Lalitpur, November 16

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi on Wednesday sought the need of coordinated efforts to prevent sexual violence.

Speaking at the concluding ceremony of a day-long national workshop on ‘Preventing Sexual Violence: Stigma, Justice, Services’ jointly organised by the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare and the NGO Saathi, DPM Nidhi said that the security of women is the responsibility of all Nepalese citizens.

He said, “Only the government cannot ensure full security for women, we need support from all sectors such as development partners, activists, and every individual because ensuring safety for every woman in the country is each and every individual’s responsibility.”

He further said the government should work jointly with other sectors to ensure security for women and prevent violence against them.

During the programme, Saathi handed over a memorandum with a list of demands to prevent sexual violence.

Inspector General of Police Upendra Kanta Aryal reiterated that rape cases were increasing these days due to patriarchal mindset of the people living in our society.

Demands in the memorandum included increasing awareness campaign against sexual violence and eliminating social stigma from our society, increasing access of victims to justice, providing skilled human resources to help the victims of sexual violence, ensuring security of victims, victim’s family and witnesses and providing free legal services for the victims.

Increasing women police officers, effective implementation of fast-track court, no political interference in the case of sexual violence, capacitating health professionals to tackle cases of sexual violence, providing psychosocial counseling to victims and his/her family, launching campaigns from different religions to curb violence that happens in the guise of practisising certain religions are some of the other demands included in the memorandum.

More than 50 participants representing different non-government as well as government sectors and victims had participated in the national consultation.