Sexual Violence Survivors in Nepal Still Face Big Challenges, Say Experts at National Consultation

The meeting concluded that true justice can only come when survivors, especially from marginalized communities, are heard, protected, and included in shaping the systems that are meant to help them. 

The event was organized by Equality Now and the South Asian Movement for Accessing Justice (SAMAJ) in collaboration with Women for Human Rights (WHR), FEDO Nepal, and the Forum for Women, Law, and Development.One person remarked, "We cannot create a just society by ignoring those who are disproportionately affected. 

 "We need to take action." Nirmala Sharma, who leads the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), said that the media should do more to support justice. She said that the media should not just talk, but also act.

Nepal Police said that more people reported sexual violence in the last year than the year before. In the last year, 2,507 people told Nepal Police that they were sexually attacked. This was more than the 2,380 people who told them

Rape and kidnapping are frequent crimes reported from Dalit communities, and Dalit women and girls are among the most impacted. Women who are Indigenous or disabled face many difficulties when they have to report or deal with the courts.

The meeting ended with the idea that real justice can only happen when survivors, especially those from groups that are often ignored or mistreated, are listened to, kept safe, and involved in making the systems that are supposed to help them.

 The event was organized by four groups: Equality Now, SAMAJ, WHR, and FEDO Nepal. They worked together with the Forum for Women, Law, and Development.

One person remarked, "We cannot create a just society by ignoring those who are disproportionately affected. "