1. Formation of Para Legal Committee:

Paralegal committee of Women with Disabilities (WWDs), consisting of 7 members, was formed in Rupandehi district dated 27th February, 2017 in the coordination of Ganga Bhusal. This committee supports the project to identify the cases of violence against WWDs and to take necessary actions for the legal process. It is expected that this committee will help in increasing the access of WWDs to the justice mechanism in Rupandehi.

2. Three days of Training on Antiviolence Legislation and Justice Mechanism for Women with Disabilities
Blind Women Association, Nepal (BWAN) organized a three-day-long training on Antiviolence Legislation and Justice Mechanism for thirty WWDs in the hall of Sky Restro and Banquettes on 5-7th  June 2017, Samakhushi, Kathmandu. This training is expected to enhance the knowledge and capacity of WWDs on the national and international laws and legislation in regards to violence and justice mechanism. The direct beneficiaries of this training were WWDs, especially disability right workers from local communities of Nepal affiliated in Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs). They were capacitated for advocating rights of WWDs and raise their issues with concerned agencies as well. Such training helps to introduce disability into development program and to combat against violence for against WWDs.

3. Training on Election Education

On 8^th June, 2017, BWAN organized an orientation on election education to the BVI women, in collaboration with International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) for the upcoming election. Thirty five participants from fifteen districts have been benefitted from the program. This training consisted of the voting process, candidacy registration, information on local governance. This training focused on the districts where the elections took place in the second phase i.e. Province 1, 5, and 7.

4. Half Day Interaction Program of ‘My home My Rights project” (A Pilot Project)

A half day interaction program was held at Tourism Board, Bhirkutimandav on 25th July, 2017. The program aims to establish a home center where all kinds of the single women with disabilities could receive rehabilitation along with training. The program was conducted  in the presence of Ms. Lily Thana, co-founder of WHR, NeeraAdhikari, section officer of Department of Women and Children, NirmalaDhital, president of Nepal Disabled Women Association, SitaSubedi,president of BWAN, Jyoti KC, founder of Divya Jyoti Foundation, Suresh Rajbhandari, senior adviser  of BWAN, and other fifteen single-women having different types of disability. Ms. IkshaK.C  was sent to the training organized by Ujyalo foundation with the financial support of BWAN. This project has been developed by her side help focusing on the issues of single women with disabilities.

5. Legal Aid Service to Justice Seeker Women with Disabilities

With the objective of providing legal aid service to the justice seekers (women and girls with disabilities), BWAN has provided counseling and legal treatment to the females who are in need of the services. For this, this association has taken initiative to provide legal aid services and financial and mental support to the justice seeker women. In this context, BWAN has appointed a legal advisor who has responsibility for legal counseling and prepares legal documents to the court. In the year 2017 (project period), two cases of BVI women relating to property right and divorce and birth certificate have been registered in BWAN for legal aid, and one case is proceeding in the court.

6. Getting Short-term Job as a Paid Volunteer:

Five girls had obtained opportunities paid volunteers who are responsible for providing water to poor street people. They provide service from 9.30 to 6 p.m for 6 months. For their services, Madwari Sewa Samiti agreed to pay six thousand per person. Additionally, two disabled persons are employed in different companies with the initiation of Vikash Agrawal. Iksha KC, the past vice president and coordinator of Abilis project, did her best effort to coordinate with Vikash. Vikash already agreed to work with BWAN for the employment promotion of WWDs in future.

7. Formation of Policy Review Selection Committee

This project aims to review existing policies and focuses on violence against women with disabilities. The executive committee of BWAN formed a selection committee under the presidentship of Ms. Sita Subedi, the senior adviser named Birendra Raj Pokharel, a disability expert, and Ms. Neera Adhikari, an influential board member. This committee has the responsibility of selecting the consultant and preparing a TOR for reviewing the existing policies related to the rights of women with disabilities.

8. Training on Legal Awareness for Women with Disabilities

BWAN organized a one-day-long training on Legal Awareness for BVI women in the hall of Nepal Blind Association (NAB), Sukedhara, Kathmandu, on 17^th November 2017. The main objective of the training was to create awareness of the legal rights of BVI Women and to fight against different types of violence. The facilitator of this training is Samjhana Pokharel, the legal adviser of BWAN. Twenty BVI women/girls including staff were benefitted from this training.

9. Training on Reproductive Health and Sanitation

BWAN has organized a one-day training on reproductive health and sanitation for BVI women in the hall of Nepal Association of the Blind on 1^st December, 2017. The training was established in collaboration with Ability Development Society under the project Open Society Foundation (OSF). The main aim of the training was to sensitize WWDs on reproductive health, mensuration, and sanitation. The participants learned concepts of reproductive health, menstrual hygiene, breast, anatomy of breast, changes in the breast and breast abnormality. Along with this, Ability Development Society distributed hygiene handmade sanitary pads for the participants. Prayas Nepal provided shoes to the participants living at women hostel. Thirty nine participants were benefitted from the training.

10. Interaction Program with WWDs for Identifying the Problems

Interaction program was conducted among WWDs of Rupandehi district on 27^th of February, 2017 to find and analyze the local problems of WWDs. Fourty seven participants including 35 WWDs were present in the interaction program. Various issues/problems of WWDs were identified. At the end of the interaction program, a questionnaire related to access to justice was filled up. Eleven WWDs were interviewed in order to identify the issues of women and girls with disabilities.

11. The Interaction on the Violence against Women with Disabilities

The interaction program on the violence against women with disabilities was organized in the hall of the Department of Women and Children, Pulchok, Lalitpur on 6th March, 2017. This interaction aimed to discover the problems/issues of violence against WWDs and to buildnetwork among DPOs, NGOs, and concerned stake holders for working effectively.

12. Focus Group Discussion on Mainstreaming Disability Issues in SDGs Implementation

In the hall of National Disable Federation, Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu, on the International Youth Day on 23 August 2017, BWAN, in collaboration with Nepal Disabled Youth-Nepal (NDYN), organized an interaction on the topic “Mainstreaming Disability Issues in SDGs Implementation.”  More than forty young people participated in the program. Mr. Naren Khatiwada, president of Youth Advocacy Nepal (YAN), facilitated the interaction by presenting a speech. He highlighted the background, targets, and standard of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). He gave emphasis on the problems of famine, poverty, education, health, and inequality that are directly linked to the issues of people with disability. Due to the lack of awareness of these problems, young people with disabilities have not played remarkable roles in SDGs implementation process. The program enabled the forty young people to learn about these problems and the corresponding solutions. BWAN believes that such a program should be continued to support in identifying the disability issues and in localizing the SDGs.

13. Interaction on Existing Laws and Policies

In the hall of Hetauda club, Makawanpur district, on 13th October, 2017, the general assembly of Nepal Association of the Blind (NAB) organized a half-day interaction program on existing laws and legislation regarding the people with disabilities and women deprived of human rights. Thirty nine BVI woman representatives from different districts participated in the program. The main aim of this interaction program was to provide information about the existing laws and legislation of people with disabilities and about the human rights for BVI and disabled women.

14. Interaction on Human rights Relating to Disability

In Nava-Sanskritik Manch, Dilli Bazzar, Kathmandu, on 9^th December, 2017, in the special occasion of the 9th Meghameet of human rights, BWAN collaborated with Sankalpa Nepal and organized an interaction on human rights relating to disability. Twenty five BVI women including media volunteers participated in the program. Ms. Neera Adhikari presented a speech about human rights declaration and the situation of rights of women with disabilities. The main aim of this interaction program was to sensitize the BVI women in regards to human rights, the context, principles, the issues.

Advocacy Meeting

• Meeting with Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Welfare

The meeting was conducted on 24 March, 2017, with Mr. Dorendra Niraulaand under Secretary of planning section of Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MOWCSW). MOWCSW requested the grant which has been disseminated for the promotion of disabled people organization (DPOs). For this, BWAN has already submitted the proposal asking for the budget focusing on Terai districts (Bara, Rautahat, and Mahottari) for the legal literacy and committee formation.

• Meeting with Election Commission:

On March 24th, the meeting was conducted with Mr. Surya Pd. Aryal, the chief of the Information and Training Department of Election Commission. The meeting mainly sent the request for the support of voting rights of the WWDs in the upcoming election. Similarly, BWAN asked Mr. Surya Pd. Aryal to arrange orientations focusing on BVI women and expand their access to vote. As a result, BWAN has organized orientation program for WWDs/GWDs focusing on local election in the collaboration with UNDP.

• Meeting with IFES Nepal

The Meeting was conducted between members of BWA-Nepal, Ms. Radhika Poudel, the chief executive of IFES, Mohammad ShaidRozaand, the program co-coordinator. The meeting focused on the upcoming election on 3^rd May, 2017. IFES agreed to provide human resources and educational materials related to the election for the training, but the financial support for the training was limited. As a result, the half-day training on election education was conducted smoothly for the WWDs and Girls with Disabilities (GWDs) accordingly.

• An Advocacy Meeting with Women Cell of the Police Force:

In police Headquarter, Naxal, Kathmandu, on 7th May, 2017, BWAN organized a meeting about enhancing the access to justice for women with disabilities. The meeting was conducted mainly by SP.  Durga Singh and DSP Tara Devi Thapa. The association aimed to help WWDs/GWDs who are victimized from their counterparts. They also gave them encouragement and agreed to offer support whenever they need.

• Meeting with the Administrative Chief of Civil hospital

The meeting was conducted between the Administrative of Civil Hospital Chief Ms. Ranjana Nepali and members of BWAN. The meeting was held on the 24^th October, 2017. The aim of the meeting was to provide a discount on the treatment of the Jamuna Ghimire, a blind woman and a general member of BWAN. Finally, the Hospital gave the discount of 50% in her medical treatment.

• Meeting with Vice President of Social Welfare Council (SWC)

BWAN  arranged an advocacy meeting on 14^th November 2017 with the Vice President of SWC Mr. Nir Mani Baral. The main objective of the meeting was to provide a free office room for BWAN at BhrikutiMandap. The vice president gave credit to the idea and arranged a room for the association in the future.