Basant Panchami, is a hindu spring festival.It is observed on the fifth day of the Indian traditional calendar month of Magha, which typically falls in the Gregorian months of January or February.

The festival is celebrated in various ways depending on the region. Many revere goddess Saraswoti, the Hindu deity of learning, arts and music. It is celebrated with visits to her temples, by playing music, as well as the day children, initiate  writing letters of alphabet or study.For many Hindus, Vasant Panchami is the festival dedicated to goddess Saraswoti who is their ancient goddess of knowledge, language, music and all arts. She is the wife of Brahma and she symbolizes creative energy and power in all its form, including longing and love. The season and festival also reflects the agricultural fields which are ripening with yellow flowers of mustard crop, which Hindus associate with Saraswati’s favorite color

May your life shine and dazzle with lively colors of vasant. May Goddess Saraswoti bless you with wisdom and knowledge.  Celebration of joy, happiness and through poetry, dance, music and puja. #celebration #saraswotiPuja

December 10, 2017 – On the occasion of the 69^th International Human Rights Day, the civil and social-cause organizations in Nepal celebrated with the theme “equal opportunities for youths and women: a base for prosperity and development.” The main goals of the program were to promote and raise awareness on the theme of human rights and freedoms.

Since 1948, the declaration and implementation of the UDHR has been changing the lives of people around the world who have been living in the shadow of inhumane policies and practices. On this day, each year many civil and social-cause organizations, including The Women’s Foundation, celebrate this political festival with rallies, workshops, seminars and awareness programs specially focused on the rights of women and children in Nepal. This year, thousands of people participated with enthusiasm in Human Rights Day programing.

The event evaluated the current status of the country’s fulfillment of human rights and discussed how to strengthen quality of life with a newly elected federal political system. Though the constitution has guaranteed the rights of people from all walks of life, rules are yet to be formulated in regard to the implementation of youth and women rights. From the political, social, and economic perspectives, we carefully considered how to bring women’s rights into practice. All of the organizations present at the program worked diligently to make a successful event. We are now lobbying for the human rights provisions required in the constitution which have not been effectively implemented yet due to some technical reasons.

We believe that our event will change the perspectives of the people here for safeguarding the rights of all people.

Update: Today 26^th November 2017, Nepal is holding the first phase of Federal Parliamentary and Provincial Assemblies Election under new federal structure, which it adopted in 2015 with the promulgation of the new constitution by the cabinet. The first phase of election will covers 32 districts of the total 77 districts of the country. Correspondingly, the second phase is taking place on December 7 in 45 districts of the Terai and hills.

With the pre-poll violence on rise, the Government of Nepal has deployed Nepal Army Security personnel for the election who will be placed in the third or the last layer of security ring. . Around half a dozen small bombs were exploded in various parts of the country over the weekend targeting candidates, in which at least a dozen people were injured. Police arrested different rebels who were involved in the violence and anti-poll activities with excessive harms.

Different district staffs, members and volunteers of the Women’s Foundation are observing the first phase of the Federal Parliamentary and Provincial Assemblies Election 2017. The polls on Sunday opened at 7 a.m. and will close at 5 p.m. The vote counting of the elections will only start after the completion of the both rounds of election.

We courage for the peaceful election with voting rights environment!

Every child has a Right to Survive, Develop, Participate and Protection universally. We thank all the generous people who are spreading their hands and supporting for the children’s rights.

The three days heavy monsoon in Terai has killed 70 people and 50 people are still missing. More than 26000 houses are submerged under the flood water. Our district Offices at Sunsari and Jhapa are providing relief to the flood victims. The district office witnessed that the children, pregnant women and old age population are facing great difficulties. Alone WFN cannot provide the relief to the victims. So WFN is in need of support from our partners.

Renu Sharma (The President), Kamala Upreti (The General Secretary) and Sabita Budhathoki (The Treasurer) are actively working in Jhapa District Branch and Sub- Branch Offices and Sunsari. Because of the transportation barriers as the bridges had been flooded and they could not go to other district offices there. Also due to the electricity cut off, the communication, sending pictures and obtaining information has been impossible this time. With the support of WFN District Office members and other local people, the team is serving the people in rescue, moving them to safe place and providing reliefs which has been collected at the moment.

On 11th August, at Sunsari District Office there was a phone call at midnight i.e. 2 a.m. crying with fear for the help. Sushila Upreti, the coordinator of Sunsari district was shocked to get such a call from the member of the office and immediately called her neighbors and informed nearby Police station. When she came outside hearing such a news, she found the area was submerged with flood water. All the team members gathered there to help the sufferers and there was a terrible incidents that a boy was shocked with electricity and immediately run to the hospital. All the people especially pregnant women, infants, children and ageing population there, suffering a lot. In the early morning, the members from WFN district Office in coordination with other organization collected clothes, money and all other materials to support the victims. The help has been continuing in the affected places and the people, however we are seeking for more help that could relief to the survivor.

All the transportation, communication, electricity and other facilities has been obstructed by the flood there. Many children, women, pregnant women and their infants and ageing population are in high risk as death tolls of the mentioned population has indicated high percentage. Due to the carelessness of the government structures and the blockages in the transportation has created obstacles in saving and supporting people. The rescue management system seems very poor as before as they do not have any planning for the rescue, relief and rehabilitation. The WFN determined and working in the affected Terai districts and further seeking help to support the victims with tent, food, medicine, clothes and sanitary items for pregnant women and infants. Our first priority is rescue the life in the affected district along with relief materials and rehabilitation to the affected people there. As, the catastrophic environment increases health vulnerability, health facilities is another immediate need that we are seeking in the affected place

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Note: We are not able to upload the pictures and provide you the detail information regarding our services in this affected districts due to the various barriers ie. Communication, transportation, and electricity obstruction. We will keep on updating.

Nepal remains a priority for emergency response as the flood in all over the Terai Districts and Landslides in Hilly Districts has been producing high risk to the people living there. As many as 102 persons died in natural disasters including floods, landslides and inundation in 43 districts of the nation in the previous weeks where 22 persons are missing from the incidents while 58 are injured (The Kantipur, 9th August 2017). Floods triggered by incessant rainfall for the past two days in the Terai districts, tension has been high of losing people, livestocks, crops and properties where 34 people have been added confirmed death and many people are still missing.

The high risk districts has been outlined by the Home ministry, as Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Bara, Sarlahi, Banke. Panchthar. Dang, Sindhuli, Palpa, Bardiya and the flood has been entering nearby districts with high currents. The Annapurna Post news on13th August 2017, Sauraha with the Chitwan National Park too has reported of floods and the water is filling the district where approximately 700 tourists along with the inhabitants are there seeking for help and hundreds of hotels are ruined by flood water there. Also, the Biratnagar Airport has submerged under the flood water and as a result all the flights has been obstructed and cancelled.

Krishna Bahadur Khadka, officiating Chief District Officer of Banke said, “I made numerous attempts to open the doors of the barrage but failed. Later, I urged the home ministry to take necessary action” (The Nagarik News, 13th August 2017). In, 2000, India constructed a marginal embankment at Kalkalwa which changed the whole scenario. The embankment secured India but many parts of Nepal became prone to floods. This is the reason behind the massive flood on Friday and Saturday too.

Food products have been destroyed after the flood water gushed into the human settlements. Thousands of families have been taking shelter in schools and other public places. Cattle of many families have drowned and paddy planted in hundreds of hectors of land has been destroyed owing to the floods. Moreover, heavy rain is forecasted in central and eastern regions of Nepal for coming two days up to 14th of August 2017 (Government of Nepal, Department of Hydrology and Metrology, Metrological Forecasting Division,) and there is needed to be in alert position and be safe in all the places. Home Minister briefed to the Prime Minister that 80% of affected districts are submerged under the flood water and commanded all the government structures for immediate rescue, relief and support.

Picture source : The eKantipur, The Nagarik news,The Annapurna post,The Repulica and other Various news channel and social media .

Fears that the monsoon season would bring with it an increased risk to Nepali from landslides and flooding due to destabilized land from the earthquakes seem to be coming true.

Due to heavy monsoon in different parts of the country, an emergency has been inflicted by the landslides and floods that has recently hit different parts of Western, Mid-Western and Central Regions of Nepal. The government of Nepal has announced and alerted the people of risks that can lead to more disturbances and destruction. We would like to share the problem here that an immediate assistance support which is at utmost required in the affected areas. Adding to this severity, the aftermath of earthquake 2015 is still felt which have greatly impacted on fragile land and no sustained solution has been provided by the government for the affected people.

Many people have been killed, lost and displaced by the landslides and floods. Continuing bad weather and fears of more landslides from the unstable grounds of the earthquake areas, are hampering rescue efforts. In many areas, people threatened by even more mud and flood have been told to move to safer ground. The question is how? How will they get to anywhere safer? Where will they go? Where will they shelter? Who will help them?

Monsoon season lasts in Nepal from mid June until the end of August. Conditions for the people of terai region and other hilly areas will continue to deteriorate. There is so much fear in people that they are just focused on saving their and family’s life. There is no safe place, no proper drinking water, no health care, no school and no certainty when these problems will be over. Immediate action is required to respond regarding critical needs such as water, sanitation, hygiene, shelter, food, health and other essential humanitarian needs. Reports of death and displaced due to a landslide and flood is heard very often in the news. The government has not been able to fully mobilize its resources to help people.

We, Women’s Foundation Nepal, also have been receiving calls for help and aid. Because of the terrible problems in reaching these villages in the monsoon season, we try our best and often send supplies back with a member of the village or even on their own. WFN is planning an initiative to help people with its full capacity. We have districts offices in different location and we can mobilize our volunteers to the affected areas as volunteers are local people. We would update you about the further more phenomenon about the effects and destruction led by landslides and floods. We have not yet receive complete data.

Please continue to send your love and support for relief efforts. Now more than ever, that support is needed and will continue to be needed throughout the next three months of the monsoon season.