Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 8:

Due to lack of proper implementation of national laws, polices and international conventions that the country has signed, there has not been a significant improvement in the situation

of women in Nepal, experts said here today. Urmila Shrestha, a member of the Public Service Commission, said: “The government has introduced policies and amended laws to empower women, but they have not been able to implement the commitments made in papers,” she said. She, however, said in the past few decades a lot of employment opportunities have been created for women. Stating that commitment is necessary from everyone in the society, she emphasised on the need for women to have determination to improve their situation.

“Support from husbands and children is equally important to improve their status,” she said speaking at an interaction organised to mark the 95th International Women’s Day.

Former minister Bhim Kumari Budamagar said policies limited to the paper do not change the situation. “There should be the presence of majority of women in leadership and policy-making levels,” she said. Social worker Angur Baba Joshi said: “Women’s issues need to be given more attention during the insurgency, as they are victimised from various sides. Economic empowerment of women is important which can be followed only by prioritising them in the politics.” Former member of the National Assembly Sharada Pokherel, spokesperson of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Roshan Karki, former member of the Raj Parisad Standing Committee Bhadra Kumari Ghale, artist Bhuvan Chand, Nepali Congress leader Kamala Thapa, central member of the CPN-UML Urmila Aryal, artist Bipana Thapa, and advocate Ishwori Thapa also expressed their views on the occasion. Meanwhile, various programmes were organised across the country to mark the 95th International Women’s Day, reports said. In Kalaiya, thousands of women carrying placards took part in a rally organised by INGOs. According to a report from Manthali women, chanting slogans like ‘gender equality for peace and development’, went through the main thoroughfares of the city. The Nari Kalyan Ekal Mahila Pairawi Manch, an organised formed by the widows, organised a programme in Chitwan to mark the occasion.

65 widows receive red tika

Chitwan: Sixty-five widows of Chitwan district received red tika and shawls on the occasion of 95th International Women’s Day on Tuesday. Earlier, the widows of Gaindakot of Nawalparasi district had worn red saris, bangles and received the tika from their relatives. The widows were honoured by their relatives at the programme organised by the Creative Women Development Profit and Loan Cooperatives, Pithuwa. The relatives of the widows had honoured them by applying red tika on their foreheads. — HNS