Empowering Women
AFTER much debate Nepalese women are finally
close to gaining equal share and rights in the parental property. Now, it is almost
certain that the 11th amendment to the Civil Code concerning the rights of women in
parental property would be passed by the current 20th session of parliament. The Law and
Justice Committee of the House of Representatives has now approved the Bill concerning
rights of women in parental property with some changes and amendments. The government had
prepared the Bill ensuring equal rights for women in parental property and presented the
same in the Parliament long ago, but it remained pending in the Parliament Secretariat for
one reason or the other. If the 20th session of the Parliament approves the Bill, Nepalese
women would finally become equally empowered like their male counterparts in terms of
inheritance and share in parental property. So far, women are not entitled to get equal
share in the property of their parents. The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal has
provided equal rights to all citizens irrespective of their colour, caste and sex, but
unfortunately such equality has not been translated into practice when it comes to
women’s rights in parental property. This was a violation of constitutional
provision. Nepal has ratified several United Nations instruments concerning human rights
including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. By ratifying these international
human rights instruments, the government has expressed its commitment to work for the
protection and promotion of human rights of all people in the country. However, denial of
equal share in parental property for women is not only against the constitutional
provision of equality before the law but also a violation of universal human rights. Human
rights and women activists in the country launched a nationwide campaign to empower women
with the equal rights in parental property though, not without much debate and some
opposition. It would not be out of place to emphasise that rights in parental property
alone would not empower all women, who are poor, backward and illiterate especially in the
remote areas of the country. Those women, whose parents have property, would benefit from
this provision but there are many families who have nothing to share except poverty. For
these families, the equal rights in parental property for women will have very little
effect. Thus, efforts need to be made to empower women through equal opportunity in
education and economic activities, which would prove beneficial for all women in the long
run in all aspects.
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