Kathmandu, November 30

Australia’s Ambassador to Nepal Peter Budd today launched three mural paintings ‘Oranging the History: Remembering the Brave and the Forgottens; Neglected; and Naming their Individuality’ on the walls at the Australian Embassy, Hotel Himalaya and Dhumbarahi respectively.

The murals were painted in collaboration with Ujyalo Foundation to mark 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. They reveal untold stories of the heroes who fought for the rights of women and LGBTIs. Each mural has a plaque with it to explain its meaning and significance.

Launching the murals, Ambassador Budd said, “Gender-based violence is a gross violation of human rights that has a devastating impact on victims, communities and societies. It is unacceptable in all its forms and it is to our collective shame that no country is free from it.

Eliminating violence against women and girls everywhere is a priority for the Australian

Government, delivered through our foreign policy, economic diplomacy and aid programmes and founded on our strong support for dialogue, reform and advocacy on gender equality.”

The ambassador also said the Australian government partnered with the private sector to increase women’s economic empowerment, engage in political systems to promote women in leadership, support local champions and service providers seeking to end violence against women, and defend and embrace language on gender equality and women’s rights in international fora.

On the occasion, Amuda Mishra, founder and executive director of Ujyalo Foundation, said, “These murals on public domain are a way to express ourselves and encourage others to speak against violence. In many countries, where right to freedom of speech is constrained, murals and graffiti have been a medium of expression. We are hopeful that through these murals we will be able to unlock spaces for dialogues and conversations against gender-based violence even after the 16 days of activism.”