KATHMANDU, Oct 4: Issuing a statement on Friday, members of the international community based in Nepal said they are concerned about the high prevalence of violence against women (VAW) in Nepal.

Those issuing the statement are the embassies of Australia, Finland, France, Norway, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United Nations.

“While certain cases may still be under investigation, the signatories remind the government of Nepal on its obligations under international law to ensure access to justice for victims, stand for the victims' rights and send a zero-tolerance message to combat gender-based violence,” reads the statement. “The signatories are particularly concerned about the reported impunity for the perpetrators of sexual violence and violence against women, as also stated by the Special Rapporteur on violence against women during her visit to Nepal in November 2018.”

The statement has come just three days after Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara resigned over sexual harassment charges. The issue has become a serious matter as police haven't initiated any investigations against him and he still remains a member of parliament.

Though the statement says that they “are particularly concerned about the reported impunity for the perpetrators of sexual violence” they haven't mentioned the issue of outgoing Speaker Mahara.

“Cases such as Nirmala Panta and Maya BK demonstrate the challenges victims and their families face in seeking justice. International standards and Nepal's obligations under international law, as indicated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, require the Government of Nepal to conduct a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into allegations,” the statement says.

They have underscored the importance of and the need for employing a victim-centric approach. “Such an approach places the human rights, interests and needs of the victims at the center of any and all actions taken in relation to the allegations, not only in investigations, but also by providing victims assistance and protection, with the principles of 'do no harm,' confidentiality, safety and non-discrimination,” it added. “The signatories also note with concern the inherent power imbalance that exists in gender-based violence, which may hinder the victims' capacity to report the violence suffered to the authorities and seek assistance.”

The representatives of the international community have laid emphasis on the victim-centric approach at a time when police have claimed that they haven't been able to initiate investigations into the Mahara case as the victim didn't file any complaint in writing against him.

“The signatories urge the government to provide measures to foster effective and efficient reporting. Such measures are particularly important in Nepal where the prevalence of violence against women and impunity for these crimes remain high, and continue to have a negative impact on women, children and the community at large in Nepal,” reads the statement. “Efforts to combat stigma and harassment against victims of sexual violence are central to combat impunity and the protection of victims' rights.”

 
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