An interaction program regarding service delivery between Nepal Police and the One-Door Crisis Management Center (OCMC) was held on 20 July in Kathmandu, organized by the District Police Range Kathmandu and the Gender-Based Violence Control Network. At the program, SSP Bishwo Adhikari, Chief of District Police Range Kathmandu, said that the community also needs to be informed about OCMC’s services and that doing so will make it easier for victims of gender-based violence to access justice.
At the same event, Krishna Gautam, Information Officer of the Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC), emphasized that citizens and the police must collaborate to protect human rights. He added that INSEC has been prioritizing the rights of women and children in its work to safeguard and promote human rights.
Rasna Dhakal, Treasurer of the Gender-Based Violence Control Network and an advocate, highlighted the program’s objective, stating that the OCMC has become an effective mechanism for providing first aid and access to justice for victims.
At the program, Inspector Saraswati Karki, Chief of the Women, Children, and Senior Citizens Service Center, gave a presentation on the situation of gender-based violence. She said that the nature of crime is changing and that violence is increasing not only against women and children but also against men. She also noted that the trend of living together has increased, and in many cases, complaints of rape are filed after living together for several years. She added that incidents not covered by current laws are also increasing.
At the program, Thapathali Maternity Hospital’s OCMC representative, Sukula Lama, stated that the hospital-based One-Door Crisis Management Center remains open 24 hours and that the number of cases referred by the police is increasing. She emphasized that the OCMC can play an important role in improving access to justice for victims of gender-based violence.
Similarly, Ranjana Sharma from Shubha Awasar Gram Nepal presented the psychological impact on victims of human trafficking and the work carried out by the organization. She informed that the Government of Nepal has established hospital-based OCMCs to support victims of gender-based violence. She added that in Kathmandu district alone, OCMC services are available at Thapathali Maternity Hospital, National Trauma Center, Bir Hospital, Kanti Children’s Hospital, and the hospital in Teku.
Concluding the program, SP Kuldip Chand emphasized the need to make OCMC services more effective and called for joint efforts from the police and citizens to ensure justice for victims. INSEC and Shubha Awasar Gram Nepal jointly coordinated the program, and the representatives from Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, OCMC, and various organizations also participated in the event.
