KATHMANDU: Unilever Nepal Limited, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, 2021, has launched “#UNMUTE, End the Silence on Domestic Violence” pledging to not only create a safer community at work, but try to be the one of the voices of change for Nepal.
Through its campaign #UNMUTE, End the Silence on Domestic Violence, it said it committed to speak up against violence and to support not only its employees but their families with the education, awareness, and resources around safety.
A statement issued by Unilever Nepal said the campaign aims to reach women across its ecosystem and educate them on their rights as well as provide access to resources like a toll-free helpline, providing counselling and access to NGO services, access to ‘safe leave’ and flexible working conditions for the survivors.
Also, perhaps the first one to do so, Unilever has framed a Domestic Violence & Abuse Policy to protect and support its employees from domestic abuse.
This extends the scope of employee well-being beyond work that is, the office to his/her personal life and home, it added.
The stand on Domestic Violence from Unilever Nepal comes at a time when a significant number of its office-based staff are working from home.
Domestic abuse thrives in secrecy and creating an environment where people can disclose their experience without stigma, is what the policy seeks to do, the statement said.
With the same thing in consideration, Unilever Nepal Limited also organized a Virtual Panel discussion aligned with the campaign #Unmute.
Speaking in the discussion, it’s Managing Director Amlan Mukherjee emphasized the need for all to unmute to curb down the significant rise in domestic abuse cases across Nepal along with the rest of the world.
He explained how important it is to stand up as volunteers if people want to see the change.
He also stressed the need to bring change in the people, their families and then the society and how the campaign #Unmute encourages survivors and allies to break this cycle of abuse and speak up.
Speaking in the panel, Social Activist Anuradha Koirala referred to the ongoing domestic violence in the country.
She iterated the need to create a safer community for all that begins from home and highlighted the need for the children to be made aware of sensitive issues and respect everybody irrespective of their gender as domestic violence is not limited to women.
Speaking on the occasion, Manju Gyawali, a practicing lawyer, said that one needs to break his/her silence and create enough circumstantial evidence to establish the truth and made sure justice will prevail.
She maintained that necessary stringent legal provisions are already in place to help the victims who decide to speak out.
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