Lalitpur, November 29:

The women living in remote areas are yet to have access to health services such as safe maternity, contraceptives and abortion facilities, said an expert at a workshop titled ‘Reproductive Right of Nepali Women’ organised by the Family Planning Association here today.

Presenting her paper ‘Situation of Women’s Reproductive Right in Nepal’, Dr Shanta Thapaliya, president of Legal Aid and Consultancy Centre, said despite amendment in the laws related to women’s reproductive rights, its implementation remains a big challenge.

“Women’s access to health services is poor due to lack of trained hands to deliver such services. Economically backward women give birth to babies as they cannot afford for abortion in hospitals,” she said. Coordination between the government and NGOs is important to implement the programmes in rural areas, she added.