Lalitpur, March 8

More than 100 men today marched through the city to express their commitment to ending violence against women and girls.

More than 15 youth organisations joined hands to hold the 'Men's March: Men against Violence against Women and Girls' on the occasion of the 106th International Women’s Day.

One of the participants was a prominent human rights activist and former member of the National Human Rights Commission Gauri Pradhan.

Addressing a corner assembly held after the march, Pradhan said gender equality was not possible unless men respected the rights of women in their households, communities and workplaces.

The rally, which began from Lagankhel, passed through Kumaripati, Jawalakhel, Pulchowk and Mangalbazaar before converging into a corner assembly at the Patan Durbar Square.

Speaking at the event, members of National Women’s Commission Urmila Devi Bishwokarma and Dhaneshwory Chaudhary said the commission was ready to support organisations expressing solidarity with the campaign against VAW.

Youth poets Nawaraj Parajuli, Rupesh Bhattarai and Saurav Basyal had recited poems on violence against women and girls on the occasion.

Sanjog Thakuri, president of Yuwalaya and coordinator of the event, said the men’s solidarity for gender equality was imperative to establish an equitable world as envisaged by the Sustainable Development Goals.