Dialogue with Kritipur Municipality on Localising Legal Aid Act (GBV Elimination Fund)

CWAD organized a one-day program in coordination with Kritipur Municipality on the 9th of November 2021 (Mangsir 23rd 2078). The program was attended by the Judicial Committee Members, Mediation Committee Members, Ward Members, Executive Members, Paralegals, Legal, Women and Children administrative officials of Kritipur Municipality. A total of 26 people participated among which 18 were female 8 were male. Deputy Mayor (DM) Saraswoti Khadka, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Krishna Prasad Sapkota, Anuj Pradhan Chief of Social Development Department, Pabitra Pariyar Women and Children Department, Prabin Kumar Sahi Chief Financial Officer of Municipality also attended the program.

Prof. Dr Shasi Adhikary facilitated a long session on “Dialogue with Local government or Municipality on Localization of Legal Aid Act (GBV Elimination Fund)”.Starting with the welcome speech, DM Khadka showed her appreciation towards CWAD for the session. She shared that the working procedure and regulation regarding the GBV Elimination Fund has been established by the municipality. She emphasized that the employees and local mediators and officials should familiarize themselves with the concept of the fund and the ways it can be utilized.

DM Khadka also thanked Prof Dr Adhikary for highlighting the areas in which the fund is legally authorized to use by referring to practical instances. Furthermore, she informed that the information associated with Fund has also been updated on the Website for wider public access. Giving a practical instance of a rescue mission, she shared that the municipality has helped a survivor of gender-based violence in collaboration with WOREC (a women’s rights-based organization). Moreover, it was delightful to know that municipality has signed an MOU with WOREC to effective rescue and rehabilitate the GBV survivors. Furthermore, she expressed her commitment to prioritize GESI in the empowerment and participation interventions.

The Chief Administrative Officer Krishna Prasad Sapkota expressed his gratitude towards CWAD for empowering the local and municipal level officials with the session. With the proliferating GBV cases being filed within the municipality, he was hopeful that the fund will benefit in the prevention and elimination of these cases. Since the financial hurdles are one of the primary challenges for women in the underprivileged background, the importance of funds is thus evident, he said.