Women’s empowerment program changes lives in crisis stricken Nepal

Toronto, February 2, 2016: The Ontario Council for International Cooperation (OCIC), World Accord and Women for Peace and Democracy-Nepal bring you a ground-breaking photojournalism exhibit that tells stories of resilience, strength and empowerment of the most marginalized women in Nepal.

“Our goal is to showcase transformative grassroots partnerships between organizations in Canada and Nepal, and to demonstrate that long-term relationships based on trust bring positive change in women’s lives,” saysKimberly Gibbons, Executive Director, OCIC. “Women for Peace and Democracy-Nepal educates and builds the confidence of rural Nepali women so that they can walk hand-in-hand with the men, and speak for themselves. Their recent efforts to support women in earthquake-affected communities to rebuild their homes and lives — despite the very challenging circumstances – is also inspiring, and impactful.”

All of Women for Peace and Democracy’s socio-economic empowerment programs are intended to promote gender equity and equality-based development, eliminate injustice and violence against women, enhance the practice of democracy across Nepal, and enable women and the most marginalized to play a role in local socio-economic and political change.

OCIC and photojournalist, Allan Lissner, travelled to Nepal in December 2015 to see this work and have since created the photojournalism exhibit, Transformations: Stories of Partnership, Resilience and Positive Change in Nepal. The exhibit will launch Friday February 5, 2016 from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm at the Center for International Governance Innovation, in Waterloo; and Monday February 8, 2016 in the Metro Hall Rotunda,Toronto from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm. The complete virtual exhibit will be available online beginning February 4, 2016 at www.transformationstories.ca, and shared on twitter at #Transformations2016.

This exhibit is one of the many activities undertaken by OCIC and other member organizations to celebrate International Development Week 2016, February 7-13, 2016.