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UNFPA/RRN Joint Press Release

Sustainable Reproductive Health and Livelihood Programme (SUREHELP)

Kathmandu, 20 July 2007 - With the joint initiative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Nepal and Rural Reconstruction Nepal (RRN), a one year project, Sustainable Reproductive Health and Livelihood Programme (SUREHELP) has been initiated. The project is funded by the Government of Austria to provide reproductive health and livelihood support to conflict affected people in the rural communities of the mid western region in Nepal. The overall objective of the project is to enhance the reproductive health and livelihood opportunities for the conflict affected women, poor and ethnic minorities through a socio-economic and political awareness and empowerment process. The project aims to serve about 33,600 women, youth and children from Magar, Dalits, other Janjatis, poor and disadvantaged communities from the 10 selected VDCs of Salayan and Rolpa districts. Ten VDCs that the project covers are Rim, Sinbang, Korbang Jhimpe, Dandagaon, Pipalneta, Tharmare, and Kotmaula in Salyan and Jinabang, Jugar, and Budhagaon in Rolpa.

The beneficiaries of this project include not only the users of the health services and livelihood opportunity holders, but also the local health service providers, members of different user's groups and other community members. The beneficiaries will be made aware and sensitized in reproductive health and gender issues and will be trained on different livelihood options. Similarly, the community people will be capacitated and empowered to understand democracy, constitution assembly and UNSCR 1325 for their participation in the governance system.

To date, two field offices have already been established, staff recruited and baseline information collected. Besides, social mobilisation support is already initiated with some hardware support to the target communities.

By providing information and access on reproductive health, livelihood opportunity and capacity building this project will contribute to the promotion of human rights, empowerment of women, youth and children, and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MGD) and will realize the core thrust of CEDAW and UNSCR 1325.

20th July 2007

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