Rural women to be awarded for promoting rights

Kathmandu, March 8:

Ian Martin, personal representative of United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, would be presenting the Ampro award to two rural women for promoting human rights of women and social justice to mark the 97th International Women’s Day.

Thakani Mehata from Sunsari and Rikma Bishwokarma from Siraha are getting the award for struggling individually to fight for human rights of socially disadvantaged rural women.

Biswokarma, a mother of two, despite threats from the ‘high-caste’ people to to kill her son, is fighting for the rights of other women after receiving human rights awareness training imparted by the Women Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC).

Expressing her happiness for getting award, she said: “This award has encouraged me to work more actively.”

She said she would show the award in her community and inspire other to work for protection of women’s human rights.

“We are very happy that these two women are getting the Ampro for their contribution to protect human rights,” said Renu Rajbhandari, general secretary of WOREC.

Ampro Award is a memorial fund set up in memory of Ampro Tomas, a Spanish human rights worker who died in a tragic accident on November 27, 2005.

The award will be handed over tomorrow during the closing ceremony of the Women’s Festival organised in Kathmandu.