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Conference On Fighting Against Violence Against Women
By KTM Metro Reporter
June 18, 2013: A group of global and policy makers and researchers working on violence against women (VAW) in South Asia came together to discuss the ways of combating VAW yesterday, according to the news on gorkhapatraonline.com.
The World Bank and OXFAM International jointly held a South Asian Regional Conference on “Joining Forces to Overcome Violence Against Women” in Kathmandu to discuss the current policy on VAW and on finding ways to foster regional dialogue and collaboration.
Speaking at the conference, Minister for Education Madhav Poudel said that despite the relentless efforts, VAW has posed a major problem for the SAARC countries. “Nepal has ratified numerous gender equity laws and acts. However, patriarchal mindset has continued to instigate the perpetrators of VAW,” said Minister Poudel.
Minister Poudel said that it was high time to take concrete measures and bring a SAARC related instrument to tackle the challenge posed by the VAW.
Oxfam International CEO Nisha Agrawal said that VAW was a global phenomena and it persisted everywhere.
Director of Mehergarh Maliha Husain from Pakistan said that the traditional gender roles and patriarchal mindset were behind the violence against women. Director Husain said, "We have been focusing on women a lot and pointed the need for a paradigm shift. Largely, we have failed in focusing those who commit the crime. It is important to educate men.”
Director of Center for Social Research Ranjana Kumari said that ensuring women’s rights to property, power and children would help in minimizing violence against women.
Naropokhho founder Shireen Huq from Bangladesh said that over representation of men, and the ways the men and boys were brought up in the society played an important role in the VAW.
Chairperson of ‘Forum for Freed Kamalari’ Urmila Chaudhary said that the brutal attack of the police on Kamalaris during the recent movement showed that the woes of freed kamalaris were to be addressed, yet.
Right activist Dr Renu Rajbhandari and senior advocate Sapana Pradhan Malla shed light on the legal perspectives of VAW including its causes.
Various representatives from Maldives, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan shared their experiences in VAW with the participants in the conference.
