On a quiet hillside in Okhaldhunga in Eastern Nepal, a two-storey building stands as a symbol of what happens when care, courage, and coordinated action come together. What started as a modest three-room structure in 2013 that was built on the land of a local women’s organization has now become a fully functional, district-level safe space for survivors of gender-based violence.
The safehouse, operated with financial support from UNFPA and partners, has transformed not only in size, but in spirit. Since its formal conversion into a full-fledged Safehouse in July 2017, it has quietly evolved into a lifeline for hundreds of women across Okhaldhunga’s eight municipalities.
One of them is a 37-year-old Rama*.
Two years ago, she was referred by a Community Psychosocial Worker after enduring years of domestic violence and resource deprivation.
“Even now, when needed, I continue to receive counselling support over the phone,” she says. “I had the opportunity to participate in livestock training and also received financial assistance. It has helped me improve my livelihood. I believe safehouses are extremely important for survivors like me, and for anyone affected by violence.”
Her story is just one among the 280 cases registered at the safehouse between 2021 and 2024. The majority of survivors reported physical assault and denial of resources, followed by psychological violence, rape, sexual assault, early marriage, and polygamy. Four of the survivors were persons with disabilities.
Each case carried its own weight, but all were met with the same commitment to safety, dignity, and healing.
The safehouse today is equipped with a child-friendly room, a meeting hall, counselling and working spaces, survivor accommodation, and 24-hour services. Solar power, CCTV, secure access, and dedicated staff ensure safety. Counsellors provide trauma-informed care, including individual, couple, and family sessions, sometimes three or more per day based on survivor need.
Children accompanying survivors are also supported. Up to age eight, they receive informal education and psychosocial counselling on site and beyond that, they are referred to other organisations suitable to cater to their specific needs. So far, six children and their mothers have been referred for formal schooling—with one child now enrolled in a boarding school while his mother works full-time.
Economic empowerment has become a core part of the recovery process.
In the past four years, 20 survivors have received life-skills training in areas like tailoring, beauty work, cooking, and livestock rearing. Thirteen of them received seed funding up to NPR 30,000. Follow-up visits and calls from staff and CPSWs help ensure that survivors are supported long after they leave. One survivor turned an animal husbandry grant into a thriving livestock business, eventually purchasing a buffalo worth NPR 100,000.
“Before I joined, I wasn’t sure I could do this job,” says Dhansari BK, a counsellor at the safehouse. “But the survivors taught me more than any training ever could. Now, I feel confident to handle even the most complex cases.”
In 2022, after consistent advocacy, the safehouse received a NPR 7.7 million grant from the federal government through the municipality to construct a new building. The upgraded facility is complete with disability-friendly toilets, CCTV, a landline phone, and backup electricity, exemplifies a direct result of multi-year collaboration among local and provincial governments, and UNFPA and its partners.
Since 2023, the Safehouse’s long-term sustainability has been at the center of local policymaking. In June 2025, Siddhicharan Municipality endorsed updated Safehouse Operational Guidelines and formalized a cost-sharing arrangement among all eight municipalities. Siddhicharan committed to covering 23% of the operating costs, while the others pledged 11% each. Together, they’ve allocated NPR 974,600 for 2025/26 to ensure continued services.
Still, challenges remain. Not all municipalities are equally engaged. Disruptions during the monsoon season, limited staff, and budget constraints create operational strain. But local leaders are stepping up.
Awareness campaigns, community interactions, and public hearings have increased visibility of the safehouse’s services. As a result, community members now refer cases and recognize it as a vital support system for survivors
“The community has begun to recognize the importance of Safehouse services,” says Kedar Babu Basnet, Deputy Mayor of Siddhicharan Municipality and Chair of the Safehouse Management Committee. “Until municipalities establish their own safehouses, we are committed to sustaining this one—with UNFPA’s continued support.”
The safehouse is more than a building. It is a place where trauma is met with care, where fear turns into confidence, and where survival leads to self-reliance.
“GBV survivors in Okhaldhunga are receiving quality services from the Safehouse. We have allocated funds annually to support its continued operation.” Mr Santosh Babu Thapa, Vice-Chairperson, Chisankhugadhi Rural Municipality and member of Safehouse Management Committee
Supported by the government of Norway and Switzerland through UNFPA, the safehouse works in close coordination with local OCMCs, police units, health institutions, and legal aid providers, creating a multisectoral response system that puts survivors’ rights and recovery at the center.
One of the most powerful stories comes from Kanta Rai*, who was referred in early 2023 after surviving rape by her father. Kanta was six months pregnant. With support from the safehouse, OCMC, and the local police, she received medical care, legal justice, and long-term support for her and her three siblings, all of whom have disabilities. Today, they receive social protection, education, and care.
“Because of your support, I got a new life,” said another survivor during a follow-up call. “I am now living a happy life. Even my husband has started showing love and care.”
Safehouse at Okhaldhunga is proving that, with the right investment and partnerships, even the most remote districts can offer a survivor-centred, rights-based response to gender-based violence. What began as a few rooms in a hilly district has grown into a model for care. And for every survivor who walks through its doors, it becomes a story of change, courage, and what’s possible when systems show up,and stay.
*Names have been changed to maintain anonymity.
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If you are facing any form of gender-based violence, please visit the nearest One-Stop Crisis Management Center (OCMC) or contact the 24-hour toll-free National Women Commission's hotline 1145.
