• Background
• Objectives of SASA Net Nepal
• Major Actions
• Interventions initiated
  • Interactions / seminars at National and Regional Level
  • Press Conference
  • Submission of Memorandum
  • Celebration of World Peace Day
  • SASA Net Nepal Publication
  • Art Competition
  • People's Consultation on Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)
• SASA Net Nepal members

Background

SASA Net Nepal was established on December 19, 2003. The network is focused on placing the problem of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SAWL) firmly on the political and public agenda through publicizing the human impact of small arms misuse. The network comprises of Individual and Organizational members comprising experts from security studies, political science, law, development studies, conflict resolution, sociology and anthropplogy who are willing to contribute to achieve the mission of SASA Net Nepal. The network has been formed to create awareness and to disseminate information about the harms caused by small arms and to influence the government to implement resolutions accepted in the UN conference of 2001. SAP - N acts as the secretariat for SASA Net Nepal.

(Top)

Objectives of SASA Net Nepal

• To raise awareness among the policy makers, the civil society organizations, the media and the public
• To provide forums to the likeminded organizations to share their expertise on small arms issues
• To encourage and foster collaborative activities like advocacy efforts, public education, campaigns among the like-minded organizations.

(Top)

Major Actions

• Research and information exchange
• Raise awareness
• Collaborative advocacy efforts
• Capacity Building
• Campaigns at national and at regional level
• Formation of National Commission.

(Top)

Interventions initiated

Interactions / seminars at National and Regional Level

SASA Net Nepal i n collaboration with other like-minded organizations organized interactive discussion programs to educate and create awareness about the causes and consequences of small arms proliferation and misuse in the country. T he media, civil society organizations, academicians and experts participated in the meeting.

National Level

• SASA Net Nepal and INSEC organized an interaction program in January 2004 with the human rights organizations, peace organizations, academicians, experts and representatives of civil society organizations. Dr. Rohit Kumar Nepali , chairperson, SASA Net Nepal and Mr. Subodh Pyakurel, chairperson, INSEC, presented their papers on small arms proliferation and misuse from the civil society perspective and human rights perspective respectively.

• SASA Net Nepal and Amnesty International jointly organized an interaction program on " Stop gun culture and violence against women " with the media and civil society on May 28, 2004 . The panelists Dr. Rohit Kumar Nepali , Mr. Hiranya Lal Shrestha, Ms. Shobha Gautam, Ms. Shobha Shrestha, Mr. Karna Bahadur Thapa, Mr. Pradeep Pokhrel and Mr. Raju Sarkar presented their views from the human rights and gender perspectives.

• SASA Net Nepal and HRICON jointly organized an interaction program on with the civil society on "Gender and affect of Small Arms" July 9 2004 . The panelists Dr. Rohit Kumar Nepali , Mr. Hiranya Lal Shrestha, Ms. Shobha Gautam, Mr. Karna Bahadur Thapa, Ms. Shobha Shrestha, Mr. Pradeep Pokhrel, Ms. Meena Poudel, and Ms. Geeta Pathak presented their views on the impact of small arms.

• SASA Net Nepal in collaboration with SAP-International organized a interaction program on "Violence Against Women in Politics" on May 27, 2006

Regional Level

SASA Net Nepal in collaboration with its partner organizations (INSEC, OXFAM, Amnesty International, RRN and SAP-Nepal) organized one-day interactions on “Small Arms Proliferation and misuse in the country” in the five development regions of the country under Survey on Small Arms Program. The objective of the program was to aware and educate on small arms proliferation and misuse in the country as well as to identify the status of small arms proliferation and misuse in the country. The interaction program was participated by civil society organizations, political leaders, academicians, army, police, media, women organizations and conflict victims. The program was financially supported by IANSA .

(Top)

Press Conference

Organized Press Conference on "Control Arms" on the 9th of October 2003 . The objective of the conference was to share on the launching of the National Campaign for Arms control.

(Top)

Submission of Memorandum

SASA Net Nepal submitted a Memorandum to the Honorable Home Minister of Law and Justice, and Parliament Mr. Dan Bahadur Shahi on June 12, 2005 . The Memorandum covered the following points:

The memorandum was submitted during the Global Week of Action against Small Arms.

(Top)

Celebration of World Peace Day

It has celebrated World Peace Day in collaboration with SAP Nepal , SAP International and more than other 32 civil society organizations. It had been able to gather huge mass of people to cite slogans against small arms. A press release was organized a day ahead of the World Peace Day i.e on September 20 to share with all the stakeholders about World Peace Day.

(Top)

SASA Net Nepal Publication

The network has initiated process to publish a document entitled "Barrel of Gun". It consists of articles contributed by members of the network. The document is being published with the financial support of OXFAM Nepal .

(Top)

Art Competition

On the occasion of The Global Day of Action for an Arms Trade Treaty (ATT),   SASA Net Nepal and SAP-Nepa l are jointly going to organized an Art Competition on  " The Impact of Small Arms  and Light Weapons on Society" on April 23, 2007 at SAP - Falcha, SAP-Nepal . Fifty-Four Youths from various art colleges participated in the program.

(Top)

People's Consultation on Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)

To control the proliferation and illicit trade of small arms the concept of ATT has been developed. In this regards United Nation has called its member state to send its perspective towards ATT. To support the process of ATT, civil society organizations at various countries are organizing People's Consultations on ATT. SASA Net ( Nepal ), successfully organized four consultation meeting at National and Regional Level in the month of May and June, 2007. Programs were organized with the objective to influence government and to share about ATT with the policy makers and to collect the People's view. Around three hundred people from various sectors took part in the consultation meeting and gave their valuable suggestions.

Programs have helped to advocate the issues of small arms and the relevancy of ATT in the Nepalese context. Programs have also helped to find out people's views in regards to ATT. People suggested that the Nepal government should sign ATT and should send its positive view to the UN. Moreover program was successful to influence government to work on the issue more seriously and to receive the positive commitments from the concerned ministry and the policy makers.

(Top)

SASA Net Nepal members 

Organizational Member

• Mr. Tirth Prasad Gyawali, Chairperson
• Mr. Jagadish Dahal, INSEC
• Mr. Prasen Khati, OXFAM
• Mr. Jyoti Lal Ban GRINSO
• Ms. Shobha Gautam, IHRICON
• Ms. Geeta Pathak, Kathmandu School of Law
• Mr. Rameshwar Nepal Amnesty International
• Mr. Ram Prasad Gautam, RRN
• Ms. Shobha Shrestha, Member -Secretary

Individual Members

• Dr. Rohit Kumar Nepali, SAP-International
• Mr. Malla K. Sundar, Member of Parliament
• Dr. Bishnu Upreti, NCCR
• Dr. Karna Bahadur Thapa, Ex Army
• Mr. Faruq Faisel

(Top)