NHRC concerned about spurt in rape, murder
Kathmandu, August 21
The National Human Rights Commission has expressed serious concern about increasing cases of rape, murder and violence against women.
The rights body also said it was concerned about government failure to bring to justice the perpetrators through effective and result-oriented investigation. “Lack of effective investigation and prosecution on behalf of the victims of heinous crimes like rape and murder is likely to weaken the legal side of such cases, increase possibility of destroying evidences, force the victims and their kin to reconcile with perpetrators due to fear of social boycott and deprive the victim of justice.” read a press statement issued by the NHRC.
The constitution stipulates maximum punishment to perpetrators of sexual violence as per the existing laws and reasonable compensation to the victims, it recalled.
According to the NHRC, a recent study conducted by it had showed that VAW was among the key problems in the country. “Therefore, the NHRC has been closely watching the role of Nepal Police in minimising VAW and upholding human rights.”
Meanwhile, the NHRC, in coordination with Nepal Police, is set to organise various programmes on women’s human rights and security in all seven provinces and Kathmandu to enhance the accountability of police in registration of complaints, investigation, evidence collection and prosecution.
The number of crimes against women and children, including rape, increased to 3,295 in the fiscal 2017-18 from 2,439 in 2016-17. A total of 1,480 rape cases were registered in 2017-18 against 1,131 in 2016-17, according to data with Nepal Police.