Govt forms task force to end VAW

KATHMANDU, Aug 5 - The government on Monday formed a seven-member task force under the coordination of secretary at Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers Brinda Hada to provide recommendations to the government to help end all forms of Violence Against Women (VAW). According to a statement issued ... ...the Ministry of Home Affairs, the task force includes Joint Secretary Mahendra Prasad Shrestha at Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare and one representative each from Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and Home Ministry.Similarly, Parbati Thapa, Senior Superintendent of Police, representative of National Women's Commission and women rights activists are also included in the task force.The task force formed under a ministerial decision has been entrusted to submit its recommendations within two months to address the demands and grievances of women right activists.However, protesting women denounced the structure of the task force. After receiving the statement from the home ministry late evening, women took to the street and burnt Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula's effigy. They demanded at least three women from among protesting women, including the coordinator.Earlier in the afternoon, talks were held between Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Speaker Subas Nembang and representatives from the protesting women. The talks team reached the conclusion that a task force should be formed to draft Terms of Reference (TOR) in order to form a high level autonomous women's commission to deal with all forms of violence against women. The agreement reached between the government and the women also says that the task force will investigate the alleged murder of Laxmi Bohara and guarantee WHRD's security.Networks of WHRDs from Far and Mid Western Region started a relay hunger strike at the Maitighar Mandala 23 days ago demanding action against the murderer of Bohara, a human rights worker of Kanchanpur.protest demanding that the government end all forms of violence against women through the formation of a high

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