Kathmandu, March 11:

Single women have now heaved a sigh of relief that they have the right to make their decisions, thanks to a recently amended Equality Bill.

Now women do not have to return their deceased husbands’ property after re-marriage, they do not have to reach the age of 35 to inherit the property of their deceased husbands, no consent of a male is required to acquire a passport and furthermore women no longer require the consent of their adult son and unmarried daughters to sell their property.

Srijana Shrestha, a 31-year-old single woman of Kirtipur, said that she gained confidence to fight for her property rights and to make her own decision. Shrestha, who is living with her in-laws, said: “The sense of ownership towards property has given me confidence and I can take steps to secure my children’s future.” Similar was the plight of Gita Laxmi Sapkota of Gongobu. “After my husband’s death I wanted to go abroad to fend for my children, but my in-laws did not permit me to do so,” she said, adding that the present law has empowered women to take decisions on their rights.

Srijana Lohani of the Women for Human Rights (WHR), said: “There are many incidents that prevent single women from making their own choices due to limitations in the Acts, these limitations forced us to raise our voices against the discrimination and made way to amend the discriminatory laws.”

Lohani added that there is no authentic data of single women. Armed conflict has aggravated their number and resulted in internal displacement. According to the data of WHR, there are 14,000 single women registered with them in 38 districts.

Single women have faced social discrimination in past. They were denied economic rights and despised by the society. Lohani said the recent law

will soften the society’s attitude towards single women. The economic empowerment of the women has improved their status in the society and the changed laws have minimised violence against them and have made them independent.