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Kathmandu Tuesday January 08, 2002 Paush 24, 2058.
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Women’s participation in
politics sought
Post Report
KATHMANDU, Jan 7:Women’s rights activists
today urged the governments of the South Asian region to increase the women’s
participation more in politics and decision-making bodies.
Speaking at an inaugural session of the two-day
consultative meeting organised here today, president of ABC-Nepal, a non-governmental
organisation working against the trafficking in women and girls in Nepal, said,
"There is an urgent need for women to be in the decision-making bodies in large
numbers to improve the overall status of women in our society."
The South Asian Regional Consultative meeting on
political empowerment of women was jointly organised by the ABC-Nepal and UNIFEM Regional
Office and was participated by 42 delegates from the South Asian countries excluding the
Maldives.
Hailing the Local Self-Governance Act –
1997 that was endorsed by the Parliament of Nepal in 1998, Ghimire said due to its
endorsement, almost 40,000 women have so far been elected in the lower political level.
"But, it is only limited in the lower level of power structure," she added.
Ghimire also said the South Asian women need to
redefine politics and governance and prioritise these inequalities and insecurities in the
political agenda.
Addressing the function, Minister for Women,
Children and Social Welfare Rajendra Kharel, State Minister Sushila Swar and Deputy
Speaker of House of Representatives Chitra Lekha Yadav expressed their commitment to
empower the status of women in Nepal.
The director of UNIFEM Regional Office Chandani
Joshi also addressed the function.
On the occasion, Dr Mohini Giri, president of
Guild of Service of India presented a paper on Participatory Democracy. Similarly, Tashi
Delek of Bhutan presented the Bhutan Country Paper on the political empowerment of women.
Both Giri and Delek well described the political empowerment of women in their countries
and existing legal provisions regarding women.
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