Celebration of International Women's Day 2015 The International Women's Day 2015 with the slogan "Make It Happen" was celebrated by HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation Nepal on 8th March 2015 at Lalitpur. The organizer of the one day event was Employment Fund/HELVETAS. Since 5 years back the International Women's Day has been celebrated by HELVETAS team specially women staff, GESIP focal points and key staff from the different projects. This time the same event was organized by Employment Fund/HELVETAS at Moksh, Jhamsikhel, Lalitpur. The programme was scheduled from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm where Country Director, Deputy Country Director and Jane Carter with TLs and women staff from the projects were participated in the event. There were around 60 participants. The celebration was started with national anthem after breakfast. EF women staff team welcomed to the participants with performing cultural dance where most of the ethnic castes consisting within HELVETAS were represented in song as well as in wearing. Link to cultural dance https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L55g-BAnNx4 After the welcome dance the Dr. Bharat Pokhrel, CD, conveyed his own experience and achieved changes on gender roles in his family, society and his work environment in his opening remarks. While observing the celebration of the event, Ms. Jane Carter, GESIP coordinator, Zurich, also shared her recent experience on gender discrimination in Nepal and anticipated progressive moves on gender inclusion. Link to experience of CD http://youtu.be/Njzy9AfSnM4 Link to Jane Carter's feeling http://youtu.be/P6LqnkUEMyE

The programme was followed by felicitation of those HELVETAS women staff who dedicated their 15 years in HELVETAS with doing an amazing job of juggling two demanding aspects of their life.

Link to Felicitation of women staff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDJyINW4wVQ Afterwards, Ms. Srijana Shrestha made aware on the history of the GESIP, how and when International Women's Day began to celebrate and explained about the evolution of GESIP concepts in Nepal.

Link to speech of Srijana Shrestha http://youtu.be/In3H0ykPMXs Then after a game was facilitated by Deputy Country Director, Ms. Mona Sherpa, where each participant were asked to enlist their multiples roles in society, workplace as well as in home, and finally they were asked to choose one of the most important role they supposed to be. After having lunch, there was a role play session where EF team members played their roles on theme of gender stereo-type roles through a drama "K Ghar K Office" (Either in Home or in Office). Link to play drama: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhK01QHu-XE The play was followed by Team Building games which were facilitated by Ms. Srijana Shrestha and Ms. Sonja Hofstetter. Two separate games were sensitized participants to build effective team work in socio-politically diverse context. On behalf of organizer Mr. Bhanu Pandit gave vote of thanks to all the participants in his closing remarks and handed over the role of organizer for upcoming International Women's Day celebration 2016 to Safer Migration (SaMi) project/HELVETAS. Prepared by: Gopal Krishna Dangol, EF

For more photo glimpses: https://www.flickr.com/photos/126122758@N08/