Dang, March 8

The government today declared Saudiyar of Dang district the 'first' gender-based violence (GBV) controlled VDC in the country.

The announcement comes on the occasion of 107th International Women’s Day. During a function organised in Jayasher, a certificate of the GBV-controlled VDC was handed over to VDC Secretary Tek Bahadur Khadka by Chief District Officer Megh Raj Kafle.

The government’s Gender Empowerment and GBV Elimination District Coordination Committee, chaired by the CDO in the district, reached a conclusion to award the certificate after the VDC met all the set criteria.

Addressing the event, Kafle said the VDC, with strong cooperation from community groups and networks, has fulfilled the criteria for declaring a 'GBV controlled VDC' - establishing reconciliations centers, GBV prevention committees, Ward Citizen Forums, Community Awareness Centers, women’s cooperatives in all the nine wards, as well as committing to fight harmful gender stereotypes. All these community support mechanisms have demonstrated high commitments and actions to end GBV, he said.

At the event, Local Development Officer Kul Bahadur GC said, “Saudiyar is the first VDC in the country to be declared 'GBV-controlled' and therefore other districts can learn lessons from it." He said the District Development Committee (DDC), District Women and Children Office, District Health Office, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), VDC and other partners collaborated on this initiative.

Similarly, VDC Secretary Khadka said men work together with women in Saudiyar to prevent all forms of GBV, including domestic violence, physical abuse and child marriage. In coordination with the DDC, three-day GBV orientations have been provided separately to local leaders of different political parties, parents, in-laws, members women’s cooperatives, youth clubs, and mothers’ groups in all the wards, he said. Adolescent girls’ groups, also formed in all the wards, are receiving 52-week-long training on social and financial skills with UNFPA’s support, and are running door-to-door campaigns against GBV, he said.

During the event, a cultural procession was organized that showcased an amalgamation of various cultures including Tharu dances and songs against GBV.

Earlier, rallies were taken out from all nine wards by GBV prevention committees, women’s cooperatives, youth clubs, adolescent girls’ groups and students to mark the Women’s Day.