Amnesty International Nepal has been observing the 16 days activism against Gender Violence (25 November-10 December) as per Section’s plan every year. The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign originating from the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership in 1991. Participants chose the dates, 25 November, International Day Against Violence Against Women and 10 December, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights.
This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including 29 November, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, 1 December, World AIDS Day, and 6 December, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.Accordingly this year, AI Nepal is mobilizing its local groups and organizing a series of various activities on violence against women across the country.
As a part of the 16 days activism, Nepal Section organized an oratory contest at Biswa Niketan Higher Secondary School, Kathmanu on 24 November. Altogether 10 high schools took part in the contest, which was held under the theme “Children’s right and present situation of Nepal”. In the contest, high school student participants expressed their views on the theme. In the contest, Miss Barsha Shrestha of Padmodaya Secondary School , Kathmandu came out first. Earlier, inaugurating the contest, Convener of AI Nepal group -20, Mr. Keshab Raj Lohani shed light on the importance of the 16 days activism on women rights. The program was coordinated by AI Nepal group-20. Around a hundred participants including youth members of AI Nepal, school teachers and ordinary public took part in the contest as audiences. The winners received prize and certificates.
Similarly, in the connection with the 16 days activism, a public speech program on “Safe girls in Schools” was held in Jhapa on 30 November. This program was organized with the joint support of AI Nepal local groups -22, 70, 86 and 87, based in Jhapa district. Before the speech program an awareness raising rally of AI members, high school students and teachers went around the local city, Kakarvitta with placards and banners, and chanting of slogans on women rights, calling for an end to gender-based discrimination in the society. After the rally program, a talk program was held at Adarsha Secondary School , Itabhatta. At the talk program, Chairman of Appeal Committee of AI Nepal, Mr. Hem Khadka and Convener of AI Nepal women group-70, Ms. Maya Prasai, School principal Mr Tulsiram Poudel and School Teacher Mr Lambodar Poudel shed light on various aspect of girl’s situation in schools and the ongoing stop violence against women campaign of Amnesty International. On the occasion, girl students in the schools.Around two hundreds participants joined the rally and the speech program. During the talk program, the 14-point program of AI on stop violence against women was distributed to the participants.
In the connection with the 16 days activism, a public speech program on “Safe girls in Schools” was held in Kathmandu on 9 December. This program was jointly organized by AI Nepal Groups -3 and AI Nepal Kathmandu youth network. This talk program was held at Asian Public School , Kathmandu. At the talk program, convener of AI Nepal Group-3 Mr Bhawani Prasad Kharel, Former Chair of AI Nepal Mr Krishna Pahadi, Mr. Charan Prasai,and School principal Mr. Mainali, Convener of AI Nepal Kathmandu youth Network Mr Kanchan Kharel shed light on various aspect of girl’s situation in schools and the ongoing stop violence against women campaign of Amnesty International. On the occasion, around one hundred students took part the program.
Likewise, many local groups of AI Nepal are also pasting posters about safety of girl students in school on different schools’ walls. AI Nepal is going to produce and install ten bill boards of six steps to Stop Violence Against School Girls in Nepali language in different public place of rural areas.