Women, Peace and Security Champion Profile: Conflict Victim Women National Network, Nepal
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Individuals and organizations who are championing the Women, Peace and Security agenda in Asia and the Pacific are being profiled by UN Women – online and in our 2025 calendar – to mark this agenda’s 25th anniversary.
The Conflict Victim Women National Network (CVWN) is a national organization dedicated to advocating for justice, empowerment, and equality for women and children affected by Nepal’s armed conflict which ended in 2006 through a comprehensive peace agreement (CPA). In this interview we speak with two inspiring leaders of CVWN who are survivors of the conflict: Srijana Shrestha, the Chairperson, and Sabitri Khadka, the Secretary. Their experiences shed light on the challenges faced by conflict-affected women and CVWN’s commitment to advancing the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in Nepal.
Why was your network established?
“The establishment of CVWN was born out of necessity. Despite the end of the decade-long conflict in Nepal in 2006, women victims found themselves disproportionately affected – socially marginalized, overlooked by policies and denied their fundamental rights. We realized the government’s efforts to address our needs were insufficient and, in some cases, perpetuated inequities. While men have had more opportunities for representation and redress, women have remained largely invisible in the justice process.
Today, CVWN brings together over 2,000 women, including those from the most remote areas of the country. We provide a safe and empowering space where women can share their stories and find solidarity. This grassroots reach is our greatest strength, allowing us to address the unique dimensions of challenges that conflict-affected women face.
The compounding effects of conflict, the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters have disproportionately affected conflict victims and made our mission even more critical.”
What are key milestones for CVWN in advocating for conflict-affected women’s rights?
“While we have spearheaded achievements, they are a result of collective efforts involving multiple stakeholders, including UN Women, civil society organizations and other partners.
We’re proud to say our contributions to the peace process in Nepal have been significant. We have fostered dialogue between previously opposing parties during the armed conflict, enabling them to work together in shared forums. This shift from division to collaboration is a milestone in advancing Nepal’s peace process.
A key accomplishment has been our role in coordinating with various entities to ensure the effective implementation of Nepal’s second National Action Plan (NAP II) on WPS for 2022–2025.
Our advocacy has filled gaps. Many women victims, previously silenced by stigma, now have the confidence to speak out against sexual violence due to CVWN’s efforts, combined with those of other stakeholders. Another part of our advocacy is enabling accountability under various international frameworks, Supreme Court decisions and transitional justice laws.
Beyond advocacy, our work has had tangible outcomes for conflict-affected women and their families. For instance, we secured scholarships for children of missing individuals and orphaned children. We also advocated tirelessly to enable wives of missing individuals to gain property rights, ensuring their economic security. These provisions are now enshrined in the recently amended legislation governing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.”
What role has CVWN played in advancing Nepal’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security?
“We’ve been instrumental in advocating for, developing and implementing Nepal’s NAP II in coordination with other key stakeholders. CVWN representatives were members of the Drafting Committee of the NAP II Action Plan formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA).
We’re leading the group of CSOs called Victim and Civil Society (VCS) for WPS formed in 2023, with 15 CSOs as members for concerted advocacy to implement the current NAP, and build synergy and solidarity.
Recognizing the importance of grassroots engagement, we have extended our efforts to the very local level, coordinating closely with local governments to ensure effective implementation.
For example, we recently organized meetings in all seven provinces in collaboration with provincial ministries. In these forums, we have consistently emphasized the importance of including conflict victims in decision-making committees related to NAP II and other mechanisms.
By advocating for their inclusion, we ensure those with lived experiences contribute to crafting policies and solutions. Additionally, our provincial coordinators and district committees enable us to maintain strong connections and mobilize resources.
Our advocacy aligns with UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820, which highlight the significance of women’s participation in decision-making and address the specific needs of victims of conflict-related sexual violence. In this regard, we have worked to establish mechanisms to identify and address their unique needs, while also empowering them to assume leadership roles in their communities.
A critical step in this process has been the establishment of subcommittees at the local level for the implementation of NAP II which ensure representation of conflict-affected women, including survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, and serve as key mechanisms for identifying their needs and collecting essential data.
CVWN has not only supported the government in these endeavours, but also held it accountable to international commitments. We firmly believe that laws and policies should lead to meaningful outcomes, not remain decorative.
Partnering with UN Women has strengthened our advocacy by linking our collective efforts to international norms and commitment, providing hands-on advocacy skills to our staff and members to strategize better and build solidarity, and providing guidance on policies and legal reform to advance to the WPS agenda.”
“We have fostered dialogue between previously opposing parties during the armed conflict, enabling them to work together in shared forums. This shift from division to collaboration is a milestone in advancing Nepal’s peace process.”
What are CVWN’s main challenges and priorities for advancing the WPS agenda?
“As Nepal navigates a critical phase in its peacebuilding process, we envision a future where CVWN’s collaboration with government, UN agencies and development partners amplifies victims' voices and drives systemic change through the WPS agenda. Together, we can create a future where justice, equality and the voices of conflict victim women are at the forefront of Nepal's journey toward sustainable peace.
Despite persistent advocacy by CVWN, other conflict victim networks, CSOs and other stakeholders, the pressing concerns of conflict victim women regarding justice and reparation are yet to be fully addressed through NAP II and transitional justice processes. Political instability, frequent changes in leadership and government personnel, and lack of budget and resources in this area of WPS and transitional justice further hinder the implementation of these critical commitments.
To ensure sustained progress, we emphasize the importance of multi-faceted support from stakeholders. CVWN also requires continuous support for its institutional development and growth, capacity building and exposure to sustain its advocacy.
Our priorities include providing capacity-building initiatives for officials to identify needs and collect data on conflict victim women, and enabling the provision of services and reparation of conflict victim women and their families. Extending the timeline of NAP II and developing a comprehensive third NAP to sustain progress are also important.
Effective implementation of the transitional justice law that was amended in August 2024 is another priority. CVWN wants to ensure a victim-centric and gender-responsive approach with the meaningful participation, and leadership of conflict victim women and marginalized groups. We are also ensuring the timely and transparent appointment of commissioners for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons.
Congratulations to CVWN on your recent international recognition!
For CVWN, receiving the Saahas Mashal Award in 2024 presented by Women in Security, Conflict Management and Peace is a celebration of our journey from the grassroots. The moment we received this award, we felt immense pride in knowing that our efforts to work with, and for, conflict-affected women have resonated beyond our national boundaries. We are also delighted to feature as WPS champions in UN Women’s 2025 calendar for Asia and the Pacific.
This recognition reminds us that our collective voices are stronger together, and international platforms offer opportunities to amplify our causes and foster peace and solidarity.
To learn more, visit CVWN.
See also:
In Focus: 25 Years of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in Asia and the Pacific