BEYOND THE DIFFERENCES

2013-05-16

Let’s share this world through the life and death

Beyond the differences; the culture and faith

Whatever the prejudices we experienced till date,

Let’s foresee fairness in the future we wait

Let’s step up together, let the world to pace

Beyond the differences; ethnicity and race

Whatever the skin, the color of your face,

relations be intact, lightened up with grace

Let’s wish for better world, harmony and peace

Beyond the borders, mountains and seas

Whatever the intolerance crosses our way,

Lets prevent this world split to piece

Lets forget those warfare, those reasons we fought

Beyond the differences; opinions and thought

Whatever the rivalry, the history paved on way

Not forget the path what Buddha has taught

Lets share our knowledge, lets learn and teach

Beyond the differences, that prevails in each

Whatever the misconceptions and prejudices we have

Lets give up them all for the greater world to reach

Lets accept the fact why we all are here

Beyond the differences, we have something to share

Whatever the nation, the culture and faith

We have promised to change, by willing to dare

I propose for friendship, lets extend our hand

Beyond the language, the territories of land

Whatever the challenges we encounter this time

Lets have one voice for the cause we stand

सक्दिन म !!

आकाशको तारा टिपी ल्याउन सक्दिन म
तिम्रो लागि सुनको छानो छाउन सक्दिन म।

आश्वासन मात्र दिई कसरी म ढाँटु?

सारा संसार बिर्सिएर आउन सक्दिन म॥

अन्धकार र उज्यालो त प्रकृतिको रीत हो

औँशीलाई पूर्णीमा मा ढाल्न सक्दिन म।

सामर्थ्य नै छैन मेरो झुटो कुरो बोली

तिम्रो सामु आफैलाई खसाल्न सक्दिन म॥

माया गर्छु भन्छौ फेरी शर्त किन ल्यायौ?

तिम्रो लागि आफैलाई फेर्न सक्दिन म।

यथार्थलाई लत्याएर के पो पाउँछौ तिमी?

तिमी यती बदलिएको हेर्न सक्दिन म॥

प्राप्ति हो समर्पण हो त्याग पो हो माया

तिम्रै शर्तको भरमा माया साट्न सक्दिन म।

तिमी प्रति मेरो सम्मान अझ बाँकी नै छ

मित्रताको कसी अहिल्यै काट्न सक्दिन म॥

सम्झौतामा माया प्रिती कसरी म गासूँ?

आफ्नो स्वाभिमानलाई अहिल्यै भुल्न सक्दिन म।

अन्यौलताको भुमरीमा किन बाँध्छौ मलाई?
झुटो बाचा गरी तिमीलाई छल्न सक्दिन म॥

तिमी आफैँ स्वतन्त्र छौ मैले के पो भनूँ?

निशर्त तिमी माया लगाउ अब भन्दिन म।

साँचो माया भए आउ ढोका बन्द छैन

तर अडान बाँकि भए सुन्न सक्दिन म॥

सम्झनाको चिनो बोकी बाँच्छु तिम्रै यादमा

तिम्रो तस्विर च्यातेर फ्याँक्न सक्दिन म।

जीवन पछि मृत्यु आउँछ प्रकृतिको रीत हो

तर तिमीलाई दोषी बनाई प्राण त्याग्दिन म॥

आज!! (Today)

कताकता तिमीलाई नै भेटौँ भयो आज
दु:खसुख तिमीसँगै साटौँ भयो आज
चकमन्न रातको यो एक्लोपनले हो की?
तिम्रै यादमा कसरी रात काटौँ भयो आज॥

बिथोलिन्छ निन्द्रा किन? यादले पो हो की?
छट्पटाउँदै कोल्टो कत्ती फेरौँ भयो आज।
तस्विर मात्रै हेरी बस्ने धैर्य छैन अब,
आफ्नै सामु राखी तिमीलाइ हेरौँ भयो आज

रुमलिन्छ मन किन कताकता मेरो

एक्लै जिउने प्रण पनि त्यागौँ भयो आज

आस्थाको धरोहर त्यो मन्दिरमा ढोगी
देवी-देवता भाकी तिमीलाई मागौँ भयो आज॥

धेरै भयो नदेखेको कस्ती भयौ कुन्नि?
भेटघाट गर्न यतैतिर डाकौ भयो आज
अत्तालिन्छ मन कतै गलत सोच्ने हो की?
प्रेम प्रस्ताव तिमीसँगै राखौँ भयो आज॥

दुई हजार तेह्र सालमा

न त बाँझो खेतबारीमा धानमकै फल्छ भोलि
न त सस्तो ईन्धनले नै मोटर गाडी चल्छ भोलि
अनि नयाँ के होला त दुई हजार तेह्र सालमा
न त बिना लोडसेडिङ रातभर बत्ति बल्छ भोलि

बगाउनै छ पसिना त जनताले हर सालमा
जति शरिर गल्छ आज उत्तिनै गल्छ भोलि
के छ त खै आशा राख्ने दुई हजार तेह्र सालमा?
न यो भ्रटाचारी देशको समस्या नै टल्छ भोलि 

अवस्था यस्तै रहे देशमा अशान्तिको, 

हत्या हिँसा काटमारले मुलुक अझै जल्छ भोलि
परिवर्तन के होला र दुई हजार तेह्र सालमा?
राष्ट्रिय मुद्दा बेरोजगारको न त कुनै हल छ भोलि

छुँदैछ चन्द्रमा नै मुल्यबृद्धि महँगीले,
यस्तै रहे गरिवीले जीउ ज्यान ढल्छ भोलि
के खुशीमा मनाउनु खै दुई हजार तेह्र साल यो
न त कुनै नव अवसर न खुशीको पल छ भोलि..

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“ROLES OF NEPALI YOUTHS IN DESIGNING A BETTER NEPAL”

Youth are not only the leaders of tomorrow, but also the partners of today.

Today, 1.7 billion people i.e. more than one fourth of the world’s six billion people are between the ages of 10-24, making this group of  young people the largest ever to be entering adulthood. In Nepal, 60 percent of country’s population is assumed to be below 25 years of age. The populace of youths (16-40 years; as defined by National Youth Policy of Nepal, 2010) accounts for 38.8 percent of the total population and these cohorts represent a critical constituency for shaping of nation’s future. These youths are the pioneers of socio-cultural, political and economic reform. They are the crucial segments of nation’s development.

It is an undeniable fact that the current situation of Nepali youths is miserable, characterized by extreme discrepancies in terms of political, economic, educational, technological, social and cultural resources, which vary extremely across regions, localities and population groups. Current opportunities of Nepali youths for political participation are unsatisfactory, coupled with limited chances of involvement in developmental actions, entrepreneurships and limited space available for social participation. Moreover, the government’s readiness to materialize the potentiality of youth leadership in the reform of the country and ensure the active participation of the youths in each and every process of state functionality is at question.

Despite the contribution of youths to this country is not adequately recognized, they have continuously been struggling to make a difference as activists, as leaders in community transformation, as entrepreneurs in economic growth and by indefatigable degree of volunteerism.

                          

Youths are the backbone of Nepalese political system. The Nepali youths have rendered an outstanding contribution to every political change, founding of democracy and other social movements in Nepal. No doubts, the success behind every of these social movements and political change are attributable to youths’ participation. However, the participation of youths is to some level confined to street politics with intent to consolidate the vested interests of political elite. Therefore, the meaningful participation of the youths in political force is yet to be ensured. Nepal can certainly rely on this young generation for the overall upliftment of the country provided an opportunity is given to them to serve the nation.

The young generations around the country, still today are raising their massive voices, seeking their decisive roles in developmental actions, and are urging political leaders to act upon their concerns regarding democracy, peace and development, employment, human rights, justice and social and political inclusiveness. The Nepali youths are also struggling to help this country curtail corruption and endorse good governance. They have a high courage of fighting for a corruption free nation by refusing to pay bribes, leading anti-corruption media campaigns, organizing youth clubs on good governance, reporting fraudulent transactions of government officials and through similar approaches. But as the Nepalese bureaucracy and political system exhibit the culture of corruption breeding corruption, the challenge is to harness the enthusiasm of youths so as to prevent themselves being fallen up into this vicious cycle. Besides, since these youth movements are characterized by fragmentation, resulting in isolated actions that do not reach their full potential, young leaders are often undermined with limited resources and undervalued by government leaders and other decision-makers. As a result, youth’s voices are unheard, their political representation is on shade and they stay behind being unequipped to fully participate in the decision-making that shape this country’s future.

Without the determination to unite all these fragmented idealism and high ethical standards of the youths, their vision to steer the wheels of national development as a political leader is beyond imagination. Hence, emerging as an active decision maker requires youths to come up with mutual understanding, shared goals and common agendas among every individual youths, association and unions in each and every prospects of country’s future. Only through the coordinated actions of the youths, their political voices will get heard, political participation will be secured and their nationalistic decisions will be implemented in the mainstream of national development. With a strong commitment and determination as well as sincere political participation of the youths to achieve the common national goals and agendas, the concrete and sustained development of the nation is sure to be observed in the nearest future.

In addition to youths roles as a political leader/representative, many Nepali youths are organizing locally and expanding their horizons towards social reform. This means that youths are breaking through the mold of traditional political avenues and moving beyond political roles as their sole civic responsibility. Any idea of national development is just a myth without the active participation of youth in it. Nepali youths are seeking for the opportunity to be utilized as assets in nurturing their communities out of poverty by creating the foundations for holistic, integrated and sustainable growth and prosperity.  Previously, youth input in decision making, problem solving and action in communities received limited attention. However, recently youths are increasingly recognized as social actors in the development of their communities. It is the time for youths to utilize this opportunity for change and contribute to the country’s future.

The Nepali youths today are educated, well networked, and effective at identifying areas of need, efficient at raising funds and pooling resources and self-capable of developing and implementing community service projects. The constant community development services offered by numbers of youth clubs/ associations and organizations like Youth Red Cross Circles, Y-Peer, Rotaract/Interact clubs, Lions/Leo clubs and several others are self-evident to describe the roles of youths in country’s development. These networks of youths have been contributing to promote education, increase gender equality, raise health and social awareness, combat poverty, and protect environment. The youth have also been marching towards “Epidemic free Nepal”. An initiative of Paschim Paaila, a youth- led organization, provides a remarkable example.

In addition, youths have also been organized to combat a burden of HIV/AIDS.  It is youths who have been flourishing awareness against HIV/AIDS through approaches of peer education, trainings and advocacy. This power and enthusiasm of young people can be harnessed and maximized in a formal way to share knowledge and information about HIV and stimulate the needed positive behavior among young people. Such active participation of youths could also help nation reach the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Economic reform is another important avenue where the country’s youths have potentials to contribute for. It is evident that the problem of unemployment catalyzed by political instability and poor economic performance has contributed to the upsurge of brain drain in Nepal. While this brain drain has been plaguing Nepalese economy for almost two decades, some youths have set up good examples and signs of change by setting up new enterprises and fostering economic growth.

The slow but growing rates and the critical success of these sorts of youth entrepreneurship has become the attraction for many unemployed youths. Utilizing these entrepreneurial spirits of the youths can help the communities achieve economic growth and it can certainly open the opportunities of reversing brain drain as well as addressing youth unemployment to some extent. Thus, the youth entrepreneurships have revealed the rays of hope fostering youth to become champions of economic reform. This growing aspiration for entrepreneurship by youths is sure to perpetuate nation to economic development in the forthcoming years.

This country's future development is shouldered by the youth. In Nepal, the reform of political and social structures is necessary so that democratic system may truly engage and utilize the youths and their innovative ideas into developmental actions from today itself. Youths can truly take a lead if and only when the traditional social, economic and political systems determine to offer honest representation or successful solutions and meaningful opportunities for youth to become the champions of reform and contribute to their nation and future.

Yes! The role of this country’s youth is undeniably important- as a political leader/ representative, as a social activist, as an entrepreneur, as a leader of social transformation and overall as a citizen with sense of civic responsibility in themselves. Proper guidance, understanding, support and recognition as well as direction of government leaders and other decision makers can foster them in the forefront of national development.  For their enthusiasm, dynamism, ambition and creativity, youths are the best change makers. Youths are the drivers of development and change in Nepal.

(This essay participated for a competition marking "International Youth Day- 2012")

Health is a Fundamental Human Right

(Written in the light of International Human Rights Day )

To have the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health is an intrinsic human right as recognized in major human rights instruments. Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 states that everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health, and wellbeing of himself and his family. The preamble to the World Health Organization's (WHO) constitution also declares that it is one of the fundamental rights of every human being to enjoy the highest attainable standard of health.

Nepal formally emphasized health as a fundamental right only after the success of the pro-democracy movement of 2006 by issuing 10 point policy guidelines. Later Interim Constitution of 2007 enshrined for the first time, two health-related  fundamental rights of Nepali citizens stating that ‘every citizen shall have the right to receive basic health care services free of charge from the state as provided for in law’ (article 16.2) and ‘every women shall have the right to reproductive health and reproduction related rights’ (article 20.2). Although these instruments ensured “health for all” as a fundamental human right, the system’s definition of health and its segregation of even basic requirements of care have led to the flawed understanding of this right. Further, Nepalese health care delivery system is embarrassed by copious factors affecting the implementation of the free health services policy rolled out since December 2006, which is a key initiative towards securing the health rights of the citizens.

As one of the developing countries in the world, Nepal has a gross national income of US$440 per person and a population of more than 29 million. The quality of life and the health indictors are extremely unsatisfactory in this part of the world. Life expectancy at birth is 66 years. Though significant advances have been made in the improvements of maternal and infant morbidities and mortalities, they are yet to perk up. The maternal mortality ratio is 280 per 100000 live births and the infant mortality rate is 39 per 1000 live births. Poverty implications are widespread leaving many without even basic rights such as access to clean water, sanitation and medical care. Moreover, discrepancies in the availability, access and affordability of basic health care services has contributed to the extensive disparity in the health care indicators. The imbalances and mal-distribution in the various categories of human resources of health stands as major drawback to health service delivery. To secure health for the people in Nepal as a basic human right is therefore a challenging issue to confront.

Furthermore, abuses against women and girls are extremely common in Nepal. Limited access to adequate health care and nutrition, gendered norms and values which frontier women's ability to assess health care they need, forced trading of girls into prostitution and repression of freedom to decide self for the utilization of safe abortion services  has evidently been violating women’s rights to health care till the date. While there are continuing ample reported cases of infringement of the rights of children on one hand, the health rights of the elderly are still on shade on the other. The rights of the people suffering from mental health issues haven’t still gained a national concern and the health indicators yet do not reveal the improvements in the status of the under-privileged and disadvantaged populations. So it would be absolutely meaningless to argue that the citizen’s rights to health have been fulfilled based on exposition of few documented instruments that entitles health as the fundamental human right.

No doubt, Nepal is an area with stark contrasts in access to health care. Underdeveloped roads and fragile communication links, with remote mountainous terrain, poor infrastructure and lack of sufficient and competent health care personnel, particularly in the western Nepal has been limiting people access to health care. Therefore to dream for the fulfillment of the human rights to health care without significant changes in the current state of health service delivery patterns, technical capacity, medical infrastructures and staff expertise as per the health care demand of the country, would rather be vague and absurd.

Health is a privilege, and in developing countries like ours where particular determinants have constrained the delight of safe and stimulating health care, all the national and international instruments would be of no worth unless these commitments are achieved in realism. The state, humanitarian organizations, I/NGOs, voluntary organizations, professionals and even the general public have the key action to take upon. There is an undeniable fact that the right to the highest attainable standard of health for all cannot be realized overnight. Nevertheless the right to health imposes some obligations of immediate effect, such as non-discrimination, and the necessity that the state at least prepares a national plan for securing the health care rights of the citizen. It furthermore demands the active and informed partaking of individuals and communities in the health decision-making that affects them. The state ought to realize that right to health is something more than a slogan. The right must help to guarantee that health policies assign particular consideration to the vulnerable and marginalized, augment community involvement, and ensure that health interventions strengthen public health systems, and so on.

Collaboration Between Veterinary and Public Health

Zoonoses

Zoonoses are defined as those diseases and infections that are naturally transmitted between vertebrate animals and man, especially those diseases with reservoirs in animals.

  

Collaboration Between Veterinary Services & Public Health

Collaboration between veterinary & public health is defined as “the application of professional veterinary skills, knowledge, and resources to the protection and improvement of human health".

Areas of Collaboration

1.      Control of zoonoses

• It is the rural population that is most affected by many of the zoonoses, so the   collaboration should take a special interest in rural health and offering advice to farmers.
• Another group of hazards are the bites of animals. Thus, collaboration should be made in disaster medicine, especially in relation to animals.

 2.      Food hygiene

• The collaboration of the veterinarian & public health workers nowadays extends to supervision of slaughterhouse hygiene, ante mortem inspection of livestock, and the supervision of the hygienic aspects of the handling and storage of meat.
• The collaboration is also essential in drafting food legislation (of animal origin) and in the establishment of standards for the composition of foods and the maximum levels of biological and non-biological contaminants.

3.      Environmental medicine

• Inter-sectoral collaboration is needed in providing assistance in the detection and prevention of environmental pollution (associated with disposal of animal wastes).

4.      Joint human and animal vaccination

• Effective control of zoonosis may require collaborative joint effort from the medical & veterinary sectors in immunization programmes. For instance, zoonoses causing severe diseases in humans (rabies, anthrax), require prevention in animals using vaccination.

5.      Biomedical Research

• New opportunities for collaboration can be achieved by jointly co-ordinated bio-medical research on anatomical, physiological, pharmacological, microbiological, epidemiological (host-agent interaction) & patho-physiological processes across species including humans.
• The research on emergence of drug resistance in microorganisms living in contact with humans and animals and the risk of resistance transfer from non-pathogenic to pathogenic organisms is another important issue requiring inter-sectoral collaboration.

6.      Education

• The collaboration is essential to play a prominent part in the education of the public and special groups, e.g., farmers, animal owners, etc. on all health matters in which animals are concerned.

7.      Laboratory animal production

• Collaboration can be done in public health laboratories for ensuring a supply of healthy, standardized laboratory animals and also in using appropriate animals for particular experiments, handling, anaesthetizing, and surgery of animals.

Duties of Public Health in Veterinary Services  

(http://www.vet.utk.edu/vph/examples.shtml)

• Educate the public and other professionals about zoonotic diseases
• Serve as experts in controlling the spread of diseases such as avian influenza, brucellosis and other diseases for animals and people.
• Work in laboratories to ensure medicines are safe for human and animal use
• Insure that meat, dairy and poultry products safe for people to eat
• Train health professionals as well as agricultural and food industry workers on agro/bio terrorism prevention and training
• Implement Rabies prevention program
• Demonstrate sustainable development
• Research and appreciation of Human Animal Bond