In an effort to enhance knowledge of local people on development issues including population, youth, sexual and reproductive health and rights and gender equality, social inclusion, a resource center has been established at the Regional Support Office of UNFPA in the southern Nepalese town of Janakpur. The city, historically called Mithilanchal, is the center of the ancient Maithili culture, which has its own language and dialect.
Despite being one of Nepal's fastest-growing towns, Janakpur with a population of 97,997 (Census 2011) still faces long hours of power outages. Local people in the city lack access to an uninterrupted internet facility or a resource center having a wide range of resource materials on development and contemporary issues. "Keeping these issues in mind, we established the center to cater to local needs", says Narendra Mishra, Regional Development Coordinator of UNFPA Nepal in Janakpur, also a famous historical and religious city.
The center is expected to benefit young people particularly adolescent girls, women, researchers, scholars, students, journalists and others who have an interest in these issues but lack access to a variety of resources. A high speed internet facility even during power outages will be available free in the center together with books, published reports, journals, district profiles, district periodic plans, IEC and other materials in both electronic and hard copies, says Mishra.
Women and young people make up almost half of the population in Janakpur so it is fitting that there is a center which will help development workers, students and researcher's understand their needs more fully and will provide adolescents and women the chance to also understand their rights more fully.
