Kathmandu, April 13:

The Embassy of Denmark today said it will provide $25,000 to the female expedition team — the First Inclusive Women Sagarmatha Expedition 2008 — which is set to scale Mt Everest tomorrow.

The team, consisting of 10 female members, is set to scale the Everest tomorrow with an aim to draw the world’s attention to gender equality and women’s empowerment and the effects of climate change in the Himalayas.

Speaking at a press meet, ambassador of Denmark Finn Thilsted said that women can work in all fields if given the right opportunities and this expedition is an evidence of that.

Ambassador Finn Thilsted said that the support to the female expedition is the Denmark government’s bid to promote women’s economic and political empowerment to achieve sustainable development. “We support the rights of girls and women to education and land should be ensured for them for their economic growth and poverty reduction,” Ambassador Finn Thilsted said.

“We are convinced that the expedition will achieve success in reaching the summit of Sagarmatha and overcoming the enormous challenges of nature. It will help promote the issues of gender equality and women’s economic empowerment,” Ambassador Finn Thilsted said.

Handing over a Millennium Development Goal 3 banner and Global MDG 3 Champion torch to Susmita Maskey, coordinator and team leader of the expedition, Ambassador Finn Thilsted said: “The Embassy of Denmark has handed over one torch to the team leader of the First Inclusive Women Sagarmantha Expedition 2008. The other four torches will be handed over to the rest of the four torch-bearers at the end of May.”

Denmark will hand over at least 100 torches to the selected torch-bearers throughout the world.

The torch-bearers, representing governments, civil society, international organisations and the media, are committed to doing something extra to support the MDG 3.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate professor Muhammad Yunus from Bangladesh was designated the first MDG 3 torch-bearer.

All commitment of the torch-bears will be presented to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon at the United Nations meeting in September and he will also be given the final torch.

The UNDP and the United Nations World Food Programme have also supported the expedition.