Women of the World Week 2021

Starting from 1 March, in the lead-up to International Women’s Day, we hosted a series of activities as Women of the World Week 2021. Through digital releases of live and pre-recorded content and selected physical events, we explored the power of arts and culture to contribute positively to gender advocacy. Working closely with WOW Foundation UK, and curators, partners, grantees in Nepal, although virtual, WOW Week encompassed the breadth of our past physical Festivals. It also functioned as a follow-up to the conversations we started through WOW Virtual (2020) and the last physical edition in Janakpur, WOW Madhesh.

WOW Week used the power of arts and culture, amplified by digital platforms, to reach stakeholders of gender equality with important conversations, stimulating performances, engaging stories and meaningful connections. Throughout the week, we explored intersectional issues, offer mentoring and capacity-building opportunities and provided a creative platform for women/girls and gender minorities to influence public opinions and actions.

About WOW Festival

WOW — Women of the World — is a global movement that champions gender equality, celebrating the achievements of women and girls everywhere and examining the obstacles that keep them from fulfilling their potential.

WOW Programmes:

Bites

We released original stories from more than a dozen women from Kathmandu and across the country. These stories explored personal perseverance and career journeys of women across Nepal.

Talks

Together with national and international speakers, we explored the works of Nepali women scientists, looking at work from home response and its impact on women’s role within the household and how digital spaces have propelled new waves of gender and intersectional activism. We also hosted two talks with women in media to know how they have carved out their positions against all odds in a male-dominated sector.

Pop-Ups

Table Top Performances: In January 2021, Katha Ghera worked with UK theatre company Forced Entertainment to train five female theatre-makers the art of producing a table-top performance. Catch live streams of these performances.

Women and Music: Curator and musician Sareena Rai explored untold stories of how women from different backgrounds—practicing music in their own ways—are defying stereotypical ideas of rebellion.

Foklok: We were joined live in Tahnani Pati, Kirtipur, for performances by women flutists from Majhi Bhairav Dapha Khalah and women singers and drummers from Dattatreya Mahila Dāphā Khalah.

Women in Comedy: Women comedians Sanjana Maharjan, Yonzana Magar and Elena Gurung presented their comedy skits/stand-up developed for WOW Week.

Speed Mentoring

We offered 24 mentees the chance to connect with women leaders from diverse backgrounds to seek advise on particular issues or to just connect common causes or shared perspectives.

WOW how-tos

WOW Week is offered a chance to participate in the following workshops:

Comedy and Feminism: Explored comedy as a tool for feminist engagement with UK performer Natalie Diddams.

Her Hands: Learn how to combine women’s traditions with contemporary fashion with UK designer Ellen Rock, Janakpur Women’s Development Center and Fashion Revolution Nepal.

The Art of Unbuttoning: Explored sexual and reproductive health through spoken word poetry.

Marketplace

The Marketplace is a WOW strand, a meeting spot for business, organisation and other services by women and/or for women. This year, we had a digital marketplace curated by World of Women Magazine in partnership with Sasto Deal. Videos introducing the markets will be premiered everyday on our Facebook between 2 and 8 March.

British Council Nepal