Lockdown And Gender-Based Violence, April 2020

The world is suffering from the COVID-19 pandemic. The coronavirus has affected 210 countries and territories around the world. The situation is rapidly changing, and no one can accurately predict the future course of this pandemic. Medical science is still struggling to find an effective vaccine and treatment, and so far, no fully proven solution has been achieved. At this time, prevention and precautionary measures remain the best options for humanity.

At the time of writing this blog, the total number of active cases worldwide is 1,579,356. Among them, 97% are mild cases, while 3% are serious or critical (https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus). These numbers are changing every minute and hour based on global updates.

In Nepal, the situation is becoming more serious day by day. A total of 31 cases have been identified, and 2 patients have recovered. Altogether, 117 people are in isolation out of 8,017 tested cases (https://covid19.mohp.gov.np). Looking at the number of tests, identified cases, and people in isolation, the situation may worsen in the coming days. Therefore, everyone should focus more on preventive measures because Nepal has limited medical and healthcare facilities. Another important issue is that there is still no fully proven medical treatment for COVID-19. Our main focus should be on prevention and keeping the situation under control.

The whole country has been under lockdown since 24 March 2020. Emergency services remain open, and markets are partially open for food and daily household necessities.

The Ministry of Health and Population is providing regular updates on the situation. Other ministries and concerned agencies are also widely sharing awareness messages and preventive measures related to COVID-19. Many villagers who had been working in cities and neighboring India are trying to return to their villages. However, due to the lockdown and suspension of transportation services, they are facing many challenges in reaching their destinations. The central, provincial, and local governments, along with development agencies and citizens, are providing emergency supplies and relief packages to vulnerable and needy people.

Gender-Based Violence

Meanwhile, cases of gender-based violence are increasing day by day. Most people are staying at home in villages without jobs or meaningful engagement. During this period, there is a higher risk of domestic violence, gender-based violence, population growth, and food shortages. As of the third week of April 2020, eight cases had already been reported for further investigation and legal action. Therefore, during this difficult time, concerned agencies and educated individuals should take greater responsibility in preventing all forms of violence (https://nepalmonitor.org/) (https://www.onlinekhabar.com).

Today, I collected information and news from different sources. The data shows that a total of eight cases have already been reported to the police. However, it is likely that many cases remain underreported or hidden, especially in rural areas and villages.


Gender-Based Violence Record


In many communities, people are still not aware of the different forms of violence or the proper procedures for reporting and recording such cases. Therefore, the government and development agencies should focus more on disseminating awareness messages against domestic violence and gender-based violence.

The National Women Commission of Nepal has established a 24-hour toll-free helpline to support survivors of gender-based violence (GBV). If anyone experiences or witnesses any form of GBV, they can call 1145 to receive support services, including shelter, psychosocial counseling, child support, and legal aid.


Your feedback and comments are highly appreciated.


Comments

  1. Harina SaudApril 19, 2020 at 6:42 AM

    Sharing is also highly appreciated 😊😊

    ReplyDelete
  2. RabindraApril 22, 2020 at 10:29 PM

    Interested to learn more on types of support provided by any agencies to the survivors

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Two Climate Disasters, 150 km Apart: How Drought in Terai and Floods in the Hills Are Devastating Lives and Livelihoods in Nepal

Image
  Madhesh Battling Severe Drought (25 July 2025)  Madhesh Province is currently grappling with a severe drought. The paddy plants in the fields are starting to dry up, and cracks have begun to appear in the soil. The situation has become so dire that the government has officially declared the region a disaster-affected zone and deployed technical teams to assess the impact. According to the Center for Crop Development and Agricultural Biodiversity Conservation under the Department of Agriculture, only 46% of the total paddy fields in Madhesh had been planted by mid-July. As the region is one of Nepal’s major rice-producing areas, this delay poses a serious threat to food security and the livelihoods of thousands of farmers unless urgent relief and long-term solutions are implemented. Flash Flood Strikes Rasuwa, Disrupts Life (8 July 2025)  On July 8, 2025, a sudden flash flood surged down from Tibet’s Lhende River and struck Nepal’s Rasuwa district with devastating force....
Read more

Where Beauty Meets Danger - The Changing Face of Our Mountains

Image
Looking at Langtang Lirung Whenever I travel, especially to the mountains, I feel like I have reached the root of life . The clean air, cool breeze, flowing water, and peaceful surroundings give a deep sense of calm and energy. But this time, something felt different. As I stood there looking at the beautiful mountains, I also saw deep scars from landslides, melting snow, and dried patches where there used to be glaciers. Behind the beauty, there was danger. I couldn’t help but think, are we heading towards another GLOF (Glacial Lake Outburst Flood)? Are these signs of what’s coming? I am not writing this blog with facts or data. This is about what I felt. A mix of peace and fear. Joy and concern. As someone who works in the development field, I have seen how climate change is quietly but strongly affecting our mountains. These mountains are more than just pretty sights. They are lifelines for the people who live there and for all of us. They give us fresh water, herbs, food, and c...
Read more

The rapidly melting mountains are signaling danger

Image
The rapidly melting mountains are signaling danger Excessive burning of fossil fuels such as oil, gas and coal by countries is one of the major challenges and risks faced by the least developed and developing countries such as Nepal which geography is in a sensitive state. It rises from as low as 59 metres (194 ft) elevation in the tropical Terai the northern rim of the Gangetic Plain, through beyond the perpetual snow line to 90 peaks over 7,000 metres (22,966 ft) including Earth's highest (8,848-metre (29,029 ft) Mount Everest.  𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐡𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐮 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟎 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 (𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏) 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐞. Photo Credit:  Shree Gurung In my opinion, the countries which are depending on fossils fuels as a source of energy need to take acute action to save the planet and m...
Read more