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WOMEN AND JUST PEACE Women’s Campaign for Equality and Just Peace has finalized the Nepalese Women’s Charter for Equality after three-day meeting with 3 60 women from 7 5 districts.
The 23-point charter demands ensuring at least 33 percent of candidates in the proportional election system and the first-past-the-post system proposed for the elections to the constituent assembly.
The charter also includes demands to ensure women’s equality in every sector, prohibition of violence and discrimination against women on grounds of gender, caste, religion, community and language by introducing effective legal system and making representation of one-third women in all government sectors, especially the cabinet.
On the inaugural day of the program, OHCHR-Nepal chief Lena Sundh had informed that the rights agency had sent recommendations to the Speaker of the Parliament-Legislature and is working within the UN Country Team in Nepal to influence the ongoing work of the political parties on the Constituent Assembly Members’ Election Bill, in order to ensure that the Assembly will fairly represent women and other historically under-represented groups.
“In particular, we recommended that 33 percent of candidates in the election for the first-past-the-post system be women. We have also suggested that in the election using the proportional system, at least 33 percent of candidates be women, and their names should be high on the parties’ lists. A further challenge will be to make sure that women in representative positions come from a broad range of backgrounds, not only from privileged sections of society,” she said.
OHCHR has outlined the need to launch an informed public debate on the Bill, particularly its provisions regarding the inclusiveness of women and under-represented groups.
“Building an inclusive state, where the human rights of all are fully recognized and respected, is not about drawing castles in the sky, as one proverb puts it. Rather, it is an exercise with the most concrete of aims. For example, you all are aware of the obstacles that women face in accessing justice in cases of sexual violence. Will the police treat them with respect? Will the police bother to file a First Incident Report? Will they investigate the allegations and, if things progress this far, will the justice system be willing to begin prosecutions of those to whom the evidence points? My Office has been advocating for changes in the time-limit within which rape victims can file complaints and I am concerned that a petition to the Supreme Court challenging the very restrictive 35 days has been postponed time and again, the last time until July 2007,” she added.
“OHCHR-Nepal is deeply concerned about these all too pertinent questions that Nepali women are forced to weigh before deciding to access their right to justice in cases of sexual violence. It is vital that legislation is reviewed and that the authorities create a safe and protective environment in which women can seek help and redress.”
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