Women’s Cause
THE formation of the National Women’s
Commission by the government over a month ago has been welcomed by every quarter. The need
for such commission had been felt for long but only recently it has been fulfilled. Women,
who constitute over 50 per cent of Nepal’s population, have been playing a vital role
in every sector of national life but with the conservative thinking regarding them still
prevailing in the society it was necessary that such a commission be formed to address the
basic issues concerning women. The empowerment of women and their active participation in
every sphere is deemed very essential if the country as a whole is to come out of its
shell of backwardness and progress forward. The Commission with the involvement of women
themselves has the task to identify problems confronting them and devise appropriate
measures to resolve them. Once the problems are sorted out and resolved there can be no
reason why women cannot work at par with men. Though the Constitution does not
discriminate against them, it is a widespread phenomenon in the society. People must
change their attitudes if the contribution of every citizen is to be taken into account
for the overall good of the nation.
In this connection, addressing a programme
organised by Human Rights Organisation of Nepal on the rationale of the National
Women’s Commission, Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Rajendra Kharel
underlined that the commission was for the women to work collectively for resolving their
common problems. As the concerned people would be working together they can identify the
common problems and take the necessary steps to eliminate them in view of the
government’s commitment to cooperate with them in this noble mission. Herein, it may
be necessary to mention that the Lower House has passed the Domestic Violence (Crime and
Punishment) Bill-2058. This must also be considered as a landmark event in the sense that
the women at home too cannot be taken for granted. As domestic violence is very common in
this part of the world, this Bill when it becomes an Act will be a deterrent to those
males who flaunt their superiority by ill-treating the women at home. Now the women can
look forward to better times ahead and a life of peace and security with the state
offering them protection even inside their house.
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