Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Lawmakers have called for strict punishment for those involved in heinous crimes such as rape.
Raising the issue of the rape and murder of three-year-old Garima Chaudhary of Bara and the case of Nirmala Pant of Kanchanpur, among others, lawmakers at the meeting of the House of Representatives on Monday called for tougher laws, the introduction of sex education and more effective state security mechanisms to prevent rape.
Ranju Neupane: Tougher laws and sex education needed
Lawmaker Ranju Neupane said heinous crimes such as rape were on the rise and called for laws that provide strict punishment for those involved in such crimes.
She said sex education should be included in school textbooks and that the government should focus on enhancing the capacity of police personnel who reach crime scenes.
“We always turn away when we hear the words ‘sex education.’ That needs to change. The government should also work to enhance the capacity of police personnel who reach crime scenes,” she said.
Neupane added that daughters and women in general cannot be safe unless society’s attitude toward women changes.
Ashika Tamang: Harsher penalties must be introduced
Lawmaker Ashika Tamang questioned what specific provisions exist under the current law for punishing rapists. She said calls for tougher laws and punishment arise only after such crimes occur.
She proposed the death penalty as a punishment for those convicted of rape, as well as denying them food and other basic facilities in prison or even amputating the body part used to commit the rape.
“Unless the law is amended in line with the brutality of the crime, the souls of three-year-old Garima Chaudhary of Bara and 13-year-old Nirmala Pant of Kanchanpur will not find justice and peace,” she said.
Shraddha Kunwar Chhetri: Violence against women continues unabated
Lawmaker Shraddha Kunwar Chhetri said that despite women’s historic participation in Parliament and government, violence and attacks against women had not stopped.
She said violence against women begins even in the womb simply because they are girls and continues at various stages of their lives.
Recalling the cases of Garima Chaudhary, Nirmala Pant and Muskan Khatun, she called for strict laws against heinous crimes such as rape.
Pramilakumari Gachchhadar: How long will girls remain unsafe?
Lawmaker Pramila Kumari Gachchhadar questioned how long girls would have to live in fear and remain unsafe.
“How long will our daughters have to remain unsafe? They are not safe at home, they are not safe at school, nor are they safe in their communities,” she said.
She cited the murder of two-year-old Khushi Khatun in Saptari and the rape and murder of three-year-old Garima Chaudhary in Bara.
She questioned the three-point agreement reached between the government and Garima Chaudhary’s family, saying a recurring pattern had emerged in which protests erupt after such incidents, followed by agreements between the government and victims’ families.
“Can erecting a statue bring back the life of a three-year-old girl? An agreement may stop a protest immediately and ease the pain temporarily, but it cannot provide a sense of long-term justice or restore people’s trust in the state,” she said.
