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न्यू योर्कको नेपाली संस्था 'अधिकार' लाई हिलो छ्याप्ने काम यसरी भो

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न्यू योर्क, 19 Mar, 09- गत बर्ष ५० हजार अमेरिकी डलर नगद राशी पुरस्कार रहेको न्यू योर्क शहरको गरिमामय Union Square Award द्वारा सम्मानित न्यू योर्ककै कुइन्स शहरवरीपरी बसोबास गर्ने नेपालीहरुको सेवामा बिगत तीन बर्षदेखी निरन्तर सकृयाशिल नेपाली महिलाहरुले स्थापना गरेको सामाजिक संस्था 'अधिकार' लाई हिलो छ्याप्ने काम भएको छ।

९९ औं अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय महिला दिवस (8 March) को अवसरमा अधिकार ले आयोजना गरेको अन्तरर्किया कार्यक्रम "नेपाली नारिबीच समानता: विविधतामा एकता" को बिषयलाई लिएर निमा लामा मानन्धर नाम कि एक महिलाले अधिकारले नेपाली इमिग्रेन्ट महिलाहरुको भलाईभन्दा उनिहरुको नाममा फाईदा उठाउदै आएको आरोप (आरोपित आलेख तल पढ्नुहोस्) लगाउदै बिभिन्न नेपाली अनलाइन साइटहरुमा समाचार प्रकासित गरेकोमा अधिकार कि कार्यकारी निर्देसक लुना रन्जित निक्कै दुखित भएकिछिन्‌। (आरोपको प्रतिबाद 'अधिकार'ले कसरी गर्दैछ, तल पढ्नुहोस्)

अमेरिका कै विश्व बिद्यालयबाट एम.ए. गरेकी लुनाले स्थापना कालदेखी साढे दुई बर्षसम्म बिना तलब दिन रात संस्थाको हित र आप्रबासी नेपाली महिला (र पुरुष) हरुको लागि काम गरी अधिकारलाई यो उचाइसम्म ल्याउन जुन त्याग गरेकी थिइन् त्यो बुझ्दै नबुझी प्रकासित भ्रामक आरोपको सम्बन्धमा यो पङ्तिकारसँग लुनाले भनिन्‌-

"हामीले जहिले पनि नेपाली आप्रबासी महिलाहरुको हक हितको कुरा उठाउदै आएका छौं। हामीले गरेको राम्रो कामलाई सिको गर्नुको साटो डाह र इर्श्या गर्नेहरुले अधिकार र यसमा सङ्लग्न महिलाहरुको बिरुद्धमा बिश वमन गरेका हुन्‌। तर यसले हाम्रो काममा केही असार पुर्याउन सक्दैन।"

उनले अधिकारको कामप्रति औंला ठड्याउनेहरुलाई चुनौती दिदै अगाडि भनिन्- "अधिकारको बिगत र बर्तमान कार्यहरुको जानकारी लिन म सरोकारवालाहरुलाई अधिकारको कार्यालयमा आउन निमन्त्रणा दिन्छु। हाम्रो कार्यालय सबैको लागि खुल्ला छ।"

लुनाको एउटै प्रश्न छ, राम्रो कामको लागि स्याबासी दिने कि खुट्टा तान्ने?

सन्‌ २००५ को जुलाईमा स्थापना भई न्यूयोर्कका नेपालीहरुबिच कृयाशिल 'अधिकार' ले हरेक बर्ष ५०० भन्दा धेरै नेपालीहरुलाई स्वास्थ सेवाका अलाबा नि:शुल्क ट्‍याक्स, इमिग्रेशन, श्रम अधिकार, दोभासे लगायतका कार्यशाला गोस्ठीहरु र तालिम दिदै आएको छ।

'अधिकार' को हालको Board मा Malabika Das (chair), Rajani Adhikary, Amy T. Paul, and Tina Shrestha छन्‌। यसका अन्य सदस्यहरुमा Rinku Bastola, Narbada Chhetri, Swechhya Panta, Akash Timalsina, Saloni Agrawal लगायतका छन्‌। 'अधिकार' को स्थापना ४ जना महिलाहरुले गरेका थिए, ति हुन्‌- Luna Ranjit, Tafadzwa Pasipanodya, Rashmi Shrestha र Srijana Shrestha ।

'अधिकार' ले बिभिन्न नेपाली संघ संस्थाहरुका साथै Chaya, Drum (Desis Rising Up and Moving), SAYA (South Asian Youth Action), Sakhi (South Asian Women), Safe Horizon, ROC New York लगायतका NGO हरुसँग पनि सहकार्य गर्दै आएको छ।

-Pradeep Thapa Magar in Pune, India. Comments? Call/sms at 917-570-1098 (in USA), +91-996-065-1053 (in India) or email: pradeepthapa@gmail.com

Pradeep Thapa, Editor-in-Chief, USNepalOnline, is in Pune, India until April 7th.

न्यूयोर्कका नेपाली महिलाहरुले यसरी मनाए अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय नारी दिवस Nepalese women & men at Adhikaar's interaction program in New York. Photos: Amit

'अधिकार'ले आरोपको प्रतिबाद कसरी गर्दैछ, तल पढ्नुहोस्:

Dear Friends,

We, the board, staff, volunteers, members, and friends of Adhikaar, would like to respond to the recent email/article filled with offensive lies that seeks to distort Adhikaar's work and demean the hardworking women and men involved with Adhikaar. Our statement is attached and also pasted below. The pictures from our CPR training are online at: http://picasaweb.google.com/luna.ranjit/CPRTraining#

We would also like to take this opportunity to express our gratitude to our volunteers and supporters who make Adhikaar's work possible, and give us strength during difficult times like these.

Please help us spread the word. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 718-937-1117.

Sincerely,
Luna (on behalf of Adhikaar team)

For Immediate Release

March 17, 2009

Contact: Luna Ranjit, 718-937-1117

In Response to “Categorization of Nepalis Women in US”

Woodside, NY: We recently came across a piece about Adhikaar in various online news media that was full of factual errors that tried to distort Adhikaar’s work, and demean the staff, volunteers, members, donors, and supporters of Adhikaar. Adhikaar is a New York-based human rights and social justice organization that is led by women. We are a nonprofit organization registered in New York State. We started and continue as a community-driven organization. The core of Adhikaar’s work is informed by community needs and feedback.

At Adhikaar, we have been fighting for the rights and dignity of Nepali-speaking and other marginalized communities. We have actively spoken out for improving immigration laws, changing health care policies, and implementing labor laws. We regularly meet with lawmakers at city, state, and national level to discuss these issues, and present our platform, in addition to providing one-on-one assistance, organizing English classes, and conducting workshops on various topics of importance to our community.

We take grave offense to the characterization of the people affiliated with Adhikaar as lazy and dishonest (“potato couches” “hate a sincere and hard labor”), and that Adhikaar “makes money by cheating uneducated women who come from remote areas.” Adhikaar has been able to work beyond our resources due to our large pool of volunteer men and women who have put in thousands of hours of unpaid work. While many work extremely long hours for little pay and are supporting their families here and back home, they find time to come together to support each other, learn from each other, and share whatever resources they have. Ms. Goma Sen comes in every week to share her skills as a beautician and Ms. Bharati Rai wakes up early each Sunday (after working 6 days as a nanny and a housekeeper) to teach English to our sisters who did not get an opportunity to go to English-medium schools. They are just two examples of our strong and growing group of men and women who believe in Adhikaar’s mission and vision of being united for positive social change.

On January 21, 2009, we completed a Child CPR training conducted by the Red Cross. Out of the $80 we charged the participants, $75 went directly to the Red Cross for providing the training, and $5 helped provide lunch. Adhikaar paid for the space rental, and also subsidized the participants who were unable to pay at the time. All nine participants received certificates at the end of the day. (Please see attached list of participants and the pictures documenting the day.) A nanny training has been planned, but not yet implemented. All of our other programs and services, including interpretation, English classes, and workshops, have been free and open to everyone in the community. Additionally, we would like to point out that there is no law that says non-profit organizations cannot charge money for its services.

We would also like to clarify that Adhikaar does not have any official connection to the UN, nor does it receive any benefits from it. We do meet with Nepali delegates who come to attend UN meetings to discuss our respective work and find areas of collaboration. Adhikaar has neither the interest nor time to be known as an umbrella organization. The information about Nepali organizations have been compiled for our outreach purposes, and is built upon information widely available on the Internet.

Our community needs assessment survey results show that more than 50 percent of Nepalis in New York are getting paid below minimum wage, and also that most of our sisters are employed in domestic work or nail salons. We recognize and value the diversity within our community, including educational background, professional and personal experience, English skills, and immigration statuses. We also understand that due to US immigration and economic laws and policies, there is a level of discrimination that limits opportunities for many of us, regardless of our background. We did not all start on the same page, but through a series of ongoing conversations, everyone at Adhikaar recognizes and upholds the dignity of all types of work, including the invisible labor that is too often forgotten.

We are proud of the fact that we are currently joining our hands with other domestic workers’ groups in New York to push for the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights that will ensure basic human rights and dignity of all nannies, elder care givers, and housekeepers. We are also happy to report that the Bill of Rights has been approved by the New York Senate Labor Committee, we will be working hard to make it a law in 2009!

On March 9, 2009, we circulated a press release about the historic gathering of Nepali-speaking women and men on March 8, 2009 in Astoria, New York. Over 100 women and men from Nepal, India, Tibet, Bhutan, and Burma attended for a full-day conference from 10 am to 4 pm. Our theme of Unity Among Diversity was reflected among the panelists as well as the participants. All the panelists met at Adhikaar before the event and finalized on how they wanted to format the session. We had an overwhelmingly positive response from all the participants we talked to, as well as during the afternoon small-group discussions. The entire program has been documented in photographs, video, and an audio recording.

We welcome this opportunity to extend an invitation to everyone interested in furthering human rights and social justice among New York's Nepali-speaking communities to come visit us, witness our work, and give us feedback about how to improve our work. We are open to constructive criticism that will allow us to improve our work and serve our community better; a smear campaign will neither help us, nor our community. Adhikaar office is open six days a week (Sunday through Friday). Walk-in hours are 1pm – 6pm, and we can also meet with prior appointments. We look forward to moving ahead as a stronger, more united community.

First CPR Training

We organized the first CPR training for our members on January 21, 2009. The training was arranged in response to popular demand from our community members. The Child CPR training was conducted by a bilingual trainer from the Red Cross. One of our member leaders, Bharati Rai, completed the training earlier and assisted interpretation during the training. Nine members who work as nannies received Red Cross CPR certification at the end of the training. The participants were:
Bishnu Thapa
Brinda Rai
Indra Kumari Gurung
Jyoti Bhattrai
Kalpana Aryal
Kalpana Shrestha
Pema Sherpa
Prabha Adhikari
Yesoda Shrestha

Luna Ranjit
Adhikaar | 39-06 62nd Street, BL | Woodside, NY 11377 | 718.937.1117 | www.adhikaar.org"

न्यू योर्कको सामाजिक न्याय पुरस्कार "अधिकार" ले पाउँदाको त्यो क्षण Members of Adhikaar during the award ceremony. Luna Ranjit, Executive Director of Adhikaar giving her Union Square Award acceptance speech. Photos: eEyeCam

'अधिकार' (Adhikaar.Org) को तेस्रो वार्षिकोत्सब कार्यक्रम ( 14 September, 2008) मा कार्यकारी निर्देशक लुनाले प्रस्तुत गरेको उनको अधिकार स्थापनाको मार्मिक कहानी:

Luna Ranjit of Adhikaar, New York based Nepalese social organization. Photos: eEyeCam

"I have the honor of serving as the first Executive Director. I have been doing the same work since Adhikaar started three years ago, but for the first two and half years, I worked without pay...I was a full-time volunteer, and I have often been asked-why am I doing this? With a master's degree from a well-known university, good English skills, and work experience, I could be doing anything I wanted, so why this?

When I'm feeling self-important, I say because Adhikaar needs me...because I am in this unique privileged position to be able to bridge the two worlds..of being a Nepali with American experience, because Adhikaar would not function without me. But honestly, I do this work because I need Adhikaar as much as, or may even more than, Adhikaar needs me. Because in spite of my privileges, I am still vulnerable because I'm brown, because I am a woman, and mostly because of my foreign-born status- because I am an immigrant seeking freedom, seeking a better life for myself and for my loved ones, because in this country legal or illegal, I am still an ALIEN. But Adhikaar provides a safe space for me...it gives me strength to share with you today--my own story.

I came to the U.S. twelve years ago, a wide-eyed teenager with dreams, hopes..After 11 years and 11 months of living in the U.S., working here, paying taxes, I was told that I do not belong here, that I have not done enough to deserve a small space in this big country. my greencard petition was denied... I was devastated to say the least... and especially to know that a person in Nebraska who does not even know me has so much power over my life, my future. With a stroke of a pen, he can undo what took me 11 years and 11 months to build - little by little.

In the midst of it all, Adhikaar has helped me keep things in perspective. One thing is that I realize that my situation is still much better than most. I still have viable options. I have a very supportive and loving life partner & family members and many friends close to my heart. And I am also very lucky to have amazing bosses - Adhikaar's board of directors. When they heard the news, they not only gave me hugs and encouraging words, but also jumped in to take on additional responsibilities so that I would have time to sort my life out. I can say the same about our great volunteers. And also my co-workers, especially Rinku and Narbada. Rinku came to work every single day last year, even when she was not getting paid. She is always ready for a challenge, and always with a smile. And Narbada didi -- she is fierce yet kind, outspoken yet respectful -- even when she was worried about her daughter, she found time to help others.

And of course all of you - we know there are so many other things to do in New York City on a Saturday evening.... So, thank you, all of you....

Going back to my story, keeping my perspective does not mean I have not shed tears or felt helpless and angry - I am not that strong. But I have been able to smile again, and on at times laugh again. And all of my didis and bahinis and daju bhais at Adhikaar - the stories and food and the love they have shared with me - give me the strength to continue...I have decided to appeal the decision... and yes, personal is political - it's more than just a slogan for me, but I'm not talking just about myself but a bigger picture - because this story is not just about myself...there are so many of us in similarly vulnerable situations - many of us are here in this room... and many of us have it worse... we haven't seen our family members in a decade, we run after other people's children, we keep this rich and powerful city up and running and take home pittance, and if we ever try to question any of this, we are told to go back to our countries, go back where we came from... sometimes even if we were born in Texas or Florida or Queens...

At Adhikaar, we will continue to work for positive changes... Joining our hands together, we will have the strength to keep fighting, to keep speaking up, shouting if needed, until the day when we do not have to be separated from our children or parents, until we do not have to live with the uncertainty of whether or not our employer or our spouse will file for our green cards, until we get paid a living wage, or heck, at least the legal minimum wage, until we do not have to live in terror of workplace raids or yelling bosses, until we can afford to see a doctor when we are feeling sick... until our bosses cannot get way with sexually harassing us... well, I could go on... but I believe change is possible... some may call it a utopian dream but if we believe we can make it happen.

I feel incredibly lucky to have Adhikaar in my life, and have all of your support. Today, I want to make a personal appeal to all of you to support Adhikaar in whatever way you can to make it grow so that there is a safe space and a support structure for every Nepali-speaking person (or for that matter, any other person who needs it) in New York City. Once again, thank you."

निमा लामा मानन्धर नाम कि एक महिलाले अधिकारले नेपाली इमिग्रेन्ट महिलाहरुको भलाईभन्दा उनिहरुको नाममा फाईदा उठाउदै आएको भन्दै USNepalOnline लाई 11 March मा प्रेसित आरोप आलेख तल पढ्नुहोस्:

Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:47:44 -0700 [03/11/2009 11:47:44 PM CDT]
From: neemalamamanandhar@yahoo.com
To: feedback@usnepalonline.com

Subject: Categorization of Nepalis Women in US

Categorization of Nepalis Women in US

Very recently the non-government type organization called ‘Adhikaar’ organized the program, “Nepali Women in New York Celebrate a Historic Day of Solidarity & Sisterhood”. After returning home from the program, the participant women felt so sad and expressed anger over the categorization of Nepali women as nanny, nail saloon job holder, maid and domestic worker. This so called ‘non-for-profit-organization Adhikaar’s categorization made many Nepalis Women very offended especially the women belonging to indigenous section. It is also the reminder of Indian attitude towards Nepalis working in India who very often termed Nepalis as ‘Bahadur’ and 'Kanchhi'. The United States respect the work irrespective of its kind. Adhikaar’s categorization of Nepalis women as cheap labor is insulting. It made most of the women working in the areas feel low-esteemed since the Adhikaar categorized their hard labor as cheaper working field.

There are so many talented and qualified Nepalis women who migrated to the United States . Professors, medical doctors, engineers, Ph. Ds and scientists who for the time being or sometimes for a longer unless adjusted or found the job up to their capacities have to work in any of the fields. Some of them are engaged as baby-sitters, nail-saloon technicians and some of them do the ‘living’ job to manage their livelihood. One participant bluntly said, “I am feeling more self-esteemed even though today’s program tried to make all of us feel low-esteemed. I am happy that I am not engaged with such a non-for-profit-organization which makes money by cheating uneducated women who come from remote areas of Nepal .”

The Adhikaar meaning ‘Rights’ which received the Union Square Award of fifty thousand dollars claims it as the first Nepalis women organization in US which is completely wrong. It is the first organization which categorized Nepalis women as cheap labor and by using those women as if it speaks for them accumulates money. Otherwise, there is no question of providing training of “child care” to the Nepalis women levying them 70-80 dollars per person. The US law prohibits taking money since Adhikaar falls under the category of non-for-profit-organization. After the training, people should have received certificates. If the Adhikaar is really about protecting the rights of the Nepalis women it should have taken Nepalis women to the training center for the training and made them to receive certificates for the genuine use sometimes later.

Some of the women engaged in Adhikaar are potato couches and hate a sincere and hard labor. Fooling Nepalis women and accumulating money for those potato couch women became the business of the Adhikaar. This organization, long time back compiled the organizations of the Nepalis in New York as if all of them are the umbrella organizations of the Adhikaar and submitted to the United Nations to draw benefits.

The Adhikaar’s celebration of a ‘Historic Day of Solidarity & Sisterhood’ during the international women’s day has been the historic sin made against Nepali women since it categorized them as cheap laborers and illiterates. Who gave the Adhikaar the rights to degrade the morale of the Nepalis women? Let everybody in the world know that Nepalis women have already scaled the Mt. Everest , the tallest mountain in the world. The Nepalis women are already headed to scale all of the world’s tallest mountains at once. We need to feel proud of them. We are not going to feel ashamed just because the useless organization’s efforts to undermine our honest and hard labor. Nepalis women should boycott any program henceforth organized by the organization like 'Adhikaar' that undermines the sentiments and the self-esteem of Nepalis women and the women of indigenous section in particular.

-Neema Lama (Manandhar), Astoria , New York.

Read our related news:

About Luna and Adhikaar:
» न्यू योर्कको सामाजिक न्याय पुरस्कार "अधिकार" ले पाउँदाको त्यो क्षण
» Special feature: Adhikaar Youth: न्यू योर्कको अधिकारका युबा युबतीहरुको नयाँ जोश (18 Photo)
» Let's Celebrate Nepalese Womanhood in New York City ! (9 Photos)
» Adhikaar: Nepalese Women's Voice in New York (25 photos)
   न्यूयोर्कका नेपाली महिलाहरुको आवाज 'अधिकार'

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» भाई भन्दा प्यारो भो यो काम ! नेपाल छोडि न्यू योर्कमा एउटी दिदी के गर्दैछिन्‌? (5 Photos)
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» नेपालको प्रहरी इतिहासमै पहिलो पटक दुई महिला प्रहरी डिआइजी बने
» Special feature: Less Than $ 2 Dollars: Woman’s Body Is on Sale! (5 Photos)
   निधारमा लर्काएर सप्त रङ्गी टीका: यसरी मनाइयो भाईटीका-
» Special: तिहारको रमझम (125 photos): New York:-1, 2, 3, 4 Nepal:-1, 2, 3; NJ; VA; Boston; UK
» नेपालको इतिहासमा पहिलो महिला नेतृ बनिन्‌ रामकुमारी झाँक्री (5 Photos)
» Nepalese Women in Decision Making Role (4 photos)
» 8 Month Old Baby Left at Home while Mother Fought On the Battle Field
   Maoists Female CA Members share Their experiences about a decade long conflict in Nepal
» Teej special: चिटिक्कै 'भा छु रे चुरा र पोतेले, मै छक्क परें सङ्गीको कुराले (21 photos)
» Nepalese Women Are Not Safe Even in New Nepal
» सुन्दरीहरुको अर्को संसार: राम्री बुद्धीको कि रुपको ?: Miss Venezuela wins Miss Universe 2008
» 10 Nepalese Young Women Who Climbed Mt. Everest
» संविधानसभाका १ सय ९१ महिला सभासदका कुरा
» 'Women should fight for the right, not ask for it'.
"Indigenous women's issues in Constitution Assembly poll and Voter Education" Campaign in Nepal
» दुरा भाषाको एक्लो बोल्ने जिबित सोमाले यसरी कहानी बताइन्‌
Only Surviving Speaker of Dura Language, Soma Devi tells Her Story
» 'The Sari Soldiers': नेपाली सारी सैनिकहरुको सागा

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