To mark the International Women’s Day and raise voice against gender-based violence, UNICEF, UN Women, UNFPA and Nirbhaya Foundation are jointly organising a free concert at Lainchaur in the Capital on Saturday.

The musical event will feature 21 female artistes, including Ani Choyang Dolma, Nalina Chitrakar, Kunti Moktan and the rock group Abhaya & the Steam Injuns.

“Statistics don’t show the whole picture. So much of the violence is invisible. The musical event, therefore, is to rally support to help amplify the clarion call to keep our women and children free from violence,” said Hanaa Singer, the UNICEF country representative.

According to the 2011 National Demographic Health Survey, 1 in 5 women in Nepal reported a lifetime experience of physical violence, while 1 in 10 reported a lifetime

experience of sexual violence. In the same year, 11,500 women and children were trafficked or almost trafficked, most of them in the 12-18 age bracket.

 The 2010 Nepal Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey found that 48 percent of women aged 15-49 in the Mid and the Far Western regions believed that a husband/partner is justified in beating his wife/partner if the woman goes out without letting her partner know, if she neglects to take care of her children, if she argues with her partner, if she refuses to have sex or if she burns the food while cooking.

Singher Abhaya Subba Weise said that although the situation of women singer was improving, they are still marginalised within the community. “Even during gatherings, if I am the only female in the group, men expect me to serve them tea,” said Subba.

Ziad Sheikh, UN Women representative, said: “Women’s meaningful voices must be guaranteed every day through laws and legislation and through political and financial will and commitment to realise the legislation. And this is possible only if men support women,” said Subba.