The Ministry of Social Development, Lumbini Province, has conducted such self-defense training for teenage girls in all 12 districts of the province during the current fiscal year through the Social Development Division Office.
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Bimala Kumal of Bhuwachidi Kurgha, Musikot Municipality-6, Gulmi, used to be afraid when she walked alone until a month and a half ago. She used to think that someone would come from behind and grab her. Moreover, she used to read about rape and sexual violence incidents in different parts of the country on social media and in the news, so she used to think about many things when she walked alone on deserted roads. But now, she says, such things have removed her fear and anxiety. She said that the skills she learned for 45 days, i.e. self-defense training, have made her fearless.
‘Before, I didn’t know anything,’ she said, who is studying in grade 11, ‘that’s why I used to be afraid. But now, nothing like that happens. I can walk with confidence.’
Sharing her experience with teachers and other students, she said that she knows how to respond if sexual violence occurs. She openly shared how she learned how to protect herself if someone tries to molest her. ‘Many friends are eager to hear and know,’ she said, ‘I tell my friends about the skills and physical exercises I have learned to protect themselves from sexual or other incidents.’
Aarti Suryavanshi, a teenager from Divya Jyoti Secondary School, Kaseni Sarai, Palpa, used to be afraid to stand up and speak in public. But now she is ready to become a trainer. She has also received 45 days of training. ‘I am now able to conduct physical exercises,’ said the Grade 11 student. ‘Earlier, I used to worry about what others would say to me. I was afraid that they would misbehave. I did not have the confidence to resist. Now, I have become physically and psychologically stronger.’
She shared her experience of being able to resist physically and mentally when the future comes. The Ministry of Social Development, Lumbini Province, has conducted such self-defense training for teenage girls in all 12 districts of the province through the Social Development Division Office in the current fiscal year. The ministry has stated that it has prepared trainers so that hundreds of teenage girls can be trained in the future. 
Teenage girls from Palpa participated in the self-defense training.
Jit Bahadur Rayamajhi, principal of Tribhuvan Secondary School, Bhuwachidi, Kurgha, said that the best part of the self-defense training is that it boosts the morale of the teenage girls. He said that most teenage girls and women do not dare to fight back due to fear of society and the mentality that they are weaker than men. ‘I feel that the self-defense training has helped the girls a lot in increasing their self-confidence,’ he said. ‘I felt that after learning the skills and some physical defenses, they would be able to escape even if they get into trouble.’
Sita Shrestha, a teacher at Divya Jyoti Secondary School Kaseni, who conducted the 45-day training, said that the girls have finally learned how to defend themselves if someone tries to grab them. She said that the girls have gained good information about how to defend themselves if someone tries to grab them, how to increase their self-confidence, and where to get away if someone hits or bites them. Similarly, the self-defense training has taught them skills like how to scream if someone grabs or tries to grab them, and how to go to a crowd or place with people while screaming.’
Laxman Ghimire, head of the Social Development Division Office, Palpa, said that such training is needed as incidents of violence against women, rape, and sexual abuse have increased in the village society in recent times. That is why he said that such training was given to students and girls from two schools in Palpa and Gulmi. ‘The training has given the girls knowledge on how to defend themselves,’ he said, ‘so that they can train other students in the future, even if it is for a few days.’
The girls who have now received 45 days of training will be able to give general self-defense tips in the coming days. And they can also fight back against those who commit violence against girls and women. Chief Ghimire said that it has boosted the morale of the girls and given them confidence that women are as strong as men. Lokendra Thapa, principal of Dijyojoti Secondary School Kaseni, said that he felt that the training had made the girls emotionally stronger.
In previous years, local levels, the Nepali Army, the schools themselves and various organizations also conducted self-defense training for girls in other districts of Lumbini Province. But in recent times, there has been a decrease in this. Meena Acharya, the head of the education branch of Rambha Rural Municipality, Palpa, said that self-defense training was conducted for the first time in the district.
Self-defense training was given to students from grades 6 to 10 studying in various schools in Rambha. She said that after that, the students themselves also conducted the training in the schools. She said that other local levels in the district have also learned from the same and conducted training. The Nepali Army had also conducted self-defense training in Tansen. In which nearly three hundred participants participated.
