Call for men to join hands in the fight against VAW

Kathmandu, March 18

Legal experts and women’s rights activists have stressed active involvement of men in preventing violence against women.

At a programme held here today, they discussed how women were victimised by men and shed light on traditional values that promoted violence against women.

“Most women in the country are victimised by men, but even women are the perpetrators in some cases,” said Radhika Aryal, joint secretary at the Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare.

National Demographic Health Survey 2016 shows that 22 per cent women between the ages of 15 and 19 years experienced physical violence since the age 15 years.

Six per cent women faced violence during pregnancy. The survey shows that violence against women rose along their age from 11 per cent among women aged 15 to 19 years to 28 per cent among women aged 40 to 49 years.

The constitution has guaranteed justice and compensation for the victims of violence.

“However, perpetrators usually go unpunished as women do not readily report such cases. Women should be made aware and laws against VAW should be properly implemented. Men should join hands with women to stop violence against women,” added Aryal.

“Men use violence against women as the social structure in the country has made men more powerful,” said legal expert Sabin Shrestha.

Participants of the programme also discussed how spousal violence declined sharply if both husbands and wives were equally educated.