Nepal Disabled Women’s Association has held a pre-consultation discussion with relevant experts and stakeholders to review the policy on gender-based violence and disability inclusion. This consultation was held to seek suggestions from stakeholders to review the laws, policies and regulations made to ensure the rights of women by ending all forms of discrimination and violence against them, from the perspective of access to justice for women and girls with disabilities.

Before the discussion began, Advocate Vidhya Chapagain presented the existing rules, laws, policies, international conventions on disability and national laws for women. She sought suggestions on whether a review could be conducted focusing on prevention, protection, response and partnership. In the process, stakeholders raised the issue of the lack of accessible infrastructures, facilities and services for women and girls with disabilities to access justice.

Advocate Tej Kumari Tiwari expressed the view that if there is a provision to appoint legal practitioners with disabilities while appointing salaried lawyers, it will help in access to justice for women and girls Advocate Tej Kumari Tiwari expressed the view that if a provision is made to appoint legal practitioners with disabilities while appointing salaried lawyers, it will help in access to justice for women and girls with disabilities.

Participants also raised the issue that training is necessary to make judicial employees sensitive to disabilities. Neeta Thapa, Inspector of the Nepal Police Women, Children and Senior Citizen Services Directorate, shared her experience that women with disabilities face obstacles in accessing justice due to many obstacles and lack of facilities for filing complaints.

24 participants  including representatives of organizations working on disability rights, the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, the National Human Rights Commission, Nepal Police Women, Children and Senior Citizen Services Directorate.