State should adopt policy of reservation quota, equality for women: President

Kathmandu– President Bidya Devi Bhandari has said that the state should adopt the policy of equality towards women along with reservation quota for them for gender parity between men and women. 

Addressing the Main Programme organized by the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens on the occasion of the 109th International Women's Day here today, President observed that since the constitutional and legal frameworks related to reservation for women have not shown the desired significant improvement on women empowerment, the state should now adopt the policy of equality together with reservation quota. 

"Prosperity does not come only by constructing big bridges and travelling in aeroplane. It is achieved through change in outlook towards and treatment of women alone. The women's issue is not only of the women, it is also men's issue. A woman's suffering also means the man's suffering, and this has to be established through public awareness. Violence against women should be put to an end," the Head-of-the-State said. 

Expressing concern over the existence till date of evil practices as Chhaupadi, witchery, child marriage and polygamy, among others which have been already abolished by law, she said there was need of collective efforts to eradicate such harmful traditions. 

President Bhandari urged the government to increase investment for women's education for ending the superstitious beliefs and harmful practices against women that prevail in the rural areas. 

"There is need of 50-50 per cent participation in every sector for bringing equality between women and men," the President said and stressed on collective efforts in the days ahead for protecting the women rights achieved so far. She also observed that lately Nepal has achieved notable results and made a big jump in terms of gender equality in a short span of time. 

On the occasion, Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizen, Tham Maya Thapa said the ministry was focused on the enforcement of related acts, policies and programmes to bring the rights of women guaranteed by the constitution into practices and several programmes aimed to end the violence against women were in operational in coordination among the three-tier(federal, state and local) government. 

President of Women and Social Committee, House of Representatives, Nirudevi Pal highlighted the need of change in people’s thinking, attitude and behavior towards each other mainly women to see balanced gender relations or gender equality. 

Acting secretary (Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen ) Bir Bahadur Rai said the ministry had launched programmes of gender equality to beat socio-economic discriminations facing women both in rural and urban areas gender equality. As he said, aerial rescue programme targeted at women in labour pain had brought a positive change among rural women. 

Social worker Durga Ghimire was of the view that celebrations of a day in a year in the name of women would not bring substantive change in the life of women. “Women’s participation is vital for durable peace and development.” 
National Women’s Commission secretary Anil Kumar Thakur said the Commission’s activities were focused on implementing rights relating to gender equality given by the constitution. 

The International Day of Women was observed across today (March 8) with the theme of “Think Equal, Build Smart, Innovate for Change”. 
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