KATHMANDU, April 24: Despite the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act 2018 guaranteeing respectful reproductive health services in Nepal, new findings reveal that many women still experience violence during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.
According to a recent study published by the Forum for Women, Law and Development, nearly 38 percent of women have faced some form of abuse during these stages. Specifically, 38.4 percent experienced violence during pregnancy, and 35.9 percent after childbirth.
Illiteracy and unemployment as key risk factors
Illiterate women were the most affected, and most perpetrators were also illiterate men. Among those committing violence during childbirth, 52.6 percent were illiterate men, while 75.7 percent of the victims were illiterate women. Similarly, 52.9 percent of perpetrators during delivery were unemployed men.
Types of violence across reproductive stages
Enough budget for aerial rescue of pregnant and postpartum wome...
Psychological violence affected 30.7 percent of women during pregnancy, 32.7 percent during childbirth, and 30 percent postpartum. Physical violence was reported by 4.5 percent during pregnancy, 3.2 percent during childbirth, and 4.5 percent after delivery. Sexual violence affected 16.1 percent during pregnancy, 9.5 percent during childbirth, and 16.4 percent postpartum.
Perpetrators include family, husbands, and healthcare providers
Violence from family members and relatives accounted for 60 percent during pregnancy, 64.4 percent during childbirth, and 71.1 percent postpartum. Abuse by husbands was reported by 52.1 percent during pregnancy, 44.9 percent during childbirth, and 47.8 percent after delivery. Mistreatment by healthcare providers stood at 26 percent during pregnancy, 22.7 percent during childbirth, and 13.4 percent postpartum.
Healthcare rights violations
The study also found that healthcare institutions provided services without adequate information, conducted physical exams without consent, and failed to maintain privacy. About 15.2 percent of providers examined pregnant women without consent; 13.8 percent did so after childbirth. Privacy violations occurred in 21.1 percent of cases during pregnancy, 5.2 percent during childbirth, and 27 percent in postpartum care. Nearly 0.5 percent of women were unable to leave health facilities after delivery due to unpaid medical bills.
Forms of abuse reported
Victims reported verbal abuse, accusations, psychological pressure, physical assault, and forced sexual relations by husbands. Other family members neglected or mistreated women by denying support and nutritious food. Some faced discrimination for giving birth to daughters, including humiliation and negative remarks. A few women were forced to stay outside the home after childbirth, while others reported physical abuse after the fetus was identified as female. Cases of miscarriage due to lack of nutrition were also documented. Some women also reported harsh treatment by health workers during labor.
Root causes and consequences
The study concludes that illiteracy, gender discrimination, and entrenched socio-cultural norms continue to hinder safe and respectful maternity care. It warns that violence during such a sensitive period can lead to serious consequences, including mental stress, postpartum depression, increased suicide risk, and negative impacts on breastfeeding. Urban women were found to be more likely to experience violence during pregnancy and childbirth than rural women.
Call for legal reform
The Forum for Women, Law and Development stated that such conditions contradict both national and international legal frameworks. Advocate Sabin Shrestha noted that while the law ensures respectful maternity care, the absence of clear punitive provisions allows the problem to persist. He added that recommendations from global human rights review mechanisms and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) have also urged Nepal to effectively implement respectful maternity care. Shrestha emphasized that legal reforms are necessary to address these ongoing challenges.
