GBV prevention and response
We are tackling gender inequality by working on GBV prevention and response in 6 main areas: Promoting reproductive health rights, providing Psychosocial support, Legal support, Family counseling, Shelter support, and giving equal importance to Self-care for caregivers.
Promoting reproductive health rights
We increase awareness about reproductive health rights among women, girls, men, and boys through outreach sessions and non-formal education in different programs across various districts.
We also support local health posts by offering assistance with infrastructure and human resource development. In this way, birthing centers at health posts are fully equipped to assist the women in their communities with childbirth, as well as prenatal and postnatal care.
Providing psychosocial support
GBV often results in problems such as social exclusion, psychological distress, mental disorders, anxiety disorders (such as post-traumatic stress disorder), mood disorders, and substance abuse. As such, psychosocial assistance is of the utmost importance for GBV survivors and their children.
In safe houses run by Apeiron, daily psychosocial counseling services are provided by full-time trained psychosocial counselors.
Women and children who have experienced trauma have access to psychological support in various forms: psychodiagnostic assessments, trauma-focused therapy, solution-focused and resource-oriented counselling, family mediation, and follow-up visits.
We also provided in-situ psychosocial counselling after the earthquake by mobilizing a team of experts in the field who were able to reach out to a large number of women despite significant challenges such as the ensuing aftershocks and the mass movement of people.
Providing legal support
We regularly facilitate people in the process of obtaining their vital registration certificates, such as documentation for birth, marriage, and citizenship. During this procedure, we also encourage awareness about the importance of vital registration certificates through flyers, radio programs, outreach sessions, and group counseling.
Providing family counseling
We encourage communities to be gender-sensitive in order to help them understand the consequences of gender inequality. Our interactive programs, such as the sasu-buhari (mother-in-laws and daughter-in-laws) and shriman-shrimati (husbands and wives) interactions help build gender sensitivity, and participating communities have expressed their appreciation. These events are an approach of family counseling.
In our safe houses, the families of GBV survivors are regularly counseled through meetings and telephone conversations, but only if a survivor consents. This form of family-integrated counseling has proven to be effective in the sustainable reintegration of survivors.
Providing shelter support
CASANepal is a residential rehabilitation center for female GBV survivors and their children. Upon referrals from the Nepali Police, Women and Children Offices, GBV Watchgroups, and other NGOs working for women’s rights, survivors come to CASANepal seeking support and services. For each survivor, CASANepal provides complete case management that is tailor-made and survivor-centered. Psycho-social counseling, medical support, legal counseling, various therapies, and skill development training, are some of the important services that survivors receive in the safe house.
For a deeper understanding of CASANepal project details read this document.
In addition to CASANepal, Apeiron also runs safe houses in eastern and western Nepal.
CASANepal construction
There have been many challenges during the last 10 years of CASANepal’s operation. The biggest was finding a house that could host 40 people at a time and still abide to standard safe house guidelines. Then when we had that house, a large percentage of expenses was spent on rent. An added stress was the fear of being forced out despite having a contract. To own a strong and functional house became our most urgent need. With tremendous hard work, and the hearts of kind souls, the first step was taken in October 2016, when Apeiron purchased land to build a new CASANepal in Mulpani, Kathmandu.
The new building of CASANepal was designed with high regard to fire and seismic safety standards and maximum economic and environmental sustainability. Externally, the design was inspired by the traditional Newary architecture, indigenous ethnicity of the valley of Kathmandu, rethought in modern key thanks to the use of new materials. The details of the design are available in this document.
Following the approval of the technical drawings, the tender for the selection of the construction company was prepared. The invitation to tender saw the participation of 7 Companies. The award to the construction company took place after careful assessment of the economic nature of the company’s offer and professional characteristics.
The actual construction of the new CASANepal started at the beginning of 2018.
Self-care for caregivers
At Apeiron, we understand that the mission of helping GBV survivors takes a toll on caregivers. In order to tackle this issue, we provide refresher trainings for staff and send them on leave when this need is assessed. We are constantly looking for ways to ensure staff feel cared for and supported.
