KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Sher Bhadur Deuba has insisted on collective efforts for realizing the rights and empowerment of women.
In his address to a function held to mark the 112th International Women’s Day organized in Kathmandu Tuesday, Prime Minister Deuba urged one and all to proactively campaign to fight all kinds of discrimination and violence against women and girls.
Terming women’s empowerment as the common concern of all, the head of the government said three-tier governments needed to work from with respective competencies towards that end. He sought dedication from all bodies concerned to ensure socio-economic and political rights of women through effective enforcement of relevant laws.
“The Constitution has guaranteed the rights of women as the fundamental rights,” the Prime Minister said, adding. that constitutionally women’s proportional representation in all State apparatus has been ensured. As he explained, the Constitution has envisaged the building of a proportional, inclusive and equitable society by eliminating all kinds of discrimination against women, enshrining women’s right to equal lineage, safe motherhood and reproductive health; parental property, among others. “Any kind of violence and exploitation against women is punishable by law.”
The Day today itself is an inspiration to us to equally treat women in every aspect of social, political, cultural and economic lives and advance towards the path of gender equality. According to him, women’s representation and participation in political and administrative spheres have improved as a result of policy-level, legal, structural and procedural reforms.
Likewise, Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizens, Uma Regmi said women’s representation in political, economic and social sectors was gradually increasing, while the country achieved a significant fall in maternal mortality rate, rise in women’s literacy rate and economic empowerment indicators. “However, despite these noteworthy accomplishments, we face a grave challenge to do away with patriarchal thoughts, beliefs and conduct long existing in the society”.
“Violence against women continues at private sphere, on the charge of practicing witchcraft, in the forms of rape, child marriage, sexual harassment, period-shaming, dowry, human trafficking and other multiple harmful practices against them and these are a total mockery of the human civilization,” she said. She stressed the need to do away with violence and discrimination against women within the household sphere first to find a path towards socio-economic development.
The program was hosted by the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens. International Women’s Day, 2022 is being observed across the country today with the slogan of ‘Gender Equality Today for a Sustainable Tomorrow’.
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