KATHMANDU, Aug 16: Members of parliament (MPs) have demanded that the government form a separate agency to address the needs of victims of violence against women (VAW).
Speaking at a meeting of the Women and Social Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives held at Singha Durbar on Friday, ruling Nepali Congress (NC) MP Javeda Khatun, CPN-UML lawmaker Thammaya Thapa, and main opposition party CPN (Maoist Center) MP Kalpana Miya Kusari made the demand.
UML lawmaker and former minister Thapa urged the government to take effective measures to prevent heinous crimes such as violence against women by establishing an immediate structure led by minister-level officials at the central and provincial levels and by local unit chiefs at the municipal level.
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Khatun also drew the government's attention to the fact that, even though the local level is empowered, it cannot adequately address women's rights issues, leading to significant suffering. She stated that since women do not receive justice in cases of heinous crimes, including rape, the government should advance the mobilization of social workers to ensure justice.
Kusari objected to the previous government's decision to scrap the positions of women social mobilizers. She also alerted the government to immediately arrange for an agency to understand and address women's problems.
Kusari emphasized that the government should act responsibly regarding women's rights.
