KATHMANDU: The concerned stakeholders pointed out that the lack of women's rights in land ownership was the prime cause of violence against women.

At an interaction on 'Food Right, Land Ownership and Violence against Women' held by Women Farmers Association on the occasion of the 16-day campaign against gender based violence and 68th International Human Rights Day, participants called for normalising the violence against women by giving more ownership and role.

On the occasion, UML Politburo member Shanta Manavi said discrimination would end if state could arrange for equal division of land among men and women. She pointed out that women were subjected to violence due to the fact that they did not have land ownership.

Manavi, a former Minister for Livestock Development, argued that although Nepal had legal provisions to end violence against women, it was not being implemented in practice.

She called for involving women in productive sector by giving them right to land ownership. National Women Commission Joint Secretary Indira Dahal said the constitution has the provision to end violence but it was not being implemented.