By Sita Bhattarai,
Kathmandu, Nov 25: The 16-day activism against gender-based violence (GBV) began across the globe today. The launch of activism coincides with the International Day to End Violence against Women.
Nepal is also observing the Day and activism by organizing various programmes at the local, provincial and national levels. The theme of the Day for this year is- ‘UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls.
Although various countries had been observing the Day since the 1980s, the United Nations endorsed the Day in 1999, thereby making it a global campaign and a special Day to whet debates and commit to ending GBVs.
Nepal had also begun observing the Day since 1997. But, the formal decision for the celebration of the Day was made by the meeting of the Council of Ministers on November 15, 2018. Since then, both the activism and the Day have been observed from different sectors ranging from government bodies to civil society.
The two-week-long campaign aims to analyze trends of GBV, inform the public and government to solve these, fostering cooperation with males to curb GBV, gain solidarity among the community working for gender equality and social justice and prepare strategic plans to address GBV.
Interaction, open theatre, posters and pamphlets, rallies, public hearings, round table discussions, and competitive programmes are organized on this occasion.
Nepal’s constitution has resolved to build an equitable society based on proportional, inclusive and participatory principles so that economic equality, prosperity and social justice would be ensured and gender-based discrimination ended.
Irrespective of the constitutional provisions on equality, social justice, women’s rights and empowerment, stories of entrenched discrimination, social ills and violence against women are common in Nepal.
Meanwhile, President Ram Chandra Paudel, Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav, and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal extended messages of best wishes on this occasion. at the same time, they reminded the worrying trend of violence against women and urged all sides concerned to pay heed to eliminate it to build the civilized society. (RSS)
– TRN Online
