KATHMANDU: Women for Human Rights, an organisation of single women, today urged the government to immediately withdraw the announced policy of providing Rs 50,000 for a widow’s remarriage, arguing that only social security schemes would help the women live respectfully in the society.

WHR has been engaged in advocating issues of single women. Issuing a press statement here today, it said that women from various parts of the country had expressed their solidarity in the protest.

“To encourage widow-marriage, the government will provide a grant of Rs 50,000 to the couple within 30 days of their marriage registration with the District Administration Office,” Finance Minister Surendra Pandey has announced in the budget for the current fiscal.

“With our experience of 14 years, working with the single women, we can say that the policy will encourage only violence, torture and exploitation of them. It has violated the rights of single women to live independent and dignified lives,” reads the statement. “We do agree about re-marriage but putting a price tag on single women can’t be justified.”