Abstract
Sexual violence is a pervasive global issue, affecting one in three women worldwide and one in three men in the U.S. In Nepal, up to seven women or girls are raped daily, often by someone they know. Barriers such as deep-rooted patriarchal norms, social stigma, unclear legal protections, and the lack of policies and mandated prevention education in colleges hinder effective prevention and response in higher education institutions. This advocacy-focused project aims to address these barriers through education, policy reform, and multi-sector collaboration.
As part of this initiative, a culturally adapted, web-based sexual violence prevention training program, “Consent & Respect,” was piloted with 30 first-year undergraduate nursing students at Shree College of Technology in Nepal. The training significantly improved students’ knowledge, awareness, and confidence in preventing and addressing sexual violence, as well as supporting survivors. Supported by a $4,500 award from UC Davis Global Affairs, the project aims to expand campus-wide and influence national education policy.
Short-term goals include scaling the training to all students, forming student-teacher advocacy groups, and developing campus-level sexual violence prevention policies in collaboration with interprofessional stakeholders. Long-term objectives involve advocating for national policy reforms that mandate sexual violence prevention education and institutional policies across Nepalese colleges.
A multi-layered awareness campaign—including media outreach, social media (#ConsentAndRespectNepal), campus events, and global webinars—will amplify the message. Evaluation through pre- and post-surveys, social media analytics, and policy adoption tracking will guide sustainable progress. This project envisions safer campuses and greater awareness through education, empowerment, and policy transformation.
Sigma Membership
Zeta Eta at-Large Chapter
Lead Author Affiliation
University of California, Davis, California, USA
Type
Presentation - Webinar
Format Type
Text-based Document, Video Recording
Study Design/Type
Quasi-Experimental Study, Other
Research Approach
Translational Research/Evidence-based Practice
Keywords:
Sexual Violence Prevention, Digital Education, DNP Project Expansion
Conference Name
Sigma Global Advocacy Academy
Conference Year
2025
Conference Location
Virtual Event
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Recommended Citation
Dhakal, Samiksha, "Advocating for Sexual Violence Prevention through Education and Policy in Nepal" (2025). Global Advocacy. 1.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/ga_series/1
Loading...
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
None: Event Material, Invited Presentation
Acquisition
Self-submission
Full Text of Presentation
wf_yes
