Demand for District-Level Safe House for Violence-Affected Women and Girls in Kailali

Dhangadhi: A demand has been raised for the immediate establishment of a district-level safe house in Kailali for women and girls affected by violence.

The Women Human Rights Defenders Network (Sudurpaschim Province and Kailali chapters) submitted a letter containing ten specific demands to Minister for Social Development Santosh Kumari Sharma Thapa on Tuesday.

A delegation led jointly by Devi Prasad Khanal, Coordinator of the Women Human Rights Defenders Network (Sudurpaschim Province), and Ambika Bhandari Dhungana, Chairperson of the Network’s Kailali chapter, visited the ministry to submit the letter to Minister Thapa.

The letter notes that women and girls from various local levels in Kailali who are affected by domestic violence, gender-based violence, sexual violence, child marriage, human trafficking, and social discrimination seek services, but there is a lack of organized, confidential, and standard-compliant safe housing to provide them with immediate protection.

The Network asserts that a safe house is essential to immediately place violence-affected women and girls in a secure location and provide services ranging from medical treatment, psychosocial counseling, and legal aid to security and rehabilitation.

The Network has demanded that the provincial government ensure the necessary budget to establish and operate a district-level safe house in Kailali. It has also urged arrangements for the immediate rescue of women and girls for whom staying at home is unsafe and their accommodation in a confidential and secure environment.

Additionally, to ensure the effectiveness of the safe house, the Network has demanded an effective coordination mechanism among the Ministry of Social Development, local levels, the District Administration Office, the District Police Office, health institutions, the One-Stop Crisis Management Center (OCMC), legal aid providers, women human rights defenders, civil society, and relevant organizations. It has also demanded clear procedures and standards regarding the admission of affected individuals into safe shelters, management of their stay, service provision, referrals to other agencies, and rehabilitation.

The Network has urged authorities to prioritize the establishment of safe shelters in Kailali and immediately advance the process by defining a time-bound action plan, budget, and responsible agencies, while consulting stakeholders on matters such as location, infrastructure, services, operational modalities, and management.

Attention has also been drawn to the need to link survivors of violence, following their temporary protection, with programs for skill development, education, employment, livelihood support, and social reintegration to ensure their sustainable rehabilitation.

Similarly, the Network has demanded that necessary financial resources be ensured for operating safe shelters and protecting victims by establishing a service fund under provincial law, in accordance with Section 12 (1a) of the Domestic Violence (Crime and Punishment) Act, 2066.

The Network has further demanded regular monitoring of safe shelters operating within the province, stipulating that permission to provide services be granted only to shelters that comply with the Government of Nepal’s directives and standards, while emphasizing the need for service evaluation and public accountability.

The memorandum highlights the growing risks to the lives and safety of women and girls, asserting that safe shelters should not be viewed merely as alternative or temporary arrangements but as essential services linked to the immediate safety, protection, access to justice, and rehabilitation of violence survivors.

The Network has called upon the provincial government to prioritize the establishment of safe shelters within its policies, programs, and budget, and to immediately move the process forward.