MUKTINATH, Nov 25: The Federation of Community Forest Users' of Nepal (FECOFUN), Gandaki Province, has launched a campaign against gender-based violence (GBV) from the premises of famous Muktinath Temple in Mustang. 

Women and girls, and gender and sexual minorities in the Nepali society face various sorts of physical, mental and sexual violence and harassment as gender-based discriminations are deeply embedded in the society and the campaign aims to raise social awareness about it. It is aimed at controlling all sorts of violence and abuse against them through combined efforts. 

The inauguration of 16-day activism kicked off with the theme of 'Gender-based violence and abuse: Not acceptable for us' was joined by a large number of people including local representatives and pilgrims. 

The campaign will be organized in every district of the province and it will be concluded by issuing a 17-point declaration against the GBV. 

During the campaign, advocacy will be made against all sorts of violence on the basis of caste, ethnicity, religion, language, gender, age, political status and belief, geography, access or relations, physical appearance, and marital status to ensure a respectable and dignified position of every member of the society. 

FECOFUN Gandaki province chief Kalidas Subedi underlined the need of adopting a zero-tolerance against sexual violence and encouraging the society to make away towards transforming itself to a gender-friendly, inclusive, equitable and just society. 

The commemoration of the campaign marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women-2018. 

As stated by Federation central member Jamuna Thakali, the organization has worked together with various bodies concerned, government offices and local leaders to launch the campaign against GBV. 

Federation central member Bharati Pathak said this type of campaign has kicked off in all provinces from today and it will be concluded in Kathmandu on December 10, the International Human Rights Day. She claimed that women continue to face violence and discriminations against them until they become economically independent and the Federation activities were focused on empowering women through the means of community forests. 

A group of pro-feminist men and boys had in 1991 organized the White Ribbon Campaign in Canada wearing white ribbons giving the symbolic messages that male are responsible for violence against women and it is their responsibility to oppose to violence against women and the Day marks the commemoration of the same event. The campaign followed the École Polytechnique Massacre in Montreal of female students in 1989.  RSS

 
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