Backing From Party

WHEN it came to the crunch, despite some internal differences, Nepali Congress party made a wise decision Tuesday to rally around Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. The three-day meeting of the Central Working Committee ended on a note that bodes well for the current administration as far as the ruling party’s unequivocal support is concerned. The top leaders of the party decided to bury differences and put up a united front to fight the present problems confronting the nation. Former prime minister and founder leader of the Nepali Congress Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and party president Girija Prasad Koirala both spoke in favour of forging unity and forgetting minor differences. That the top brass has come out advocating unity is only a sensible step. Any other kind of sentiments could have adverse effects on the obtaining situation in the country which is, as was admitted at the meeting, at a critical juncture. The government at the present moment is seeking to extend the state of emergency for the simple reason that the battle against terrorism is not yet a mission accomplished. That the fight would be over in a just a couple of months was never considered a possibility to start with. Though there has been significant improvements in the law and order and the Nepalese in general have heaved a sigh of relief at the mobilisation of all security personnel, it is clear that the state of emergency needs to be extended to allow the campaign to reach its logical conclusion.

This truth seems to have dawned on all the Nepali Congress leaders if the expressions of support for the Deuba administration heard at the committee meeting are any indication. Apparently, notwithstanding some stray noises calling for a change of guards at the government, the meeting spurned any thought of changing the horse mid-stream. Furthermore, the party decided to appeal to all the parliamentary parties to endorse the proposal for extending emergency submitted by the government on Monday following the commencement of the parliamentary session. Such an appeal that comes from an undivided Nepali Congress house should give further legitimacy to the government proposal. There are sufficient indications already that the government would receive the needed votes on the parliamentary floor to get an extension of the emergency. The issue of extension should be wrapped up as soon as possible in the parliament so that the law and order problem could be solved expeditiously.

Towards Gender Equality

IN a national conference on Solidarity for Gender Equality organised the other day, the august participants, apart from hearing the inhuman treatment meted out to the victims of trafficking and discrimination, were also informed that there are 54 laws and 118 legal provisions that are discriminatory against women. That women, who constitute over half the nation’s population, are still being hobbled down by various legal provisions just proves that the concerned authorities and organisations still have many more miles to go before the worthy stipulates enshrined in the new Constitution are fully materialised. Nevertheless, in this otherwise bleak scenario concerning women’s empowerment, the only silver linings seem to be the concerted campaigns taken out by various national organisations geared toward ending all kinds of gender-related inequalities. In this regard, what is indeed heartening to note is that these organisations, for over 12 years ago, have been acting as the worthy champions of women’s rights. Had it not been for their strident voices and sustained campaigns, the nation’s women would have been in the dark concerning their fundamental right.

In all fairness, it’s not that the various agencies specially charged with ending all kinds of gender-based discriminations and inequalities have not been doing their utmost to realise their laudable objectives. That high-level bodies have been constituted by the government from time to time to delve into this national issue and the subsequent incorporation of the suggestions forwarded by them in the various bills, laws and legal provisions to empower women with their constitutionally guaranteed rights do prove that such agencies are well-tuned to the hopes, wishes and aspirations of the nation’s women. Also, all this shows that these agencies are in the know that to exclude the over half the nation’s population from their fundamental rights would be akin to relegating the nation to socio-economic and political doldrums. At a time when the entire nation is faced with myriad problems and daunting challenges, it looks to reason for the agencies charged with ending all kinds of gender-related discriminations to come up with more such women-specific initiatives so that the latent energy and potentials of over half the nation’s population could be effectively harnessed to overcome these problems and challenges. And, in the bargain, also ensure the all-round development of all its citizens. For this, cooperation among all is a must.