By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel
Every year, November 25 is observed as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and marks day one of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. On this day, several programs are organized amidst great fanfare across the globe. The advocates against violence toward women present the situation of gender-based violence, saying that women are not safe and that gender-based violence continues to thrive in every nook and cranny of the globe. But the moot question is why we are not able to do away with gender-based violence despite decades of efforts and resources. This needs a convincing explanation.
Last year, 83,000 girls and women were killed intentionally. Of them, 50,000 were killed at the hands of intimate partners or family members. This means one woman or girl is killed by a partner or family member almost every ten minutes—an average of 137 per day—according to data released by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. Women and girls are subjected to this extreme form of violence in every region of the world. It is estimated that the highest rate of femicide by an intimate partner or family member was in Africa (3 per 100,000 women and girls), followed by the Americas (1.5), Oceania (1.4), Asia (0.7), and Europe (0.5). This is an alarming figure, and it is likely to increase given the rise in technology-facilitated violence against women and girls, such as cyberbullying, online sexual harassment, trolling, hate speech, stalking, image-based abuse, etc.
Nepal is no exception to this alarming trend. As per the country’s Cyber Crime Bureau, as of mid-November of fiscal year 2025–26, approximately 2,900 complaints related to violence against women have been reported. This is not to say that there was no offline violence; there was. Approximately 6,000 cases were filed during the same period; 44 reached the court, of which 34 victims were women, mostly aged 18–25. In the previous fiscal year, over 8,000 complaints of violence against women were lodged, and in 2023–24 the number was 9,000.
Women are not safe in every part of society. At home, they are subjected to this extreme form of violence, as they are often sexually abused by their relatives and in-laws. They have to face verbal slander at the office and in public places. Even if they complain about the violence, many cases are mediated outside the court. At the same time, girls and women often fall victim to social customs and orthodox practices. Take the case of Chhaupadi in our context. While the country has made significant strides in political and economic aspects, orthodox practices are still prevalent in many parts of the country.
It is not an exaggeration to conclude that patriarchal society fuels gender-based violence. Our society is based on social structures that privilege men, while women are often viewed as subordinate citizens. Our mindset is guided by the belief that violence against women is the ultimate expression of masculinity. We will be graduating from a least developed country to a developing country in November next year. However, this will be a meaningless graduation if gender-based violence continues to prevail, tainting the image of Nepal.
With the theme “Unite to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls,” the 16 Days of Activism will be celebrated across the globe. Several programmes will be held with zeal and enthusiasm. The so-called feminists will renew their commitment, vowing to end this heinous crime against humanity. They will blame the government and the concerned authorities for not taking the plight of women and girls with due seriousness. However, the feminists who portray themselves as the de facto leaders need to understand that the government alone cannot bring visible changes. Their role is equally important.
Our feminists and advocates for violence against women and girls project themselves as their messiahs. Just Google “Nepalese feminists,” and we will find innumerable images in which the so-called feminists are staging protests and leading movements, mounting pressure on the government to end gender-based violence. This seems like a formality and not a genuine effort to eradicate gender-based violence. The reason is not big; it is simple. The issue of gender-based violence is like a milking cow for many so-called feminists and organizations that claim to work in the area of violence against women. For them, the higher the cases of gender-based violence, the greater the chances of extracting funds from international donors. This is not to say that there are no true feminists and organizations working round the clock to end this crime against humanity. There are. But sadly, their numbers are very few.
With an objective to increase access to justice for victims of gender-based violence in Nepal, many international donors provide financial support. What is very strange is the fact that victims of gender-based violence suffer silently while many so-called feminists and office bearers of NGOs lead lavish lives with the funds meant to address gender-based violence. But such issues are rarely discussed or accounted for.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence offer us a space to acknowledge the achievements made to date. It also serves as a space to recognize the gaps and embrace the necessary measures accordingly. The event should not be just a one-day affair in a year. Our girls and women have endured violence silently. Now, we cannot and should not allow such crimes against humanity to continue. We cannot let it go, saying it is business as usual. Let us take this event as an opportunity to tell the world that we do care for our girls and women.
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