Nepal Disabled Women Association (NDWA) organized a one-day Post-Training Community Outreach Preparatory Workshop at its office in Kalopul under the Action for Justice (A4J) Project. The workshop aimed to prepare community facilitators for post-training outreach activities, including individual sensitization, counselling, and referral support in their respective localities.
The workshop brought together seven visit consultants/community facilitators, members of the A4J project team, and NDWA board representatives. The event served both as a preparatory session for the 2026 outreach activities and as the Quarter 1 review meeting, providing a platform to reflect on progress made in 2025 and to plan upcoming community engagement efforts.
During the session, participants reviewed the 251 household visits conducted in 2025, which focused on raising awareness among persons with disabilities, particularly women and girls, on issues related to gender-based violence (GBV), discrimination, disability inclusion, and access to available services. Building on this progress, the team set a target to conduct 500 household visits in 2026, emphasizing improved quality, consistency, and ethical standards in community outreach.
Participants shared key learnings and best practices from last year’s visits. Household-level engagement was recognized as an effective strategy for reaching persons with disabilities who often face barriers to accessing public services or participating in community spaces. Many participants reported that the visits helped increase awareness among families and communities about disability rights, GBV prevention, and available support mechanisms.
Despite these achievements, several challenges were also highlighted. These included communication barriers when engaging with deaf participants, language differences across wards, and ensuring safety and confidentiality during household visits. Facilitators also noted that community members sometimes expect financial or livelihood support from the project, which requires clear communication about the project’s scope. Additionally, consultants discussed the emotional challenges they face while supporting survivors of violence and emphasized the importance of peer support and regular reflection.
The workshop also included technical sessions focusing on disability identification, safeguarding principles, ethical conduct during household visits, referral pathways, and documentation using Kobo Toolbox. Participants explored ways to strengthen coordination with municipalities and ward-level representatives to ensure better service referrals and community support.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen safeguarding practices, maintain ethical standards, and continue regular reflection and learning. Participants also agreed to hold quarterly review meetings throughout 2026 to monitor progress and ensure the effective implementation of the planned household outreach activities.
Through these efforts, NDWA aims to enhance community-level support systems and improve access to justice and services for women and girls with disabilities.