Kathmandu, September 6, 2017: As I reached Advance College of Engineering and Management, Lalitpur, early this morning, I was amazed to see as many as 100 girls getting rigorously trained with self-defense skills.
Along with self-defense training, they were also provided with detailed information about legal provisions in case one is harassed.
Organized by Girls Kick, an organization of enthusiastic youths with a long-term vision to empower young women and girls through self-defense training, the program sought to boost the self-confidence of the participants by teaching them to defend themselves.
The training was led by two master trainers who have the critical ability in martial arts who led the trainees in pairs giving the roles of girls alternatively as attacker and defender. It included attack-defense activities in case of wrist grabbing, choking, seizing of hands, and hair pulls. All in all, the training was categorized in different aspects and scenarios of attack and self-defense.
The session also highlighted the importance of quick and immediate response as there is no time to lose when we are being attacked. With a few refreshments, the importance of time management was stressed upon as well.
Speaking on the occasion, Dhruba Raj Paudel, Under Secretary at National Youth Council, mentioned, “The prime responsibility of defending oneself is our own. This training will help boost the individual capabilities and also increase one’s confidence.”
Lawyer Sushma Gautam elaborated on the legal aspects of Nepal on the matter. “Rights and duties go hand in hand. Self-defense is not just about mental and physical preparation but also knowing the acts and laws towards us during such life-threatening scenarios,” she mentioned. She cited some laws of Nepal regarding domestic violence, property rights, and social abuses and elaborated on their legal interpretations.
The training aimed to instill in the concept ‘self-confidence is my ornament’ among the girls. Niraj Neupane, Executive Director at Girls Kick, mentioned, “We aim to ensure that women are able to guard themselves of different dangers with a strong mental mindset, physical self-defense with the idea of legal provisions.”
One of the participants also shared how she not only learned how to defend herself during threatening scenarios but also boosted her self-esteem and confidence making her a better leader.
By Drishti Majarjan
