Sunday, March 09, 2008

Special provision needed for gender equality: NHRC
National Human Rights Commission Chairman Kedar Nath Upadhyay Sunday underscored the need for a special provision especially for women from the state citing that gender equality cannot be ensured through legal frameworks alone.
Speaking at an interaction programme organised for International Women’s Day, which falls on March 8, Upadhyay said that the problems faced by women have remained limited to slogans since the state has failed to implement its commitments to ensure gender equality and women’s upliftment.
Upadhyay said, “A special provision for women should be made.”
National Women Commission Chairman Nain Kala Thapa said all discrimination against women was the result of a conservative state mechanism and gender-labour classification.
She added that the state’s foremost priority should be expanding women’s reach to the state mechanisms.
Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal (OHCHR- Nepal) representative Richard Bennet stressed that the political will is the major factor to bring women to the mainstream.
Other speakers in the programme accused the government and political parties for not ensuring 33 percent seats for women candidates in the Constituent Assembly, not releasing a budget aimed at them and for the lack of any special programmes for rural and backward women belonging to the Dalit, Madhesi and other groups.

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