INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Kathmandu, February 15
Though participation of women is increasing in political and public spheres, the progress is not satisfactory
Majority of women do not have access to economic resources.
According to the recently released annual report of the National Human Rights
Commission, the trend of recognising household work as labour has not improved in the case of women
Financial dependence on men continues and women have suffered more as a result of harmful social practices, discrimination, exploitation,
&Practice of dowry and child marriage continues unabated
Physical assault on women on witchcraft allegation and beating, setting ablaze and killing wife or daughter-in-law by family members are
Incidents of domestic violence and rape are reported everyday
Social malpractices such as jhuma, deuki and chhaupadi have not ended,& it reads.
According to the NHRC report, women especially the poor,
helpless, single ones in remote areas are politically, economically and socially victimised.
Lack of legal knowledge, financial problems and
social pressure have denied the victims access to justice
Recently, there has been some progress in terms of political, economic, social and cultural rights of women.
After the policy of inclusion
was enforced constitutionally and legally, women participation in the state bodies has been increasing gradually
&After the country adopted federalism and held three tiers of election, women participation and representation in politics has increased,
but they still lag behind,& reads the report.
At the local level, 14,352 women have been elected chiefs, deputy chiefs, ward chairs and
In provincial assembly and the House of Representatives, 17 and six women were elected, respectively
Likewise, 21 women represented in the National Assembly
&Despite these, the constitutionally envisaged 33 per cent representation of women has not been enforced in the Council of Ministers and in
parties& leadership,& it reads.
The rights of women have been established in various instruments.
Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights states that all are born free and are equal in dignity and rights
According to Article 2 of the UDHR all rights shall be enjoyed equally and without gender-based discrimination.
Similarly, Convention on
Elimination of All Kinds of Discrimination Against Women obliges the state parties to protect the rights of women in legislations, dissolve
discriminatory provisions in the national legislation and formulate new legislation for the protection of women rights to end discrimination
against them.
The constitution states that women shall not be subjected to any kind of physical and mental violence, and such acts shall be
punishable by the law.
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