Rape cases increase in Karnali State; Journalists come together against VAW

Surkhet / June 23: The Karnali State in the past nine months reported 116 cases of rape which is nearly a double compared to the incidences occurred in the corresponding period last year.

According to Karnali State Police Office, 59 cases of rape occurred in the State last year.

State Police Chief and Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mahesh Bikram Shah, informed that rape cases made up the largest chunk of the figure of violence against women.

In the previous two fiscal years, this number was 68 and 67 respectively.

Girls are the victims in most cases. Besides, the cases of polygamy and child marriage have been reported in a significant number in the State.

Bearing this alarming situation in mind, public awareness programmes against women violence and drugs abuse are on the offing under the peace and security campaign of Ministry of Economic Affairs and Law. The programmes will cover 79 local levels of ten districts in the State.

Journalists come together against VAW

A journalists’ network has been formed to work for mitigation of all kinds of violence against women in Bajhang district. The network has been formed at the initiative of Sancharika Samuha Nepal.

Journalist DB Bista has been appointed the district coordinator of the network with a 13-member executive committee. The committee comprises seven local community radio representatives and five other journalists working for various national and local media.

As majority of the women here live in the remote parts of the district, their concerns do not reach the police administration as well as in the media. And hence this network has been established to increase the women’s access to the state and for combating violence against women, said Sancharika Samuha Nepal Chair Nitu Pandit. RSS