Advocating for a Safer Future: Ending Child Marriage and Digital Abuse

Marking the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), RHEST advocacy group of Tanahun and Makwanpur organized a radio program. The initiatives aligned with this year's theme, UNiTe to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls. These programs served as platforms to raise awareness about child marriage, GBV, digital violence, and their impact on mental health, while also empowering Advocacy Group members to become confident community leaders.

The Advocacy Groups led the entire process from planning and coordination to facilitation. This hands-on involvement strengthened their confidence, leadership skills, and ability to collaborate with local government officials and like-minded organizations in the future.

The program aimed to raise public awareness on preventing child marriage, gender-based violence, and digital abuse, including their impact on mental health. It also helped to empower Advocacy Group members through active and meaningful participation in planning and implementing the programs, while supporting national and international campaigns during the 16 Days of Activism.

Program Highlights

Makwanpur District

First episode: Guest speakers included an Assistant Sub-Inspector and a representative from CWIN, the broadcast dates for this episode were 2082/08/20 and its repeat on 2082/08/21.

Discussion: The first episode focused on digital violence, the current status of child marriage in the district, and the mental health impacts of both GBV and digital abuse.

Second episode: Guests speakers were from FEDO and the OCMC. The broadcast dates for this episode are 2082/08/23 and 2082/08/24.

Discussion: The guests shared insights on reporting mechanisms of GBV, support services for survivors, and ongoing initiatives aimed at reducing incidents of GBV and child marriage in the district.

The program in Makwanpur was broadcast through Radio Thaha Sanchar FM, their Facebook page, website, Hamro Patro, and 99.6 MHz. 

Tanahun District

First Episode: Guest speakers were Chief of the Social Development Section of Shuklagandaki Municipality and one staff nurse from OCMC.

Discussion: The discussion focused on child marriage prevention, the current status of GBV in the district, and the reporting of GBV cases, as well as ongoing and planned initiatives to prevent GBV and child marriage in the future.

Second episode: Guests speakers were a Police Inspector, Belchautara, and a Pyschological Counsellor from Myagde Rural Municipality. It also went on air on 2082/08/24 on the same channels.

Discussion: The episode addressed GBV, digital violence, reporting of digital violence cases and psychological impacts of GBV and digital violence.

The program in Tanahun was broadcast through Shuklagandaki FM which aired on 2082/08/22 via Shuklagandaki FM, its website, Hamro Patro, and Nepali Patro. 

The radio programs in Makwanpur and Tanahun have contributed much to the global 16 Days of Activism: awareness was raised, local leadership was strengthened, and RHEST Advocacy Group members took on leading roles in advocacy activities in the community. Leading such programs themselves, the Advocacy Groups become agents of change, molding safer environments and creating collective responsibility toward the prevention of violence against women and girls.

Nirjala Dahal

RHEST