Kathmandu, February 1, 2007

Two more Newar schools will be established in the valley soon, taking the number of schools imparting education in Newari in the capital to four.

A project Newa Schools in Newa Settlements (NSNS) is going to fund establishment and operation of a Newar school at Thecho in Lalitpur, while one Rajendra Maharjan will fund the establishment of another school at Khushibu in Kathmandu. Coordinator of the NSNS and principal of the Modern Newa English. School, Dipak Tuladhar, has already collected some Rs 200,000 for the project.

“Many people have shown interest in the project and are willing to donate for the promotion of mother language education,” Tuladhar said. “The project will provide necessary financial and technical support to the school while the local community would manage and run the school,” he said, adding that the Thecho locals are excited to run a school for the first time in which their children would receive basic education in their mother language.

Tuladhar said the medium of instruction in the schools would not only be limited to Newari but English and Nepali might also be used, making the schools desirable for other communities as well. He also stressed that educating children in their mother language would help them learn better and effectively besides promoting the language. He said the concept of the project could also be replicated for other languages in the country.

Panel for redefining sexual harassment

Kathmandu, February 1, 2007

The Law Reform Commission (LRC) has suggested redefining sexual harassment at workplace by going beyond its conventional definition of harassment only by men.

A concept paper on ‘Sexual Harassment in the Workplace’ prepared by the commission has brought up 29 points to be discussed and consulted with all stakeholders concerned before formulating laws on such harassment.

The LRC has pointed out the possibility of sexual harassment on men by women as well as sexual harassment between same sexes and suggested widening the definition of the same. Citing lack of legal provisions to address sexual harassment in the workplace, the Supreme Court had directed the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare in February 2004 to draft a bill on such sexual harassment. The LRC is raising these issues after studying the draft law.

The paper also questions the compensation to be paid by the perpetrators to the victims who are physically, psychologically, socially and mentally affected. It also mentions the liability of an employer for maintaining fair environment at workplace and time limitation to lodge a complaint against the perpetrator. It suggests bringing the issue of sexual harassment of women working in informal and unorganised sectors under the purview of the law.