Education is an essential tool that can enhance required skills, ability, knowledge in woman to help them to raise their self esteem and confidence, overcoming multiple and intersecting inequalities, as it helps them stand strong socially, economically and politically.

Women empowerment is possible only through overcoming gender inequalities offering both men and women equal opportunities.

In Nepal we see mothers taking lead roles in terms of housework and managing the family. Mothers and sisters have been great managers at home as seen from kitchen management to the family. It isn’t an easy task though.

Things have changed in many ways by now. Women are not only limited to households; they are able to balance home and education. However, when we visit big corporate houses, universities or any big institutions we rarely see women in high positions.

The arrival of the first woman President in the country, Bidhya Devi Bhandari, could be taken as a good step towards empowering women. We do have some successful leading lady names in the education sector.

Being born as an only girl child among four siblings and brought up with male cousins in a joint family I feel blessed that as a child or even as an adult I never ever sense discrimination. I was given all the opportunities and was always motivated to believe in myself.

Now, when I reflect back I feel it was the contribution of my parents which has been responsible for the person I have become: confident enough to tackle whatever difficulties or hurdles life shows and humble enough to anticipate and move forward overcoming the flaws I have. And above all, to become the person I am today because of the education I received.

Women empowerment begins from home itself. Things and scenarios are changing along with the celebration of the birth of a baby girl at home. And education plays a vital role in it as it says if a woman is educated it is likely that she will educate the whole community.

The irony is that even in the 21st century we struggle to have proper number of girl students in a class compared to boys, but at the same time the good part is that we have a good number of women employed as teachers.

Education is important for everyone but it’s a critical for empowerment of girls and women. This women’s day I wish for education for girls and women not only in Nepal but around the globe.