Pillar 2

The Strategic Approach of WHR


WHR has been a pioneer in addressing single women’s issues and envisions changing traditional stereotypes and mindsets that keep single women from participating and accessing resources. We strive to change discriminatory policies to give women their rights and show that they are valuable social capital.


WHR’s strategic plan (2019-2023) focuses on five pillars.

Rights to Quality Education and Health (Pillar II)

In 2012, John Hopkins University in the US conducted a research on single women and their mental health in close collaboration with WHR central office.
The main objective of the research was to investigate how social status of so-called high-caste Nepali widows of reproductive age impacts their sexual and reproductive healthcare. The results revealed that such single women are prone to mental trauma and various health problems resulting in psychological disorders and depression. Based on the findings of the research, this strategic plan basically aims to reduce the overall stress of single  through enhancement of skills to improve relationships along with raising access and awareness on sexual health. Establishment of single women para counselors is among the important approaches under this strategic theme.

The strategic theme further focuses on the education of single women and their children. As per the National Census Report 2011, only 11.01 percent of single women in the country are literate. Thus, WHR, since its inception phase, has introduced various interventions in order to achieve the goal of educating single women and their children.