Women rights defenders have criticised the government for failing to enforce laws regarding violence against women, saying that non-implementation of laws has given rise to incidents of violence against in women in recent days. 

In a consultative meeting organised by Women’s Rehabilitation Nepal (Worec), rights activists argued that the failure to implement laws has increased state of impunity. “Nepal is rich when it comes to laws, but poor when it comes to their implementation,” said Renu Rajbhandari while addressing the programme. 

Laxmi Pariyar, 32, of Kavre district who was tied to a pole and forced-fed human faeces on charge of practising witchcraft was presented as one of the cases that shows how poor implementation of laws is making women suffer from abuses. Pariyar was found dead in her house two days after the incident.  

As no one had filed any complaint with police, the case was for investigation later only. Four persons have been taken into custody for investigation. 

In another incident, 15-year-old Roshni Tiruwa died of suffocation at Gajra VDC in Achham district after she was banished to a cowshed because she was menstruating, under an ancient Hindu practice that has been banned for over a decade. About a month ago, a 21-year-old woman in a nearby village had died when she was also banished to a shed.