Sharmila Thapa, founder of Samida Women Development Forum (SWDF), a network of single mothers and survivors of domestic violence has been awarded the N-peace award, a regional prize handed out to advocates of women's rights.

Thapa, who herself is a single mother of a son and newly adopted daughter said the award has given her more strength. “I was honoured to be nominated and I am even more honoured to have won,” she said, “This award has encouraged me to work more towards a group that is greatly discriminated by society.”

The forum has arranged scholarships for 86 children of single mothers and they carry out counselling and advocacy campaigns for the rights of single mothers. They have also been participating in the campaign for citizenship through mothers.

In an interview found on the organisation’s website, Thapa, states that she was once a beautician who had plans to go abroad and earn a living. She states that she was betrayed by a broker, “Then I knew that I had to do something for my living. I worked in many places and happen to find that everyone just wanted to take advantage and use women. Women are always discriminated,” she is quoted saying in the interview.

N-Peace is a multi-country network of peace advocates in Asia, initiated by UNDP.

The award is handed  to 10  people in South Asia. She is receiving the award under the ‘Untold stories' Category.The results were determined by an online voting system.

Untold stories honour local leaders. “Grassroots women who are champions of peace within their communities,” reads a statement on the website.

The other category ‘Campaigning for Action’ recognizes both women and men whose national-level mobilization and advocacy efforts have resulted in the advancement of women, peace and security issues.  And the third category  titled peace generation is targeted at people under 30 years. 

She will be attending the award ceremony in New York, in October. 

All photos were provided by Sharmila Thapa