NSWP members in Nepal are recognising a win for their organisations and the fight against violence against sex workers this week after a court ruling.
Two years ago, on 19 January 2020, the body of a woman was found in Hetauda Sub-metropolis-5. The body was identified as Ajitaa, a 29-year-old transgender sex worker living in Hetauda-10. She had been working for the rights of gender minorities before she was brutally raped and murdered.
Since her death, Blue Diamond Society (BDS) and Federation of Sexual and Gender Minorities Nepal (FSGMN) raised the issue of her murder nationwide and put pressure on authorities for an unbiased investigation.
On Thursday 20th January 2022, District Judge Ratna Shrestha found Sushil Thapa Magar, 25, Ashish Val, 24, and Buddha Lama, 21, guilty of raping and killing Ajitaa. All three were given life sentences. The court also ordered each perpetrator to pay Rs 300,000 to the victim's family within six months. Sentences were also handed out to Simon Pariyar, and an unnamed 16-year-old boy for involvement in the rape and murder of Ajitaa.