The Women Human Right Defenders (WHRDs) movement started in Nepal in 2003, primarily to fight against all kinds of structural violence and discrimination against women. The National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders (NAWHRD), established in 2007, is a vibrant, strong and active women’s network working from feminist perspective. It is a collective platform of WHRDs and associated organisations that promote rights of WHRDs all over Nepal. NAWHRD is represented by different self-representative women rights groups and movements.
NAWHRD supports WHRDs by building their capacity, supporting them at time of distress, advocating collectively for recognition of their work and creating protection mechanisms for them. NAWHRD also supports women who have experienced violence and further advocates for required policy change to ensure rights of all women, especially those from marginalised communities.
NAWHRDs supports WHRDs working on intersectional concerns of women, such as: adequate land rights; caste-based discrimination; disability rights; political representation; rights of LGBTQI++; rights of women in the entertainment sector; and sexual, mental health and reproductive health rights, among others. However, over the years, NAWHRD’s work has been largely focused on bringing the issues of gender-based violence to the public domain, breaking the norms and culture of silence, and protecting and strengthening women’s legal rights.
