(SMARCO Activities)
5 Women Empowerment Groups capacitated
HURF in collaboration of Jagaran Nepal conducted 3 days training for Women Empowerment Group in 5 VDCs in Ilam in different issues focusing their capacity building for active political participation in June, 2016. 25 women from each groups participated in the training. The groups were capacitated on women rights, gender, political parties, advocacy, VDC service delivery, existing legal provisions, constitutional provision, need of women participation, process of advocacy, and leadership development. The training was organized in VDC level in respective VDCs. The activity was organized under the SMARCO Project, funded by Governance Facility.
 

VDC level Consultative workshop
HURF Nepal organized 1- day VDC level consultative workshop in 5 project baked VDCs in August, 2016. The event was focused on awareness on the services provided by the government agencies in districts, focusing the women groups and political parties. The activities remained interactive between communities and district level government offices mainly DDC, District Veterinary Office, Agriculture office, Public Health Office with their representatives.   The activities supported to the communities especially marginalized women for on the available services and process of achieving the services.
 

District level interaction program
District level interaction program with district level stakeholders was organized on 11 Sep, 2016 in Ilam. The interaction was focused on the gap between existing constitutional mandate and the practice in the issues of women participation. Advocate JB Lungeli presented the status of the gap between policies and practices. The political parties' leaders expressed their commitment to mainstream the provisions in their practice. Representatives of Women Empowerment Groups from 5 VDCs shared their experiences in the interaction.
 

Press meet
A press meet organized to inform the progress and plan of the SMARCO project and sharing the experiences of the women groups on 12 Sep, 2016. District project coordinator Shikhar Nath Sapkota released the report on the progress of the project. The journalists had interviews and interactions with the members of the women groups concerning the visible changes. The women groups members responded that they are started to being participated by VDCs activies, VDCs started to invite compulsory women participation in their meetings as examples.
 

Delegation in different offices
A delegation team of women leaders (the members of Resource centre) and the members of the WEG visited District Development Committee, District office of Nepali Congress and CPN-UML and submitted a letter of request to the authorities on 12 Sep, 2016. The request letter quoted to ensure the women participation as per the legal provision in the district level and all local level committees of the respective political parties and state. Leaders and representatives of the respective offices and parties expressed their commitment to pay proper attention on the issues of women participation and work for policy implementation in future.