Doti, 24 November 2025 — Saathi, under the Empowered Women Prosperous Nepal (EWPN) programme, organized an advocacy meeting in coordination with Dipayal Silgadhi Municipality to strengthen collaboration among key stakeholders working in Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and response. The event brought together duty-bearers, service providers, and local representatives to promote integrated support mechanisms for GBV survivors, emphasizing protection, rehabilitation, and reintegration.
Opening Session
The meeting opened with remarks from Ms. Palita Thapa, Program Manager at Saathi, who welcomed participants and presented the objectives. She underscored the importance of integrated service delivery to enhance support for survivors, particularly in skill development, livelihood opportunities, safety, psychosocial well-being, and community reintegration.
Safe House Service Update
Mr. Bandan Bam, In-charge of the Doti Safe House, shared the annual progress and key achievements:
- 45 survivors received skill-based training in goat farming, vegetable farming, tailoring, beauty services, and fast-food entrepreneurship.
- Survivors were provided seed money to initiate income-generating activities.
- Despite progress, significant challenges remain, particularly in improving safe house infrastructure and ensuring long-term reintegration support for mothers and children.
Key Discussion Points
Stakeholders held detailed discussions on service gaps, challenges, and future strategies:
- Elected representatives expressed readiness to support the safe house but noted that bureaucratic procedures are delaying fund allocation.
- The need to develop strong policy and structural frameworks for local-level fund pooling was highlighted to sustain safe house operations.
- Participants emphasized that local governments must take greater responsibility for the long-term reintegration of survivors and their children, as safe houses alone cannot manage all responsibilities.
- Stakeholders agreed on the importance of linking trained survivors with the Skill Development Centre and the Domestic & Small Cottage Industry Office to ensure ongoing technical assistance and business growth.
Stakeholder Recommendations
- UNFPA (Mr. Bharat Gotame): Emphasized market linkage for survivor-run enterprises, technical capacity building, compliance with safe house standards, and effective utilization of pooled funds.
- WOREC: Committed to providing health services, legal support, and transportation assistance for survivors.
- CDC: Urged local governments to prioritize safe house sustainability through structured planning and resource allocation.
- District Government Attorney’s Office: Highlighted risks of injustice arising from inconsistencies in FIRs and case narratives and stressed the need to safeguard survivors from hostility, reaffirming commitment to legal protection.
Closing Commitment
DCC Vice-Chairperson Ms. Smriti Chunara reaffirmed the dedication of local representatives to ensuring that no GBV survivor is left behind. She acknowledged Saathi’s ongoing technical support and emphasized stronger local backing for safe house operations and survivor services.
The advocacy meeting served as a crucial platform for shared accountability, coordination, and strategic planning. Stakeholders collectively committed to enhancing policy frameworks for fund mobilization, strengthening technical and market-based support for survivors, and ensuring systematic counseling and reintegration services. The meeting underscored the importance of a coordinated, survivor-centered, and sustainable GBV response system at the local level in Doti.
