Adolescent Development and Participation

“Rupantaran” social and financial skills training package was developed by UNICEF in 2014, in collaboration with the Government of Nepal and UNFPA. The package was targeted for adolescents age 10 to 19 years to equip them with knowledge and skills to reach their full potential, influence decisions that affect their lives such as education and marriage enabling them to become change agents of their communities. As a part of the “Rupantaran” program, UNICEF has been implementing the package through different government agencies and non-government agencies. 

NFCC, since 2014 has been implementing the “Rupantaran” program in Dhanusha, Rautahat, and Saptari districts of Province 2, which from 2019 has extended to Bara and Parsa districts of Province 2. 

“Rupantaran,” has the goal of empowering adolescents and addressing parents and local government officials to end harmful social norms. As a result, the program has two desired outcomes one of which is providing training to adolescents and increase knowledge on social and financial skills. Another goal of the “Rupantaran” is the parent training, which has the expected outputs of increasing parents’ knowledge about the topics the adolescents are learning. Together with these goals, the program as well extensively focuses on orienting and advocating the local government regarding the program.

With many success stories behind, “Rupantaran” has been considered one of the effective programs that has helped and is helping the adolescent females to be upfront and make outstanding changes in their lives. Now, the time has come for the local government makes stand to bring changes in the lives of these adolescents by mainstreaming the “Rupantaran” program in the local government plan. Advocating with the local government can be considered as an important step to incorporate “Rupantaran” in the local level plan for sustainability.