According to the 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS), one in five women in Nepal aged 15-49 have experienced physical violence since the age of 15 and at least one in four ever married women have ever experienced spousal physical, sexual, or emotional violence. The most common type of spousal violence is physical violence, followed by emotional violence. Reported cases however are only the tip of the iceberg with many accepting and justifying violence, which include rape, acid attacks, extramarital affairs, polygamy, sexual coercion, child marriage, exertion of control in mobility and social interactions, as the norm.
In challenging these norms and supporting Nepal’s commitment to end gender-based violence (GBV), UNFPA is implementing the ‘Gender-based Violence Prevention and Response Project (GBVPR) Phase II’, based on the successes of Phase 1 (2016-2020), supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Norwegian Embassy in Kathmandu under a financial envelop of USD 11.2 million.
With the support of several partners, the project will provide GBV survivors in 19 municipalities across 8 districts in Province 1 and 7 (Sudurpashchim) with essential services that support their safety, health and access to justice by working on both prevention and response of GBV. It will empower communities to challenge beliefs and practices that encourage GBV, and support local and provincial Governments in selected locations and the federal Government to promote policy reforms that will improve women's empowerment and end violence against women and girls. The project aims to reach almost 300,000 beneficiaries over the next four years (2020-2024).
