Kathmandu, Oct 3: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has stressed that it was the responsibility of the state and society to create atmosphere safe for women by eliminating all kinds of violence against them.
Addressing a daylong national workshop on “violence against women (VAW) and access to justice’ organised by the Supreme Court here Sunday, the Head-of-the-State sought progressive attitude of men towards women.
There should be coordinated efforts among the legislative, executive and judiciary to ensure justice to the survivors of violence against women, the President stressed. She was of the view of launching a public awareness campaign against various social misconducts including the dowry system that remains as social taboos and hurdles against women’s empowerment.
On the occasion, President Bhandari drew the attention of the authorities concerned towards implementing the decision of the reinstated parliament to guarantee 33 per cent women participation in every state apparatus.
Also speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said Nepal’s constitution that has already entered to the implementation phase has guaranteed rights of women and of the victims of discriminations. Underlining the meaningful enforcement of the country’s main law, the Prime Minister said the government was committed to coming up with effective measures to fight against violence against women with the implementation of decisions made against such acts.
Speaker Onsari Gharti expressed her confidence that justice would be delivered to the victims of VAW if all the constitutional provisions relating to women were enforced effectively. “We (women) must muster courage and learn lessons from the incidents in the past. The State must provide protection to the vulnerable women,” she said
Similarly, Chief Justice Sushila Karki stated that the programme aims to bring the vulnerable women under the ambit of justice.
Chief Justice Karki was of the opinion that many Nepali women working offshore as domestic helpers were falling prey to various forms of violence in absence of the State failing to provide alternative to them at home for employment.
She also shared that the Justice Access Commission was found a year ago that would provide legal services to the victims of VAW.
Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla said that not all cases of VAW occurring in various places across the country were brought to fore and reported owing to various reasons such as social shame and lack of access to justice.
On the occasion, Charimaya Tamang, Seema Basnet and Sangita Magar, who once were victims of VAW and now championing the crusade against VAW, demanded strict enforcement of the laws and formulation of required laws that would curb VAW.
Various informative and entertaining performances related to the theme, including Bhairavi Kali dance and drama, were presented on the occasion. RSS
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