Abstract

Women have some awareness of sanitation and other health related information but little political awareness, some basic knowledge but poor rates of education and literacy and some skills but little specific skills in income generation, leadership or local government procedures. Some women have been elected into office, do function well in income generation schemes organized and managed by Save the Children-US and can effectively sway local officials to change popular laws that would seriously effect women's income. Therefore, most women in Nepal are not able to adapt to community development strategies because they have little awareness and knowledge and few skills to run for office, organize a women's cooperative to generate income for the village's women or purchase new technologies to make women's world load easier. Importantly, however, is with support from women's family and village groups, extension workers and their outside development agencies such as regional governmental offices or international non-profit organizations, women can be made aware of what causes specific problems and learn the skills and knowledge needed to make the adaptation to new community development strategies.

Women have the foundation for being able to be partners in development strategies. Support at the inside community, extension and outside community levels is necessary for women to develop partnerships. Women should be included in decision-making, have access to information, be respected for their role and importance in society, have their women's groups institutionalized, be provided training about new technology, and have regular, caring and effective extension service. Women's ability to adapt to new community development strategies is at the core of sustainable development because the exclusion of women from the understanding of and plans for development results in no real change in poverty, health, or economy for the nation.

Women's ability is tied to their awareness, skill, and knowledge of what their needs are and how to go about changing them. Women were found to have strong awareness, some skill and some knowledge, but they lack support through institutions and agencies. Most women are not well educated, have not participated in trainings, and have little free time to spend on self-improvement trainings and education.

Women need support from their families and community. The family and community can do this by giving more assistance at home, using extension workers in the field to assist women to repair the broken things and instruct women on prevention and programs. The national and international community can support women by providing programs for women aimed at the major agriculture and household manger. Working on sustainable development requires everyone's work and assistance. It requires programs to be fitting to the situation and to be inclusive of all people.

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