Adolescent girls advocate for rights with CM of Lumbini Province
During the meeting, the girls presented a 17-point memorandum, urging the provincial government to prioritize Putha Uttarganga in its policies and programs.
KATHMANDU: Lumbini Province witnessed a powerful advocacy initiative as five adolescent girls from Putha Uttarganga Rural Municipality, representing the Adolescent Girls Rights Forum, met with the Chief Minister, Honorable Chet Narayan Acharya, to raise critical issues affecting their community on Dec 9, 2024.
The visit, organized under the “Achieving Better Lives for All Children and Adolescents” program implemented by MIC Nepal with support from the United Mission to Nepal, aimed to spotlight the challenges faced by adolescents in this geographically remote and underdeveloped region.
During the meeting, the girls presented a 17-point memorandum, urging the provincial government to prioritize Putha Uttarganga in its policies and programs.
They emphasized the need for the effective implementation of the Act relating to children, disaster risk reduction initiatives tailored for children, and the empowerment of institutional provisions such as girls’, boys’, and mothers’ groups.
Their advocacy highlighted pressing concerns, including poverty, harmful cultural practices, gender and caste-based discrimination, child marriage, and inadequate access to education, healthcare, and basic amenities.
The Chief Minister responded positively, acknowledging the urgency of the issues raised and affirming that many of these concerns were already reflected in the province’s annual policies and budget.
He expressed his commitment to ensuring their effective implementation and emphasized the importance of this vital advocacy program in shaping a secure and equitable future for adolescents.
Following their interaction with the Chief Minister, the girls traveled to Kapilbastu for an exchange program with youth groups from Mayadevi Rural Municipality. This exposure visit strengthened their advocacy skills and highlighted the issues they championed.
The initiative marked a significant step in amplifying adolescent voices in policymaking and emphasized the transformative potential of empowering young advocates.
