KATHMANDU: Minister for Women, Children, Gender and Sexual Minorities and Social Security, Sita Badi, has said that a concept paper to formulate an integrated law to combat gender-based violence has been prepared.

In response to the queries raised by lawmakers in the National Assembly meeting on Wednesday, she said that necessary initiatives are being taken to reduce violence against women in coordination with other agencies concerned.

National Assembly MP Renu Chand had presented a resolution on the prevention and control of gender-based violence using technology, and the protection of women’s rights and effective implementation by making necessary policy, legal and institutional arrangements to ensure access to justice.

MP Padam Bahadur Pariyar supported the resolution and pointed out the need to make necessary legal arrangements to end violence carried out through digital means.

MP Roshni Meche said that the nature of violence against women has changed with the development of information technology worldwide while MP Mina Singh Rakhal said that although Nepal has adopted a policy to end all forms of discrimination in the preamble of its constitution, various forms of violence still persist in practice.

MP Nar Bahadur Bista demanded that the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police be expanded to all seven provinces.

MPs Shree Krishna Prasad Adhikari and Rukmini Koirala suggested that necessary legal arrangements should be made to end digital violence against women.

During the discussion on the resolution, MPs Bhuwan Bahadur Sunar, Geeta Devkota, Pooja Chaudhary, Bishnu Bahadur Bishwakarma, Bishnukumari Sapkota, Gomadevi Timilsina, Durga Gurung, Samjhana Devkota, Rajendra Lakshmi Gaire, Bishnu Devi Pudasaini, among others suggested various ways to protect women and girls from violence and victimization meted out through digital technology.