Witchcraft allegations and untouchability as forms of violence upon women in Nepal: A 7-year study.

The Nepalese constitution guarantees equal rights to both men and women regardless of caste, race, or ethnicity. However, the centuries-old superstitious practice of caste-based hierarchy in the Hindu community and discrimination against people of lower caste are still prevalent. Furthermore, witchcraft allegations are also not uncommon. Both these practices are derogatory and humiliating and violate human rights, and the law can penalise them in both instances. Due to the intersection of gender and caste, women often face multiple forms of discrimination and violence as the patriarchal society considers them a weaker gender. The present study aimed to see the trend of crimes upon women reported by Nepal Police in the form of witchcraft allegations and untouchability between the fiscal years 2013/14 and 2019/20.

A Case of Fatal Electrocution in Rural Nepal.

Although preventable, electrocutions have claimed many lives in Nepal. People of low socio-economic background from remote villages in Nepal who visit jungle to tend cattle, collect firewood and cattle fodder are vulnerable to electrocution when the foliage are in contact with the power lines. We present a case of a 11-year-old boy who was found suspended over three naked high-tension electric wires approximately 30 feet above the ground in rural Nepal. This article describes a case of fatal electrocution and attempts to explain a reasons for such mishaps in Nepal through consideration of topography and socioeconomic factors. This article further discusses the death scene investigation in such cases. Keywords: Death scene investigation; fatal electrocution; high-tension transmission.

Accusations of witchcraft: A form of violence against women in Nepal.

Accusations of witchcraft and witch-hunting activities remain serious problems in Nepal, where many women are subjected to violence or torture following accusation and persecution. Many experience serious physical and mental injury, and some die. However, most of these incidents are not reported because women and their families fear reprisals. Poverty, systemic gender inequality and weak state laws provide a context in which this behaviour occurs. Allegations of witchcraft will, however, not be fully eradicated without improvements in education and legal safeguards.

When sexual offence is an unexpected diagnosis - exploration of medical, legal and social aspects in Nepalese scenario.

In Nepal, following allegations of sexual assault, the survivor is taken by the police to a Government Hospital for medical examination and sample collection. To provide an integrated service to survivors of gender-based violence, a One-Stop Crisis Management Centre (OCMC) is established in many Government Hospitals. However, paediatric survivors of sexual abuse frequently seek initial care at the emergency department, as most present with a medical complaint rather than for sexual abuse. It is therefore important to train emergency physicians with the skills required to identify the features and diagnose a case of sexual assault. We present a case where the diagnosis of sexual assault of a child was an incidental finding and discuss the challenges faced in dealing with such cases in non-OCMC Hospital.