And in other news......

I know there are more pressing things in the universe, but Christina Corrdimas' parents saw this on the news in New York, and it's pretty funny. click here to see the piano cat
I know it's not a monkey riding a dog, but for some reason animals doing human things is HILARIOUS. Now if only I could get Rocky to go get me a diet coke out of the fridge when I'm swamped with data coding. I must return to my Clinton School slavery. Karl Rove is coming on March 8th at 11am. If anyone wants to go, email publicprograms@clintonschool.uasys.edu.

I got some more info on Nepal this week. Here is the description of the I'm working with and what I'll be doing. I'm also staying with a Nepalese family! Here is the website for my placement www.cwish.org.np

1. Hidden Child Domestic Workers (HCDWs) Advocacy program

CWISH has been involved with advocacy and rescue of hidden child domestic laborers since its inception. The dilemma is at once economic, political and cultural. There is a long standing tradition of having child domestic help within the households of the upper class/caste/nobility of Nepal. This is a common practice in the major towns, particularly in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur. Economic hardship has often pushed rural dwelling parents to send their children to town in search of work, food, and shelter. This has been particularly acute during the last decade of Maoist conflict as children were often sent to town, alone with an ‘uncle’ or trafficker, in order to escape Maoist induction into the armed conflict, which could occur as early as age 7.

The practice of child domestic labor, though officially declared illegal, was still widely condoned and practiced among the upper classes and among the King’s loyalists in particular. This is a complex issue as it has been considered by many as an act of charity/ care for children who would otherwise go without adequate food, shelter or security. The rights of these children are the central issue, with many cases of abuse within the employer family, inadequate or demoralizing living conditions, unregulated and unethical working hours and workload, no access to education, nor other basic human rights. Many of these children are lost to their families and do not know their home villages or last names. Others feel forced to continue their work in town in order to send money home to help their families. With the new democratically emergent government, the practice of child domestic labor may decrease, though economic hardship and firmly entrenched tradition assure that identification of these children and protection of their rights, including access to education and health care, is an ongoing critical need. The tasks of this placement may include the following.

A. Assess CWISH’s current informal education, employer intervention, and advocacy activities for child domestic laborers.

B. Assist in developing a strategy and implementation of programs in government schools, civic education, intervention, and advocacy on issues of child sexual abuse and child rights.

C. Expand the support program for child domestic workers who have been transitioned into government schools, including employer-intervention, counseling, and access to legal aide and health care.

D. Work to connect CWISHs research and advocacy programs with international organizations working in the fields of women’s and children’s rights, with particular focus on networking with other organizations involved in rescue and advocacy.