Incident Reports

COVID pandemic and the increase in Domestic Violence

2021-11-25

The report published by UN Women on the occasion of the Violence against Women(VAW) campaign showed that one out of three women were facing any form of violence. UN women published a report based on studies in 13 countries, namely Kenya, Thailand, Ukraine, Cameroon, Albania, Bangladesh, Columbia, Paraguay, Nigeria, Cot d'Ivoire, Morocco, Jordan, and Kyrgyzstan. 

The study mentioned about increment in violence against women during the COVID pandemic. As per the study, 7 out of 10 women faced domestic violence during the pandemic. Among them, almost half-faced verbal abuse, and 49% faced sexual abuse. 

The 16 days campaign of Violence against Women started on November 25 with the motto "Start from the house, End women violence". Every year, the VAW campaign is organized as an international campaign from November 25 to December 10. The campaign is also run this year in Nepal as per the decision rolled out by a ministerial-level meeting on November 11. 

The campaign that started in 1991 after the declaration of the United Nations, is being observed every year in Nepal by organizing different awareness activities. This year as well, Nepal Police, Women Commission, National Human Rights Commission, UN Women, and other stakeholders have shown their commitments and solidarity from their sides in the VAW campaign. 

Nepal Police noting the increment in incidents of women violence have presented their solidarity in the campaign and are said to be organizing various creative and informative programs. The statement letter published by Nepal Police makes a call 'Not to stay facing or watching violence, but complain timely' and urges to provide information or complaints about gender-based violence by calling at the hotline number  100  or 104 (Children search coordination center).    

The National Human Rights Commission has requested all the stakeholders to adopt effective measures to minimize the violence against women. The commission has also appealed to all the human rights activists, civil societies, and other stakeholders to make the campaign effective and meaningful. Also, the commission has requested the Nepal government to come up with effective legislation and implementation of policies to minimize and end violence against women as well as effectively implement the Domestic Violence (Crime and Punishment) Act-2066 and Guidelines-2067 along with the timely amendments. The statement released by the Human Rights Council further reads, "The commission requests human rights activists, civil societies, households, families and all other stakeholders to play an active role from their ends to minimize domestic violence."

National/Online Media

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