August 30, 2025, Bajura – Saathi, under the GBVPR-II program, in collaboration with DCC Bajura, organized a coordination meeting to strengthen grievance handling and safe house management in Bajura.
Key Highlights
1. Institutionalization of Grievance Handling Mechanism
- Ms. Palita Thapa, Program Manager of Saathi, underscored the importance of adopting a standardized grievance handling procedure to ensure quality service delivery and timely responses and need of collaborative effort to respond to GBV.
- Mr. Debendra Shah, UNFPA District Coordinator, presented the draft procedure focusing on committee formation, processing systems, and response mechanisms. He encouraged further consultations before endorsement.
- Participants recommended:
- Appointing a focal person for grievance management.
- Establishing multiple grievance collection channels (digital, phone, in-person).
- Categorizing grievances to prioritize responses.
- Committee was formed to provide input on the draft Grievance Handling Guideline.
2. Operational and Managerial Issues
- Challenges related to fund management, staffing gaps, and safety infrastructure (particularly fencing around the new safe house building) were discussed.
- Stakeholders jointly monitored the Safe House and committed to immediate follow-up on fencing and staffing.
3. Commitments from Local Authorities
- Mayor of Badimalika Municipality, Mr. Amar Bahadur Khadka, assured continued support for enhancing survivor services, including skill development and institutional capacity building.
- DCC Chief, Mr. Tulsiram Rokaya, highlighted ongoing efforts in fundraising and resource mobilization with provincial and local governments for sustainable safe house operations.
4. Participation and Collective Action
The meeting was attended by 30 stakeholders representing DCC, Badimalika Municipality, NGO Federation, District Hospital, District Police, legal sector, and rights organizations. Their joint deliberations advanced consensus on institutionalizing grievance handling and ensuring effective safe house management. Program was facilitated by Acting District Coordination Officer Ramchandra Pandey.
Outcome
The coordination meeting served as a critical step towards formalizing a Grievance Handling Mechanism, enhancing operational management of the Safe House, and reinforcing multi-stakeholder commitments for sustainable and quality services for GBV survivors in Bajura.
