Women lack access to justice: Experts

Conditions such as lack of women's right to property and a majority in the judicial system being men have led to denial of justice to women, legal experts said here Wednesday.

"Women who don't have support from maternal home and legal aid often remain out of the justice system. It is because they don't have property," said advocate Chhatra Kumari Gurung, while speaking at a workshop on "Women's representation in judicial system and gender sensitivity" organized by the Legal Aid and Consultancy Center.

She also said that it was almost impossible for women victims to narrate their case in front of males, which they are compelled to, as a majority in the judicial system are males.

"Neither are there female guards in the courts nor are there any women friendly infrastructures like toilet and separate waiting rooms," said Judge Dr. Ananda Mohan Bhattarai. "Court often remains insensitive towards abuse, exploitation and poor health condition of women in custody."

Mainwhile Women constitute almost 55 per cent of all internal migrants and 11 per cent of international migrants in Nepal and their contribution to families' economic support is significant, yet their needs and contributions have gone largely ignored, said speakers at lunching State of World Population Report 2006 on Wednesday.

UNFPA launched State of World Population Report 2006 ? "A Passage of Hope: Women and International Migration"and Moving Young on Wednesday, which highlighted the social, economic and demographic aspects of youth migration.

The report said that every year millions of women working overseas send hundreds of million of dollars in remittances to their homes and communities. These funds go to feed and educate children, provide health care, build homes, foster small businesses and generally improve living standards.

Migrant workers move to marry, rejoin migrant husbands and family, or to work. They are domestic workers, cleaners, caretakers of the sick, the elderly and children, farmers, waitresses, sweatshop workers, highly skilled professionals, teachers, nurses, entertainers, sex workers, hostesses, refugees and asylum seekers, the report said.