KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 4

The National Women Commission has stepped up its activities in recent days.

The constitutional body, established with the objective of protecting the rights and interests of women, has especially geared up its works after getting full shape last December.

It had no office-bearers for the past three years. The chairperson and four members of the Commission were appointed and it got full shape only in the fiscal 2020-21, nearly five years after it was made a constitutional body.

The commission has increased its activities, including protection and promotion of women's rights and interests, carrying out on-site monitoring and addressing the issues of violence against women following the appointment of its office-bearers.

It has been operating a toll-free helpline number 1145 round-the-clock in a bid to address the complaints of women victims scourged by violence. 'This has provided big succour to women and children who are vulnerable to violence and abuse,' NWC Chairperson Kamala Parajuli said.

Arrangements have been made for operating this helpline service through the government budget and human resources from the fiscal 2021-22. Earlier, the service was run with the support of donor agencies.

A total of 1,570 complaints related to gender-based violence have been registered with the Commission in the fiscal 2020-21. Of these complaints, 1,352 (86 per cent) are related to domestic violence while 218 (14 per cent) are related to VAW.

'A total of 900 complaints have been cleared. People in the age group 26-40 years have registered the highest number (54 per cent) of cases at the commission.

Majority of the incidents of VAW registered at the commission are related to mental torture, physical assault and beating, economic torture and character assassination.

The National Women Commission Regulations, 2021, the National Women Commission Operation of Meeting Work Procedures, 2021, and the National Women Commission Internal Management Guidelines, 2021 have been approved and implemented for operation of the commission's daily works in a systematic manner.

Likewise, a code of conduct for the commission's office-bearers and employees has been approved and implemented.

A version of this article appears in the print on October 5, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.