KATHMANDU, Dec 13: The 16-day campaign against gender-based violence concluded on Wednesday. However, even as nationwide initiatives were underway, Nepali society continued to witness incidents of violence. During the campaign itself, personnel from Nepal Police—the institution responsible for public safety—were found involved in violent acts.
On December 8, Police Assistant Inspector (ASI) Pushkar Karki was arrested on charges of murdering his four-month-old son. According to police, Karki strangled the infant at a rented room in Sinamangal. Police also stated that he had attacked his wife, who is also employed in Nepal Police, during the incident. Observers say the case shows that even law-enforcement personnel are not free from violent tendencies, raising questions about the effectiveness of campaigns like the 16-day initiative.
Similarly, on November 30, a 17-year-old girl was raped outside the Tilaurakot palace premises in Kapilvastu Municipality-3. In this case, 20-year-old Rahul Malla from Kapilvastu-6—widely known on social media as a ‘viral tour guide’—was arrested. The incident shows that women are not safe even from individuals with a positive public image.
Nepal Police has compiled records of violent incidents over the past five years under 25 different categories. The data shows more than 107,000 crimes in total, including cases of domestic violence, rape, and homicide.
According to police, incidents of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, and polygamy have all increased in recent years. In the last five years alone, more than 81,600 cases of domestic violence were recorded. These include 14,232 cases in FY 2020/21, 17,000 in 2021/22, 16,519 in 2022/23, 16,416 in 2023/24, and 17,482 in 2024/25.
Sexual violence against women and children has also increased annually. There were 12,059 cases of rape recorded in the past five years. Analysts say such figures raise concerns about the actual impact of the 16-day campaign against gender-based violence, which is organized every year.
78.82 percent GBV cases related to domestic violence
Police data shows 2,532 rape cases in FY 2020/21; 2,380 in 2021/22; 2,387 in 2022/23; 2,507 in 2023/24; and 2,253 in 2024/25. Additionally, there were 2,828 attempted rape cases during the same period. Police also recorded 142 cases of unnatural sexual assault over the last five years.
Similarly, police data shows 281 cases of child sexual abuse in FY 2020/21; 314 in 2021/22; 343 in 2022/23; 363 in 2023/24; and 355 in 2024/25—adding up to 1,656 cases in five years.
According to police, violence against women and children has also occurred in public spaces. In FY 2023/24, there were 19 such incidents, and 23 in 2024/25, totaling 42 public-space sexual violence cases in two years.
There were 474 cases of human trafficking and transportation over the last three fiscal years. In the last five years, there have been eight incidents of acid attacks. Two women were killed over dowry disputes in the past two fiscal years.
Another major concern is the rise in polygamy cases. Police received 852 complaints in FY 2020/21; 809 in 2021/22; 723 in 2022/23; 653 in 2023/24; and 568 in 2024/25.
These statistics, observers say, raise questions about the actual effectiveness of annual campaigns against gender-based violence. Dr Tika Ram Adhikari, Under-Secretary at the National Human Rights Commission, says the root causes of gender-based violence lie in entrenched patriarchal structures, lack of awareness, and negative use of digital platforms.
“Negative awareness spreads faster than positive awareness in society,” he said, “Since campaigns are city-centric, real change does not reach rural areas.”
Nepal Police spokesperson Abhi Narayan Kafle said the rise in violent cases cannot be attributed solely to police weaknesses. “Police alone cannot solve this problem. There are social and psychological factors involved. Police cannot control it by themselves,” he said.
Kafle added that changing technology has expanded violence into new ‘platforms.’ “Online luring, threats, blackmail, and hacking have increased violence against women,” he said. He added that the police are running initiatives like the Safety Pin Campaign and Women and Children Service Centers to create safer environments.
Former DIG Hemanta Malla said even homes—considered the safest place—have increasingly become unsafe. He believes rising impunity has encouraged criminal behavior. “When perpetrators escape punishment, society moves toward disorder. Post-conflict social disruption, lack of discipline, and unregulated use of social media have empowered violent behavior,” he said.
Human rights activist Ruby Khan argues that campaigns against gender-based violence have not been effective. She says initiatives like the 16-day campaign are limited to urban centers, leaving rural and remote areas untouched.
“Gender-based violence does not differ between city and village,” she said. “But the 16-day campaign has now been turned into a festival. Sitting in star hotels, drinking coffee, and doing photoshoots does not reduce the pain of women suffering violence in remote areas.”
Roshni Karki, Under-Secretary at the National Women Commission, said the commission continues to work actively against gender-based violence. “The commission does not compromise on any form of violence. But structural reforms are essential for effective action,” she said.
