KATHMANDU: Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Ram Charan Chaudhary today said his ministry

was drafting a bill on domestic violence.

Addressing a discussion organised by National Women’s Commission and Saathi organisation, minister Chaudhary viewed that the women needed to claim their rights.

Minister Chaudhary pointed out the need to have enough resources for the enforcement of law, saying that drafting of the bill alone would not be enough as it should have an impact on people.

Echoing the minister, women lawmakers said the bill was in its final stage.

Constituent Assembly member Sapana Pradhan Malla said the women lagged behind as the framers of earlier constitutions were biased towards them. Sharing that the draft should be based on right rather than welfare, Malla said women should be able to live a life of dignity. Lawmaker Dr Arju Rana said the government was inactive for downsizing domestic violence and proposed for establishing social service department whereby torture exerted on women could be recorded. She said the militarisation of the youth by the parties had resulted in increased impunity in the society.

Struggle committee coordinator Bandana Rana said that they had been advocating for the bill for the last 17 years and hoped the parliament would enact it soon.