Nepal Disabled Women Association (NDWA), with support from Mukti Nepal, successfully conducted the third phase of capacity-building training for Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Response Groups (VRGs) and Safety and Wellbeing Defenders (SWDs) under the IGNITE Project, on June 18-22, 2026. The project is supported by the United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women (UNTF), with NDWA and Mukti Nepal serving as implementing partners and CBM Nepal Country Office providing technical support.
The training was delivered through two separate two-day sessions for participants from Bara and Parsa districts. The sessions were facilitated by Ms. Meena Paudel, Chairperson of NDWA, with support from Ms. Laxmi Kharel, District Community Coordinator Officer (DCCO) for Bara and Parsa.
The primary objective of the training was to strengthen the capacity of community-based response groups and defenders to prevent and respond to gender-based violence (GBV), with a particular focus on the experiences of women and girls with disabilities. Participants enhanced their understanding of disability, disability rights, gender equality, intersectionality, and the various forms of violence faced by women and girls in their communities. The training also provided practical guidance on identifying GBV cases, ensuring appropriate reporting and referral, and supporting survivors through community-based response mechanisms.
A key component of the training was the introduction to the Justice, Our Right Campaign (JORC), where participants learned about the campaign’s objectives and explored how they could actively contribute to promoting disability-inclusive justice and advocating for the rights of women and girls with disabilities.
Throughout the sessions, participants actively shared their experiences and reflections on the different forms of violence encountered by women and girls in their daily lives. Discussions highlighted how harmful social norms, gender inequality, disability, and other intersecting factors significantly increase the vulnerability of women and girls with disabilities to violence and discrimination.
Several participants with prior experience in community-level case management shared practical examples of supporting survivors of gender-based violence. These discussions encouraged peer learning and strengthened participants’ understanding of survivor-centered approaches, referral pathways, and community accountability.
Many participants, particularly women with disabilities, expressed that this was the first training they had attended where women and girls with disabilities were placed at the center of discussions on violence prevention and response. They appreciated the inclusive learning environment and emphasized the importance of continuing such initiatives to ensure that disability-inclusive perspectives are integrated into community protection mechanisms.
Speaking during the training, NDWA representatives emphasized that the initiative goes beyond building technical knowledge. It seeks to transform community attitudes, strengthen local support systems, and promote a rights-based and inclusive approach to preventing and responding to violence against women and girls with disabilities.
By strengthening the capacity of Violence Against Women and Girls Response Groups and Social Welfare Defenders at the grassroots level, the IGNITE Project continues to contribute toward building safer, more inclusive, and more responsive communities where women and girls with disabilities can live free from violence, discrimination, and exclusion.