalese policy on both domestic and intercountry adoptions. 2. From the Public Perceptions study, it is clear that in Nepal a large majority of the general public are not fully aware of the intricacies of adoption policy and processes, hence leading to misconceptions about adoptions, especially with intercountry adoptions.3.Public perception suggests that laws and policies should be made transparent, and monitoring body is to be formed to ensure the safety of the child. The child should not be adopted until the prospective adoptive parents prove that they have sound economic condition or financial security and are committed to the child’s future and wellbeing. The child care homes that are involved with adoption services were not very open to share their work with others like researchers. They were not entirely transparent and worried about the future of the sector. The adoption policy is heavily contested by the different interest groups (The Hague Conference on Private International Law, Government bureaucrats, NGOs, INGOs, Law makers, Media, Embassies Child care homes, Academic and research institutes) in Nepal and hence the policy is an outcome of push and pulls factors.

world social work day 2011 @ Nepal School of Social Work

2011-04-15T22:55:00.000-07:00

What are good leadership and management in Social Work? What characterizes successful leaders and managers in Social Work? How do we develop present and future leaders at our social work institutions? What are the best practices, and can we learn from each other? These are some of the questions that are always are at the core of plans of Nepal School of Social Work.

We believe in nurturing young social workers at our institute who are not just leaders but are LEADING THE LEADERS. How to achieve this goal? It is our learning environment and freedom with responsibility that brings the ‘best’ out of our young social work students and faculty members. We do this in many ways. One such way is to celebrate WORLD SOCIAL WORK Day to bring the attention of the Public to the less recognized social work profession in Nepal. Another objective is to reflect our own abilities and aspirations to become a social worker.

I am happy that many interesting activities have taken place in this month of March 2011. Indian Social Work Students from Rajagiri School of Social Work (Kerala) have complete their block placement and returned to Kerala safely. The students of Acharya Institute from Bangalore had a good urban visits and interactions with them useful to understand social work in India and Nepal.

During my recent visit to UK I have learnt how the best schools of social work are mentoring their students. We will try to update our field work methodologies by adding some of the best practices. I also hope that this visit will help to build further partnerships for our school in the near future. I look forward to many more exciting learning activities by you in the months to come.

Bala Raju Nikku, MSW,PhD

here is the invitation to join us

2011-04-15T22:34:00.000-07:00

We at NEPAL SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK inviting you to join us

If you are interested in Social Work, Social Research, Teaching, Working a Social Issues and making a campaign ….. We invite you to visit our school of social work or write to us beginning November 2010!!

The Nepal School of Social Work enhances access to development education to disadvantaged young people in Nepal who are otherwise lost their opportunity to study college level education. Unlike other institutions, the Nepal School of Social Work through its partner institutions provides affordable, need based, quality development educational opportunities there by creating a pool of trained and motivated human resources play a crucial role in building a just and humane society through eradicating ignorance, inequality, ill health, illiteracy, poverty and powerlessness.

Teaching is one of the central functions of an educational institute and so it is for the Nepal School of Social Work. This school is a joint initiative of Department of Social Work at Kadambari Memorial College (Purbanchal University affiliate) Department of Rural Development at Nepal College of Development Studies (Tribhuwan University affiliate) and Department of Development studies at Tulsi Mehar Memorial College (Pokhara University affiliate).

For Further Info: Bala Raju Nikku, MSW,Ph.D.

Founding Director, Nepal School of Social Work

Shankamul, Ganesh Marg,Kathmandu, Nepal

ph: 00977-1- 2030346/ Mobile: 00977-9851004578

www.nepalschoolofsocialwork.org

nikku21@yahoo.com

Nurturing social workers to create a just society