The minimum age criteria of 35 years, requirement to be a member of the National Women’s Commission (NWC) came under fire today at a discussion held to look into the proposed Bill on the commission.

INGO representatives and journalists taking part in the meeting on Wednesday said the criteria should be annulled. However, they agreed to the condition that a member needs to have at least 10 years experience in women rights sector. Encouraging participation of the young and women of grassroots was another idea mooted.

The recently formed NWC has been holding discussions with people of various walks of life. “This is a part of the series of consultations that the commission is having with different sections of society on the legal framework that would govern its working and ensure its autonomy” said Dr Durga Pokhrel, president of the Commission. The Bill deals with the formation of NWC apart from its rights, duties and work plan.

The proposed Bill outlines the aims of the commission as the protection of women’s rights and facilitating increasing participation of women in the national mainstream. Participants partaking in the discussion said the Bill should clearly state that the NCW has come into existence to fight the inequality, injustice and exploitation that women face in the society.

The Bill states that NWC must be consulted when women related Bills are discussed in the parliament or any change in policies dealing with women issues is conceived.

To ensure its autonomy, it was suggested that the NWC submit its annual report not to the executive but to the parliament.

“The exploitation of women is not merely a question that concerns women but is a larger social issue,” said a participant. She added that there is a need to encourage gender sensitive men to take initiatives to overcome inequality. The need for increasing the role of women in politics as well as in higher echelons of decision-making in the government bodies were other points emphasised.

Lauding the formation of the Commission as a positive step, participants at the meeting appreciated the NWC’s efforts to evolve a consensus about the provisions of the Bill before it is made into an Act.