Global women’s meet begins in New Delhi

Minister Bhusal to take up trafficking issue during the congress

New Delhi, March 6:

A month-long session of the International Congress of Women (ICW) kicked off in New Delhi today. One thousand participants from 55 countries across the world are taking part in the session, which will end on March 31.

Pampha Bhusal, Nepal’s Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, is

among the Nepali participants in the mega event of women’s organisations.

The ICW, established 19 years ago, is a consortium of 100 women associations from around the world and the event is organised once in a year in different countries.

Minister Bhusal said she would raise the issue of empowerment of women in general and an end to trafficking of Nepali women and children in particular during the congress.

“This will help sensitise the government authorities about the issues of women. Good solution to the problem can come only when we have good knowledge of the problem,” she told this daily.

With the main objective of the ICW to sensitise the decision makers about the plights of women, a message “If the world take care of women, women will take care of the world” a famous quote of Jane Roberts has been placed at the entrance of the event.

In view of reminding the participants to be honest with the women’s issues, another famous quote of Mahatma Gandhi — Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony — has also been put at the entrance of the venue.

“The more you talk about

the women’s issues in a sustainable manner, the more you impart the issues on the minds of the government officials and the decision makers,” said Sreerupa Mitra Chaudhary, ICW president and programme chairperson.

She said the participants will be divided different groups and discuss the issues that are at the core of women empowerment.

“During the programme, we will be discussing on the millennium development

goals on women, women economy and holistic development of women,” Chaudhary said. “The participants will also discuss the issues of poverty reduction, gender justice, access to social justice, economic, political and scientific empowerment of women.”

The ICW is being hosted by Institute for Gender Justice with the support of various government agencies of India.