Crown Princess inaugurates food fair

Kathmandu, Mar. 8 (RSS): Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Himani Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah inaugurated the nutritious food fair organised by Safe Motherhood Network of Nepal on the occasion of the International Women’s Day at a function here today.

On the occasion Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess viewed the stalls of the nutritious fair with keen interest.

Speaking on the occasion Minister for Health Sharat Singh Bhandari said that such programmes would help to generate awareness among the people about the importance of balanced diet at a time when many women have been loosing their lives due to the lack of nutritious food during pregnancy and post partum period.

Minister Bhandari expressed the view that the women should be provided the right to take their own decisions as they (women) cannot obtain the opportunity of taking part in the mainstream of development until their fundamental rights are safeguarded.

Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Rajendra Kharel said that 12 women loose their lives every day during pregnancy and post partum period in Nepal.

Kharel said that nutritious food plays an important role in safe motherhood which is the birth right of the woman.

Chairperson of Safe Motherhood Network of Nepal Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba said that it is the responsibility of the family to provide adequate rest and balanced diet to woman during pregnancy and post partum period as majority of the women suffer from weakness and anemia and fall victims due to lack of nutritious food during pregnancy.

She said that the nutritious food fair focuses on what food a woman should take during pregnancy and post partum period and how to prepare these nutritious food.

Country Director of Cedpa/Nepal Christa Skerry said "As long as women are not valued equally, safe motherhood will remain a great challenge and the lives of many women and children are at risk."

Chairperson of Safe Motherhood Network techical committee Dr. Dibya Shree Malla and chairperson of Safe Motherhood Network events committee Surya Kumari Shrestha threw light on the importance of nutritious food during pregnancy and post partum period.

On the occasion nutritious food were distributed to the pregnant women as well as women who have already given birth to a child.

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