ASMITA

But persistence and hardwork has made Asmita a household name in Nepal now. From a quarterly it has become a monthly magazine and has a circulation of more than 6000 copies. Special issues have had a print run of 15000. The estimated number of readers is about 50000 and it reaches all the districts of the country as well some parts of India.

After more than eight years of experience, the centre has realised that it is not enough to publish for educated, urban women alone. In order to meet the needs of neo-literate and semi-literate rural women Asmita has launched a bi-monthly called Sahachari (literally, woman friend). Sahachari, which has been extremely well received by rural women, gives women information on health, sanitation, nutrition and on their fundamental rights. Sahachari is distributed free to grassroots women.

Asmita has also published many attractive and informative posters to raise public awareness on gender issues and womenıs rights. With the deabte around womenıs right to property gaining importance in Nepal, Asmita has published two booklets; Mahila Sashaktikaranko Lagi Kanun (Law for Womenıs Empowerment) and Equal Rights to Property: A Legal Leap Toward Womenıs Independence. Asmita has been conducting a special project called Media Watch which monitors the media in Nepal and analyses its representation of women. The resource Centre at Asmita which has a good collection of women-related reading materials is kept open to interested people.

Asmitaıs unique contribution has received accolades from both in Nepal and abroad. In 1994 it received the Pandora award for outstanding achievement and work done in the field of media. Asmita can be reached at:

Asmita Womenıs Publication House
PO Box 4795
Bagbazar
Kathmandu
Nepal

Tel: 227629
Fax: 422035
Email:

asmita@npl.healthnet.org