Incidents related violence against women and children are common in Nepal, particularly in the southern districts. Due to lack of facilities, physically and mentally abused women and children have no option other than to live in family and tolerate violence.

Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare recorded over 10,000 incidents of crime and violence against women in 2011. This includes domestic violence, physical torture, social violence, disputes in property sharing, abuse and harassment, child marriage and girl trafficking.
 

According to the studies, women and children who suffer from violence hesitate go to police station to lodge complain because of privacy and lack of secrecy. Due to lack of separate building to lodge complain, many women and children just tolerate the violence.

Bara district, 200 kilometer south of capital Kathmandu, has one of the worst records of domestic violence against women and children. However, majority of incidents goes unnoticed. Looking at the bleak scenario, the government of Japan and Asian Development Bank agreed to support Nepal in setting up effective protection measures for victims of abuse.

Inaugurated jointly by Kuber Singh Rana, chief of Nepal Police, Kenichi Yokoyama, Country Director, Nepal Resident Mission of Asian Development Bank and Shuichi Sakakibara, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Japan, Women and Children Service Center in Bara district will help to protect the measures of victims of abuse.

"Nepal Police has been working hard to minimize the violence against women and children. The center will drastically improve the efficiency of Nepal Police to reduce the violence against women and children," said Nepal Police chief Rana. "The support provided by Japan Government and Asian Development Bank will enhance the capability of Nepal Police."

The service center was established under Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) 9135: Establishing Women and Children Service Centers Project in Nepal. JFPR was established at the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in June 2000 by the Government of Japan to strengthen Japan's partnership with ADB in the fight against poverty.

"The project, establishing Women and Children Service Centers, has provided a 750,000 US dollar garnet to support Nepal Police for construction of the centers and providing training to establish a proper support system for treatment of victims of crime against women and children in five district of Nepal," said ADB's country director Kenichi Yokoyama.  The center, I understand, will be staffed with women police officers and kept distinct and separate from other facilities for easy and safe access by victims of abuse. It was also heartening to note that local communities have been actively consulted and will have a say on how the center is run."

"The center will contribute to the reduction of vulnerability among the women and children in the district who are victims of crimes such as domestic violence, trafficking, rape, polygamy, accusation of witchcraft, child abuse and child marriage," said Shuichi Sakakibara, deputy chief of mission of Japanese Embassy.  JFPR is an Official Development Assistance (ODA) funded grant by the government of Japan to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).As you know, its resources are used for poverty reduction initiatives with direct participation of non-governmental organization, community groups and civil society."