Kathmandu, March 7:

Minister of State for Women, Children and Social Welfare Urmila Aryal said the National Women’s Commission (NWC) will be reconstituted soon.

An act on NWC has already been promulgated, Aryal said, adding: “The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare is working to bring changes in gender, caste and regional discrimination through policy intervention, which involves lobbying with other line ministries to meet the stated objectives.”

Though many Acts related to gender issues have been promulgated and many bills are under the consideration of cabinet, gender issue is a cross-cutting issue which is not only limited to one ministry.

Aryal gave away this year’s Women Empowerment Journalism Award to Kathmandu-based journalist, Bishnu Sharma, and Kailali-based journalist, Puspa Chaudhary, for their contribution to women’s empowerment.

Physically handicapped litterateur Jhamak Kumari Sharma was also felicitated and given Rs 4,500. Ten students of the Padma Kanya Campus studying Gender and Development were given scholarship.

Five cooperative institutions run by women’s groups were given Rs 25,000 each for their outstanding performance.