KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 24

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, emphasized Nepal's ongoing progress in reproductive health and safe motherhood during her address in New York.

Dr. Rana is attending the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Speaking at a high-level meeting of women political leaders on Monday, she highlighted Nepal's substantial advancements in reproductive health and safe motherhood compared to the past.

'First of all, I want to share that Nepal's current Constitution guarantees women's reproductive rights and safe motherhood as fundamental rights, making it one of the few countries in Asia with such strong legal provisions,' she informed the meeting.

She also noted Nepal's progress in safe abortion as a landmark achievement, recalling a time when over half of 100 women were imprisoned for foeticide, with no men held accountable. 'We advocated for their release, and such circumstances no longer exist, as women now have the right to safe abortion,' she added.

Dr. Rana shared her personal experience in advocating for women's reproductive rights, recounting how women leaders from various political parties, under her leadership, successfully lobbied for the constitutional guarantee of safe abortion and reproductive rights.

She acknowledged the contributions of 273 female lawmakers in Nepal's Constituent Assembly, who played a crucial role in ensuring these legal provisions were included in the Constitution.

Despite Nepal's relatively small GDP, Dr. Rana noted that the country has made significant strides in its Human Development Index, largely due to the prioritization of women's reproductive rights, safe motherhood, and related issues.