Kathmandu, June 14:

Women from underprivileged communities today called on the Cabinet to nominate their representatives in the Constituent Assembly. The Cabinet is yet to appoint 26 CA members.

At a programme organised by Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC), women from Dalit, liberated Kamaiyas, landless and Badi communities urged the parties to recommend a woman from each of these communities for the 26 Constituent Assembly seats.

However, Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hisila Yami said women need to struggle hard to be at the policy-making level.

“There used to be a minimum participation of women in the parliament earlier. At present, women comprise 33.2 per cent of the CA. It’s all because of the capability of women, who fought hard to come to this level.”

According to Yami, women’s movement is still not well-organised.

“As there are 151 female members in the Constituent Assembly, I want them to raise issues and concerns of women while drafting a new constitution. Women from all parties should work for the cause of women. We will help them secure their rights,” said Bimala Tamang, who is fighting for the cause of landless women.

“Though women CA members say there will be participation of women from different castes, I do not trust them. The women CA members themselves resort to caste-based discriminate. We too contribute to all sectors,” said another Dalit participant Saraswati Pariyar.

“We have listened to politicians. Now it’s our turn and they should listen to us. We do not need reservation in the higher level of education because we are unable to reach up to

that level due to discrimination. We need reservation at the grassroots level. There is no representation for us in the CA,” Nirmala Gupta, a Badi woman.

CA member Julie Mahato said,”Whatever the participants said at the programme is correct. And we are trying our level best to address their demands in the CA. We are working to address the issues of women in the CA.”