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"THE FIRE HOOK-Contact & Referral-Centre"
The target-group
According to two surveys of female restaurant workers (Meet Nepal 2003, Maiti Nepal 2003) the sector of small hotels and restaurants in Nepal has emerged as a intermediary supply site in the context of trafficking of girls and young women. Thousands are employed as waitresses, hostesses, dancers, etc throughout the country. A significant number of girls under 18 years old are working in this sector. Many of them have been forced to work in extremely poor health and safety conditions , receive very low salaries, are often denied wages or forced into indebtedness to their employers, and are frequently forced to conduct activities which are deleterious to their physical and social well-being, in particular entertaining male customers with the consequence of physical and sexual abuse.
Because these women and girls are without support or protection-either within the workplace or from being displaced from their family/community - it has been frequently noted that they are at extremely high risk of being trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and worst forms of child labor. A significant but unknown number of women and girls have "disappeared" from restaurant workplaces, and most are presumed to have been trafficked into prostitution or other forms of harmful labor.
OBJECTIVE
It is our objective to reach out to the numerous girls and young women working in "Dance-& Cabin-Restaurants" and all such places that are encouraging and/or facilitating the commercial sex-trade in Pokhara.
To this end we are creating a "Safe-Space" for this target group to meet and to talk about their problems. With this care-giving facility we will respond to their psychosocial needs, provide counseling and awareness programs, conduct confidence building programs and at need we will refer our beneficiaries to a Clinic, a Hospital or to free legal service if this is required.
However, the main objective of this Action Program is to raise awareness among this target group, and this at their work-place and by their Peer-Leaders.
Moreover we would like to provide a window of opportunity for those who are willing to change their life by providing Life-Skill-Training, NFE (Non-Formal-Education) and referral for Job-training where ever possible.
Your feed-back, suggestions and support with regard to this important project is welcome.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Radha, Raymond & the TEAM
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