Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, February 19:

Men and women are born equal and should have equal right to enjoy their fundamental rights. This is in principle. But in practice, it is not to be and gender bias prevails in every sector of the society, participants at a training programme on “Gender equality in action against child labour and trafficking” complained today. At the programme organised by International Labour Organisation (ILO), the participants emphasised on gender equality referring to women and girl child who are more vulnerable to trafficking and are “compelled to work under unproductive nature” and work under low wage salary.

According to Minisha Dhungana, programme coordinator at the ILO, unsafe migration, discriminatory practices at home and in the society, poverty, lack of opportunity, lack of negotiating and bargaining power among the women lead to trafficking and worst form of child labour. Other participants said that while a son plays a decisive role in a family, daughters are encouraged simply to assist her mother in her household work. They complained that while sons are allowed liberty, daughters are required to get permission form their parents or elders before going out or even to do anything. Anita Shrestha, project consultant, highlighted the differences between gender and sex saying while gender is social, sex is biological difference between men and women. “Gender is a socio-economic variable to analyse differences between men and women with regard to “roles, responsibilities and needs” as well as “constraints and opportunities,” she suggested all to “wear” glasses that would see no difference between men and women.