We will end all types of VAW: DPM Shrestha

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha has vowed to end all types of violence against women (VAW).

Addressing a workshop on the Second National Action Plan on Implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and 1820 Related to Women, Peace and Security today, he said the government is committed to take action against the perpetrators of VAW and provide justice to the survivors. The workshop is organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs. “The government leaves no stone unturned in delivering justice to the survivors by taking action against the culprits of VAW,” DPM and Home Minister asserted, saying such seminar gave him added motivation to put to an end the VAW.

Stating that he has put the agenda of ending violence against women and taking action against the perpetrators along with law and order strengthening and crime control in top priority ever since he assumed his post at the Ministry, he vowed to bring to book any wrongdoer. According to him, positive responses were coming on the policy the Ministry of Home Affairs has adopted recently acting tough against corruption. He expressed his happiness over the increasing women participation in different State bodies in recent years.

The Home Minister also made it clear that committees would be formed and the Action Plan implemented at the national, provincial and local level for reducing VAW. Also the CPN (Maoist Centre) leader, DPM Shrestha reiterated that conflict-era incidents should be settled through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons. Speaking in the workshop, Home Secretary Binod Prakash Singh said the Ministry is working to further boost up good governance.

He said they have kept good governance in high priority. Stating that the government takes up the topics raised in the workshop seriously, he said the Ministry will put the suggestions into implementation. National Women Commission Chairperson Kamala Kumari Poudel said the women, children and senior citizens were affected the most during the conflict period. She complained that although thousands of incidences of sexual assault on women and girls supposedly took place during the conflict period such incidents have not come in public yet.

House of Representatives member Maina Rawal Karki urged the government to take the conflict-era cases towards resolution. She said the government should provide justice to the people from the far-fling areas as well. District Coordination Committee Kavrepalanchok’s chief Deepak Gautam called on the government to create an environment ensuring justice to the citizen.

Bhaktapur Municipality mayor Sunil Prajapati, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen Laxmi Basnet, Joint Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Aruna Joshi, Joint Secretary at the National Planning Commission Prakash Dahal, among the speakers, stressed on preparing a single action plan on eliminating VAW and implementing it rather than different ministries developing separate action plans.