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Day 15 of the 16 Days of Activism turns the spotlight on the services that literally keep survivors alive. Shelters, safe houses, psychosocial counseling, medical care, and 24/7 helplines are the backbone of any GBV response system. Yet these systems remain deeply underfunded in many countries. Survivors often face closed doors, long waiting lists, or a complete absence of safe options when trying to escape violence. The gap between need and resources is massive, and it puts lives at risk.
Survivors need comprehensive, trauma-informed support. That means shelters with trained staff who understand confidentiality and safety planning, mental health services integrated into healthcare systems, and accessible hotlines that can respond immediately and link survivors to protection. It also means proper referral pathways between police, health facilities, legal services, and community responders so no survivor has to navigate danger alone.
Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) is not just an add-on, it’s essential. The psychological impact of violence can be just as damaging as the physical harm. Survivors need psychological first aid, ongoing counselling, and clear pathways to specialized mental health care when needed. Programs around the world show that when counselling is paired with shelter support and case management, survivors experience significantly stronger recovery and long-term safety.
Reintegration too often gets overlooked, but should be considered as a part of healing. Without support for livelihoods, housing, education, or skills training, many survivors face pressure to return to unsafe homes. Reintegration programs; especially those run by women-led organizations break these cycles and help survivors rebuild independence. Yet these are some of the least-funded parts of the GBV response.
The message of Day 15 is simple and urgent; fund the services that protect survivors. From shelters to helplines to counselling centers, these systems cannot run on goodwill alone. Survivors deserve care, dignity, safety, and fully funded, professionally staffed who are accessible to everyone. The crisis of GBV is real and there is for it. So with us and join us in this 16 Days of Activism against GBV to end violence against women and girls.

On Day 14 of the 16 Days of Activism, we focus on something powerful and often overlooked, i.e: the role of men and boys in ending gender based violence. Real change happens when the people who benefit from unequal systems choose to challenge them. When men step forward as allies, not to take the spotlight but to support survivors and follow women-led movements, the impact is real and lasting.

Healthy masculinity is at the heart of this. It means treating others with respect, rejecting harmful stereotypes and understanding that strength is shown through empathy and accountability. Many programs around the world show that when boys and young men are given safe spaces to question harmful norms and learn new skills, their attitudes and behaviours shift. They become more respectful partners, more active bystanders and more willing to intervene when they see violence or discrimination.

Men can make a difference in everyday moments. It can be as simple as calling out a hurtful joke, offering support to someone experiencing abuse, or sharing responsibilities at home. These small choices help undo the norms that make violence seem normal. Being an ally does not mean speaking over survivors. It means listening, learning and using your voice to challenge harmful behaviour among peers and within communities.

We also know this work is not perfect. Sometimes male involvement gets recentred in ways that overshadow women’s leadership or turn allyship into performance. That is why accountability matters. True allyship means staying open to correction, being guided by survivors and feminist groups and always asking whether your actions reduce harm or simply make you look good.

Today is a reminder that ending gender based violence requires everyone. Men and boys can be part of the solution, not by leading the movement but by standing beside it. When they choose respect, empathy and responsibility, they help build homes, schools, workplaces and communities where everyone is safe. That is the world we are fighting for. The crisis of GBV is real and there is for it. So with us and join us in this 16 Days of Activism against GBV to end violence against women and girls.

Public spaces such as our streets, bus stops, market areas and transit should be accessible and safe for everyone. Yet women and girls routinely report fear, verbal harassment, unwanted touching and other forms of abuse that limit their freedom to move, work and learn. Global and regional studies show that fear of harassment forces many women to alter routes, avoid night travel, and reduce participation in public life. In Nepal, civil-society safety audits and country reviews have highlighted creeping insecurity in public transport and the need for gender-sensitive urban design.

Problems are practical and fixable, i.e: poor lighting, isolated or poorly designed bus stops, lack of real time information, and weak complaint channels create opportunities for harassment and discourage reporting. International practice shows clear intervention in this case, gender safety audits, better street lighting, women-friendly transport policy, training for drivers/agents, and rapid response helplines aid in reducing risk and help women to reclaim public space.

Local action is also critical. Community policing, “yatri-maitri” initiatives and municipal design choices (lighting, crossings, active street life) make a measurable difference in women’s real and perceived safety. But infrastructure alone won’t fix it. Accountability, bystander action and accessible reporting are essential so perpetrators are not left unpunished and women feel able to speak up.

From our local government, we need to demand safer transit (safe stops, real-time information, driver training), better lighting and visibility, and clear, accessible complaint pathways with guarantees of follow-up. If our streets and buses aren't safe, our rights aren't safe. Share your experiences, back women-led audits in your ward, and call your municipality to act. The crisis of GBV is real and there is for it. So with us and join us in this 16 Days of Activism against GBV to end violence against women and girls.

Women and girls with disabilities in Nepal face alarmingly high levels of gender-based violence and particular barriers to getting help. A recent national study found that about 35.3% of women and girls living with disabilities reported having experienced violence at least once in their lifetime, with higher odds in some provinces which is clear evidence that disability significantly increases GBV risk. (PMC)

Survivors often cannot access vital services. One-Stop Crisis Management Centres (OCMCs), hospitals and police posts frequently lack physical accessibility, private accessible spaces for exams or counselling, and communication support such as sign-language interpreters, easy-read materials or Braille. All of which prevent timely reporting and care. Reviews of OCMC scale-up and recent civil-society monitoring note persistent gaps between policy and on-the-ground accessibility.

Civil society and specialist organisations are filling some gaps but say more is needed. Groups led by women with disabilities (for example, NDWA’s Action for Justice initiative) are directly supporting survivors and pushing for accessible justice, while UN agencies and GBV programmes are increasingly urging disability-inclusive protocols, staff training and data disaggregation.

What we must demand now is to make all GBV services physically and communication-accessible (ramps, private accessible rooms, interpreters, easy-read forms, helplines that can communicate), train health, police and legal aid staff in disability-inclusive, trauma-informed GBV response, and routinely disaggregate GBV data by disability so policy and funding follow the need.

These concrete steps are supported by Nepal’s recent research and program reviews and they will save lives. The crisis of GBV is real and there is for it. So with us and join us in this 16 Days of Activism against GBV to end violence against women and girls.

Economic abuse is one of the most overlooked yet damaging realities for women in Nepal. Many women are denied access to the income they earn, prevented from working, or forced into debt they never consented to. Control of remittances, restricted access to savings, and unauthorized loans taken in women’s names keep them dependent and financially trapped with very few legal or financial safeguards to protect them.

These individual experiences are rooted in broader economic injustice. With only around 27% of Nepali women in the labour force, and nearly 90% of them stuck in informal, low-paid work, women have limited opportunities to build economic independence. Even when women run small businesses, many say they lack control over profits, and wage discrimination, unsafe work, and lack of contracts remain everyday barriers.

Unpaid care work deepens this inequality. Women shoulder nearly 85% of all unpaid household and care responsibilities in Nepal which amounts to over 29 million hours each day. This heavy workload restricts their ability to enter stable jobs, pursue education, or grow enterprises. Many women describe the double burden of working outside while still being expected to manage the entire household alone.

While Nepal has made progress through entrepreneurship programs, skills training, and care-economy pilots, critical gaps remain. Economic abuse is not consistently recognized or measured, enforcement of fair pay is weak, and public investment in childcare and care infrastructure is still too limited to ease women’s time burdens.

Addressing economic abuse, unfair pay, and unpaid care work is not just a women’s issue, it is a national economic priority. Nepal’s future depends on ensuring every woman has real financial autonomy, safe work, and the freedom to make decisions over her own life and labour. The crisis of GBV is real and there is for it. So with us and join us in this 16 Days of Activism against GBV to end violence against women and girls.