Date: 15th September 2007 till 20th September  2007

Introduction

Bikalpa Gyan Tatha Bikas  Kendra, Nepal is actively working for Nonviolence, Justice and Peace with  special focus on education for girls and young women. It is a program that aims at providing the children and youths the equal opportunities for their physical, emotional, social and intellectual development and strengthening their roles for justice and human dignity at all levels.Major programs Bikalpa Gyan Tatha Bikas Kendra, Nepal has been involved are:

1. An eighteen months non-formal primary education program for the indigenous young women and girls from remote districts of Nepal.
2. Community Service Learning Centre:
1. Women Literacy Class: A literacy class for women also for raising awareness against girls and women trafficking.
2. Open Class: class for street children, domestic childworkers and carpet factories children.
3. Mobile School especially for children and youths who could not attend regular school and literacy program.  It includes library of books and games.
3. Children Peace Program:
1. Creative Response to Conflicts and Peace Buildings
2. Mural Painting with the theme "Hope for Peace"
3. Girl Child Peace Camp (Asia and Nepal):

• 1st Asia Girl Child Peace Camp"(from Oct 30th till Nov 7th 1999) attended by the girls from 13 countries.
• 2nd Asia Girl Child Peace Camp (from 6th Oct till 13th Oct 2003) attended by the girls from 11 countries.
• A five day "Girl Child Peace Camp", for Nepali girls of Kathmandu Valley.
• 2nd Nepali Girl Child Peace Camp (from Dec 24th till 29th 2004).
• 3rd Asia Girl Child Peace Camp (from December 28th till January 2nd 2006)
• 3rd Nepali Girl Child Peace Camp(from Jan 30th 2006 till 3rd January 2007)

4. Children Peace TV Program
5. Children's Signature Campaign for Peace
6. Seminar for Principal on " Peace Education in Schools"
7. Training cum Workshop for teachers on "Peace Education".
8. Peace School Network.
9. Children Peace Prayer Program

4. HELP, Higher Education Loan Programme: For the youths who without financial support cannot go for higher education.
5. Micro Credit Programme for women: a programme for women running sweatshops and home based income-generating programme.
6. Various programs to support the year 2001 till 2010 as the Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-violent for the Children of the World".
7. Women Peace Makers Program (PEWA) : capacity building trainings and consultation on Peace Process in Nepal.

Asia Girl Child Peace Camp

We have entered into the 21st century. UN has declared the year 2000 as The Year for the Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the children of the world and the year 2001 till 2010 as The Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-violence.  Yet the situations of girl child remain the same. More and more girls and women are suffering because of increasing violence. Throughout the world, there are many children silently suffering the effects and consequences of violence such as physical violence, psychological violence, socio-economic violence, environmental violence, religious violence and political violence including the violence in the war situation.  This violence exists in many different forms such as the street children, child prostitution, child soldier, child workers etc.Why Peace Camp for Girls only?

• Violence against the girl child is worst. One cannot imagine the type of violence the girl child suffers.
• The situation of girls in Asia is worst.
• Girls are the source and the strength for Non-violence.

• To Nurture and Strengthen the Culture of Non-violence and Peace,
• To Help each girl to discover by herself that non-violence is inevitable
• To Share and exchange the wealth of ones culture
• To Provide mediation skills,
• To offer hope by beginning to create, build & strengthen the Culture of Peace and Non-violence.
• To Establish friendly and peaceful relationships among the girls in Asia
• To have loose and friendly network of Girl Child Peace Makers

• Girls should be between 14 to 17 years old
• Should be able to speak English fluently.
• There will be no translation.

• Date for the Camp: from 15th September till 20th September 2007
• About 30 girls are expected to participate.
• Two girls from one country,
• One escort from one country will be invited only if necessary. A separate parallel program for the escorts will be arranged.

Parallel Program for the Escorts

One escort from one country will be invited only if necessary. This escort could be the mother/sister or the teacher. A parallel program would be arranged for the escorts. It will be more of meeting, exposure and visit program.  Countries invited:

• Bangladesh
• Bhutan
• India
• Myanmar
• Nepal
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka
• Thailand
• Vietnam

For more information, please contact:

Bikalpa Gyan Tatha Bikas Kendra,
Boudha, Mahankal Phant
Kathmandu
Nepal
GPO Box No: 23365
Tel. No. 977-1-4480085, 4485475

Fax No: 977-1-4471179

Email: bikalpanepal@yahoo.com