16-Day activism against GBV kicks off

 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 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 are being observed from different sectors ranging from government bodies to civil society.

The two-week-long campaign aims at analyzing trends of GBV, informing public and government for solving these, fostering cooperation with males to curb GBV, gaining solidarity among the community working for gender equality and social justice and preparing strategic plans to address GBV.

Interaction, open theatre, poster and pamphlets, rally, public hearing, round table discussions, 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 discriminations ended.

Irrespective of the constitutional provisions on equality, social justice, women's rights and empowerment, the 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 for building civilized society.