Nepal, April 24 -- Despite the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act 2018 guaranteeing respectful reproductive health services in Nepal, new findings reveal that many women still experience violence during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period.

According to a recent study published by the Forum for Women, Law and Development, nearly 38 percent of women have faced some form of abuse during these stages. Specifically, 38.4 percent experienced violence during pregnancy, and 35.9 percent after childbirth.

Illiteracy and unemployment as key risk factors

Illiterate women were the most affected, and most perpetrators were also illiterate men. Among those committing violence during childbirth, 52.6 percent were illitera...