10th, December 2005 was one of the most remarkable days for many people in Kathmandu, Nepal. People from different walks of life, politicians, NGOs, GCAP networks, student unions, APACHA and Caravan members, largely trade unionists and farmers' associations came together (participation from trade unions and farmers' association was remarkable) to mark the Human Rights Day. It was also the day of culmination of People's Caravan in Nepal. A galvanized human sea in Kathmandu strongly raised their voices for democracy, justice, and trade justice. No doubt, media was one of the major players. This unique human solidarity from different walks of life, and social movements was able to mobilize thousands of people. Interestingly, may be this was the first time in Nepal, such a huge mass of people recognized HIV&AIDS as a human rights issue.

Nearly more than thirteen thousand to fifteen thousand people gathered to amplify their voices for democracy, justice, justice in global trade and to express their solidarity to fight against poverty. It was a unique combination of political parties, development organizations and people's movements. Issues around WTO, HIV&AIDS, Farmer's Rights, Labor Rights, Dalit's Rights, Women's Rights, Ethnic Rights were shaped within the overarching framework of Democracy. Representatives of People's Caravan Team, APACHA Team, GCAP Team, Dalit Dignity Forum representatives, Student Unions' representatives, NGO representatives and lawyers' representatives addressed the mass. People's Caravan representative also released a Charter of Demand. The huge mass and people's excitement during the period of complete suppression from the state symbolically raised a fundamental concern that people were politically awake and they could break the barriers. This was the remarkable day in the history of Nepali social movements that people strongly acknowledged the issues at the margin and it also gave a new path for solidarity social movements.

While working around the issues of WTO and People's Caravan, APACHA has gained a new learning experience, particularly in terms of mass mobilization. It was interesting to note that number of people based organizations, mass-based organizations, trade unions, farmers' associations, activists, women-focused organization, Dalit and ethnic rights-focused organizations, medical doctors, HIV&AIDS-focused organizations and AIDS activists came together to articulate for global trade justice, end poverty.

In this very process, CARAVAN team joining other similar organizations, media and activist conducted a number of press meetings, workshops and mobilized mass sensitization forums in different parts of Nepal. Largely, the opportunity for us was to create a discourse and debate around global political economy, WTO, World Bank, IMF, ADB. It was an opportunity for us to literate people and to demystify WTO as a technical giant.

Peoples March

Human Sea in World AIDS Day!- Peoples Caravan

The growing interest of mass based organizations to raise their issues within WTO helped us to realize that one of the important contribution of People's Caravan was to detechnicalize WTO where individuals and organizations could see their common space for the cause of rights and justice. The number of media coverage that People's Caravan got and the number of space that People's Caravan's member got was one of the indicators of our strategic move. Later, the unity of GCAP and Caravan paved strong steps and it was a unique experiences for APACHA to realize that it was possible to mobilize people in marginalized issues like HIV&AIDS and it was possible to groom the network as one of the active agency for the solidarity social movements in Nepal and across Asia. The entire process of CARAVAN was organized both within Kathmandu Valley and outside of the valley as well, in fact many different parts of Nepal.

As APACHA was one of the core team members of the CARAVAN process from the beginning, we as the people's network have got ample of opportunity to be the part of this process and to facilitate the process and to lead the process. Working with these mass based organizations and movements have further motivated us to engage our efforts deeply in the coming days and be the part of change process at various levels. We also have learned if we could strategically develop our campaigns, issues and partners, we can make a difference. However, we also have realized gaps and challenges and the most important thing for us is to sustain this initiative in the coming days.