International Women's Day 2012

Every year on 8 March, JHC celebrates International Women's Day by hosting a flagship programme consisting of round-tables, exhibitions and cultural events in Janakpur with the women artists that highlight issues relating to the empowerment of women and the promotion of Mithila Art.

This year JHC has brought the celebration overseas to U.S with a new theme to encourage women. The theme of this year's programme is "Make a chain of help: pathway for women to make change". It mirrors key elements to support the women empowerment programme conduct by JHC and make contribution to City of Hope to fight against breast cancer.

For the women of the world, International Women’s Day is not only an occasion to review how far we have come in our fight for equality, peace and development, but also an occasion to mobilize for sustainable change.

It is a celebration of the achievements and contributions of each to the collective objective of gender equality and we hope that their commitment, determination and achievements set an inspiration for others.

JHC

Janakpur Handicraft Center (JHC) is a social business entrepreneur promoting Mithila arts. The business was originally established in a small town of Nepal named Janakpur over 16 years ago and has undergone various changes in business as well as social strategy. The refined model is to promote art and employment. The company has two principals, Janakpur Handicraft Center located in Pasadena, and JHC located in Kathmandu, Nepal. All arts and craft works are done in Janakpur and Kathmandu of Nepal.

In JHC Mithila art is done by women living in village area of Janakpur. Due to the popularity of the Art in Nepal and India many male artists took interest in it.

Maithili society is a male dominated society, where women are not allowed to work outside. In Maithili culture a woman has to do all types of household works and has to help her spouse in field but working outside family is prohibited for her. So JHC working for the awareness of Maithili women is empowering women by making them self-independent.

Maithili women have great talents of Art and Crafts. And JHC has helped women to earn through their own talents.

What we believe is….

"Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry." — Bill Drayton, CEO, chair and founder of Ashoka, a global nonprofit organization devoted to developing the profession of social entrepreneurship.

Now- a days a good number of women are involved in this artwork who were far from education, economic independent and making self-decision in the past. JHC gives the women artists’ confidence, initiative and incentive to show their artistic value. They also get encouragement to sense the validity of their dwindling traditions and more to revive them.