Ending Violence Against Women in Nepal
Violence against women persists in every country in the world as a pervasive violation of human rights and a major impediment to achieving gender equality. Such violence is unacceptable, whether perpetrated by the nation and its agent or by family members or strangers, in public or private sphere, in peacetime or in times of conflict. The UN General Secretary Ban Ki Moon has stated that as long as violence against women continues, we cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development and peace.
Worldwide, violence against women, a part of gender based violence is the leading cause of death of women between the ages of 19 and 45—more than cancer, war or accidents. In South Asia, 40 percent to 70 percent of woman and girls report experiencing some forms of physical, sexual or emotional abuse, and half of all woman face violence in the home. Violence against women is a global challenge that violates basic human rights and human security. Apart from the individual suffering, it carries high a cost for society and is a major obstacle to development. Every year million of women and girls worldwide suffer from violence or other forms of gender based violence. The violence is not confined to a specific culture, region or country, to particular groups of women within a society.
Over a century has been passed since the world wide movement for women empowerment, equality and advocacy against violence against women was launched, here in Nepal. However even in the 21st century, a girl is murdered on the mother's womb, even burnt alive for not bringing dowry and to protect the family honor and this scary scene underscores the existing reality of women in Nepal. The 2011 Demographic and Health Survey shows that one in three women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence since the age of 15 and 9 percent of these women have experienced physical violence mostly from their own family members at home.
As Nepal is a patriarchal society which
Worldwide, violence against women, a part of gender based violence is the leading cause of death of women between the ages of 19 and 45—more than cancer, war or accidents. In South Asia, 40 percent to 70 percent of woman and girls report experiencing some forms of physical, sexual or emotional abuse, and half of all woman face violence in the home. Violence against women is a global challenge that violates basic human rights and human security. Apart from the individual suffering, it carries high a cost for society and is a major obstacle to development. Every year million of women and girls worldwide suffer from violence or other forms of gender based violence. The violence is not confined to a specific culture, region or country, to particular groups of women within a society.
Over a century has been passed since the world wide movement for women empowerment, equality and advocacy against violence against women was launched, here in Nepal. However even in the 21st century, a girl is murdered on the mother's womb, even burnt alive for not bringing dowry and to protect the family honor and this scary scene underscores the existing reality of women in Nepal. The 2011 Demographic and Health Survey shows that one in three women aged 15 to 49 have experienced physical violence since the age of 15 and 9 percent of these women have experienced physical violence mostly from their own family members at home.
As Nepal is a patriarchal society which