KATHMANDU, Aug 23: Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari has called on the state and society to unite against rape, murder and other forms of violence against women and children.
Bhandari made the appeal while expressing grief and concern over the recent rape and murder of three-year-old Garima Chaudhary in Bara. She urged the concerned authorities to conduct a fair, prompt and effective investigation and take strict action against those responsible under existing laws.
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“I draw the serious attention of the concerned authorities to ensure a fair, prompt and effective investigation into this incident and other cases of violence against women and children across the country, and to take strict action against those responsible in accordance with the law,” she wrote on social media.
She said the safety and dignity of women and children are not issues tied to any particular political party or ideology, but national concerns linked to human dignity, social justice and the fundamental responsibility of the state.
Bhandari stressed the need for state agencies, political parties, organisations working for women’s and children’s rights, civil society, the media and citizens to unite against such heinous crimes.
She said punishing perpetrators after an incident was not enough. The state must strengthen child protection systems, ensure effective investigations and judicial processes, and provide necessary protection and justice to victims and their families, she said.
Bhandari also called for a firm national commitment to prevent perpetrators from receiving any form of political or social protection.
She urged all political parties, their affiliated organisations, women’s and children’s rights activists, civil society, the media and concerned citizens to rise above political affiliations and ideologies and unite in a common civic campaign against violence against women and children.
“It is time not to remain silent, but to raise our voices and take necessary action together to protect the safety, dignity and honour of our daughters and children,” she said.
Bhandari stressed that both the state and society must seriously reflect on existing failures and take effective measures to ensure that no girl or woman suffers such inhuman violence again. She also pledged her continued support for joint initiatives and campaigns aimed at protecting the safety and dignity of women and children.
