Kathmandu, May 26, 2024—Today marks the official launch of the “Institutionalizing Gender-Based Violence Response in Federal Nepal Project,” a collaborative initiative spearheaded by the Honorable Minister of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, Ms. Bhagbati Chaudhary, and the World Bank Country Director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, Mr. Faris Hadad-Zervos.

This three-year project aims to significantly enhance access to essential gender-based violence (GBV) response services for women and girls across six municipalities in the Koshi and Lumbini provinces. The comprehensive support will include legal aid, psychosocial counseling, and medical services, aiming to assist approximately 49,000 women and girls who have experienced violence.

Minister Chaudhary emphasized the government’s commitment to addressing GBV, stating, “Addressing gender-based violence is a priority for the government of Nepal. This project will help establish a functioning coordination system to link GBV response mechanisms at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels.”

Funded by a $4.6 million grant from the State and Peacebuilding Trust Fund, the project will be managed by the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens. Key components of the initiative include strengthening institutional frameworks, enhancing capacity, piloting innovative service models to improve coverage and quality, and fostering behavior change among first responders and local stakeholders.

Mr. Hadad-Zervos highlighted the broader impacts of the project, noting, “This project will help empower women and girls to readily access GBV services, report violence, and seek help, especially in the most remote and hard-to-reach areas. This is key to supporting Nepal’s development that is green, resilient, and inclusive.”

The project’s launch follows the signing of the financing agreements by the Government of Nepal and the World Bank on April 24, 2024. This collaboration underscores a significant step forward in addressing GBV and promoting sustainable development in Nepal.