BYAN has always been concerned and focused in the capacity building of the youth with visually impairment. Now its the era of technology . So as per the need of blind youths. BYAN conducted 15 days Advanced computer training from a international trainer Mr. Mansoor from inclusive globe india. There was 20 youths actively participating in the program. Thanks all the participants for their active participation and the trainer for his valuable time and efforts.

BlindYouthNepal #ICT #AdvanceComputerTraining #YouthEmpowerment #DisabilityInclusion #Accessibility4All

Blind Youth Association Nepal-BYAN

About disability

Different types of disabilities include, among others, restrictions in mobility, reduced visual and auditory, speech and cognitive capabilities. More than one billion people, or approximately 15 per cent of the world’s population, live with some form of disability. 80 per cent live in developing countries (UN). The WHO underlines that disability is thus not just a health problem. According to a position paper by Disabled People International (DPI)disability can be understood as the outcome of the interaction between a person with an impairment and the environmental and attitudinal barriers he or she may face“. It is now recognised that disability is “just as much or more about how society puts up barriers that exclude and disadvantage people with impairments by not recognising their rights, needs and potentials (CBM).” People with disabilities are placed at  higher risk of violence include stigma, discrimination, and ignorance about disability, as well as a lack of social support for those who care for them.

Disability and menstruation 

Women and girls with disabilities may experience menarche and menstruation differently—and more negatively—compared to non-disabled women. These include frequent reports of dysmenorrhoea (painful periods), menorrhagia (heavy periods), menstrual hygiene issues and mood and behavioral changes, linked to premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Challenges in terms of managing menstrual hygiene can be:

• Women and girls with disabilities may be less likely to gather information about relevant topics themselves, and /or
• Existing education materials does not include relevant aspects for women and girls with different disabilities or doesn’t cater for different learning requirements
• Women and girls with disabilities may face challenges in accessing sufficient support and especially health services
• WASH infrastructure might not cater for different impairments
• Maintaing hygiene (changing materials, personal hygiene and washing) can be challenging for some people, especially with limited pysical abilities
• Menstruating women and girls with disabilities might face further discrimation and stigma

BYAN started the new practice of learning inclusion and ways to ensure inclusion for persons with disabiliteis and other persons to include with persons with disabilities. We are very happy and are thankful for Snehadhara Foundation for this wonderful experience.

Overview of Arts Practices for Inclusion What is Arts Practices for Inclusion API is a first-of-its-kind course which looks at therapeutic practices and social inclusion through the arts. Based on Snehadhara’s experience in training over 60 Arts Based Therapy practitioners, a need was felt to design and implement a course that looks specifically at social inclusion through the Arts. API is a result of this vision and it facilitates the creation of inclusive spaces for children and adults with disabilities through student led projects. What does Arts Practices for Inclusion (API) focus on? API focusses on the development of practitioners as empathic, compassionate, present, boundaried, freedom-giving persons. Such persons touch the lives of others in a meaningful way – enabling those others opportunities to be a part of spaces, relationships and communities they may not otherwise have access to. API considers such contact to be therapeutic. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has a new frame for integrated development- Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDGs framework of 17 goals invite us to see health and wellbeing as a part of integrated development for not just human societies, but for the whole planet. In the context of mental health, there are indicators within Development framework for the promotion of mental wellbeing and prevention of mental distress. We need to work on both social conditions that place people at risk of developing psychosocial disabilities; and on creating support systems and institutionalized structures that address psychosocial health in an organic manner and in the context of the right to live in communities. Aim of course: Inclusion, Therapy and Arts

• Apply arts to facilitate social inclusion and its therapeutic benefits How can the aim be met?

• Arts enable expression

• Expression enables experience of inclusion

• Inclusion enables therapy

• Inclusion, therapy and the arts are three objectives of API practice Subjects in API

► Introduction to API – introducing basic concepts like art, inclusion, therapy, therapeutic relationship, API index.

► Introduction to Arts Practices – overview of art forms, their nature and application

► Music

► Community dance and movement

► Drama ► Play ► Visual arts ► Emotional and social domains

► Inclusion domain
► Circle of care – practices in daily life such as meditation, yoga, art journals, therapy

► Circle of care – personal domain – instructions about self-care in daily life
► Research, documentation and supervision

► Facilitation practice – how to facilitate sessions Diversity is the art of thinking independently together and The Arts is an experience that unifies this diversity. A for Arts, P for Practice and I for Inclusion constitute channelizing the arts in developing relationships by practicing the therapeutic benefits of creative arts with special needs populations to facilitate social inclusion. The basis of ‘Visual Arts’in therapy is its influence on  Imagination and Articulation  Creative abilities  Fine motor skills  Sensory integration  Patterns and Sequencing  Sitting tolerance and Attention System  Sense of time and place  Tolerance and Turn taking  Uniqueness and Risk Taking  Communication is not always about speech The basis of ‘Rhythm’in therapy is its influence on:  Motor-planning, coordination, learning and practice  Auditory integration and perception  Cognitive processing of patterns and sequences  Cortical Arousal  Group Interaction  Creative Expression  Neuro -immunology  Consciousness alteration

The basis of ‘Story Sharing, Theatre & Puppetry’ in therapy is its influence on:

► Spontaneity, Creativity & Language

► Emotions and No boundaries-expression

► Body Language and Communication

► Props & Visualizations

► Facial and Body expressions-Motor development

► Social Stories

► Puppets-Eye Contact-Attention Span

► Natural Responses over time

► Stories and Creation The basis of ‘Play’ in therapy is its influence on:

► Invitation to play- Respect, AOJ, Boundaries, sense of purposefulness and purposelessness

► Entering the Play space- Letting go, no inhibitions

► Here and Now- Involvement, Attention and Alertness, Experiencing novelty

► Possibilities- Exploring play space deeper (psychosocial), Connections or reflection of real life ( in roads and bridges), Witnessing Other people play

► Many dimensions simultaneously active –using voice,action, interaction, feelings, energy changes Through our Direct Care work at Snehadhara over the years, we found that not only did the children and adults with special needs benefit from the therapeutic application of the arts, but the mainstream populations also they interacted with found a wonderful new way of communication- i.e., by way of the arts. The video links shared will help you understand how we have worked with the arts to create therapeutic spaces. One needs to start with making a deliberate effort towards our participation in this process of Inclusion. Unless diversity is welcomed, and relationships are consciously nurtured, there will be little change in the educational experience of all. We invite you to lend a helping hand and be a part of the journey to fill the astronomical gap in basic services available for persons with disabilities. Join us, each step is indeed the next big step.

BYAN has started 10 days Basic Reaper Audio Production training for 7 Blind and partially sighted youths to capacitate themselves in development of audio materials, programs and others. Now,Blind youths are able to produce digital Audio in their own and are able to produce Audio programs. Mr. Rajkiran Sadashankar was the Trainer for the training.

On Feb 25, in joint collaboration with Family Welfare Division, Teku Blind Youth Association Nepal-BYAN has successfully conducted "Increasing access to comprehensive SRH of young PWDs" a launching and dissemination event. During the event, almost 75 relevant stakeholders such as government officials, DPOs, CSOs, INGOs, services providers (private vendors), and young PWDs were brought together to show joint solidarity towards an inclusive and accessible SRHR of PWDs.

We would like to thank all for the valuable participation in the event :Disability, Sexuality and Accessibility : “Increasing access to Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights of Young Persons with Disabilities in Nepal”. We are very proud and thankful for your commitment and solidarity for inclusion of persons with disabilities in Sexual and reproductive health rights. #disability #SRHR4ALL #InclusiveSRHR #AmplifyChange #myright

In order to increase the uptake of CSE, SRH, and claim the rights, it is important that individuals with disabilities possess the know-how and develop the confidence to make an esteemed decision. To develop such, they should be provided with opportunities to learn and express their concerns. Right now we are enhancing the capacity of the young person with disabilities (In total selected 24 young people with PD, BPS, HoH, and deaf from 4 different districts: Kathmandu, Kaski, Jhapa, and Rupandehi).

BYAN in collaboration with the National Association of the Sign Language Interpreters Nepal (NASLI) and the National Federation of the Deaf Nepal (NFDN), has been conducting a 4 days workshop on SRHR for the sign language interpreters of Nepal. We realized that there is the existence of a knowledge gap on SRHR among deaf and hard of hearing communities of Nepal. The absence of signs for many of the technical teams related to CSE and SRHR has created serious disadvantages for hearing impaired people and increased their vulnerability and made it difficult for them to claim their SRHR. Consequently, BYAN, NASLI, and NFDN decided to produce a dictionary for people with hearing impairments which includes CSE and SRHR related signs.