–Niraj Aryal

“National Women’s Comission: Fighting Corruption Charges!”
Kathmandu: It is often said equal rights to citizens both women and men are necessary preconditions for a democracy to exist and flourish.

Most of the developed western democracies plus some developed countries in Asia as well advocate equal rights to both men and women.

But, Erika Kinetz, writes in her article on “Women’s work: A world of unfinished business”: “in the International Herald Tribune, in the United States, there are more women in the work force at higher levels than in any other country in the world. But even in the US they still make less than their male counterparts. In Sweden, women’s wages are high, but their role in the work force remains relatively traditional. In Germany, maternal leave is generous, but many women drop out of the work force once they have children. In Japan, the gap is not just in wages but also in the basic structure of the way men and women are employed. She writes further, in the late 90’s Belgium, France, Sweden, and Italy, where full-time female workers earned 83 to 90 cents for each $1 earned by men, and broadest in Japan, Austria (where women’s are seen selling tickets for the public bus services), and Spain, where full-time female workers earned 63 to 71 cents per male-earned dollar”.

This inequality, be it just in terms of wage is also noticeable in the developed West.

The subject for discrimination varies with geography. In most of the under developed countries, discrimination in education, health, food, decision making process etc. are more pronounced than this wage inequity. Unless women’s get an opportunity to work (payable), there is no question of being discriminated in terms of wage. This is what happens in most of the under-developed countries.

Carolle Belamy, Executive Director of UNICEF, said on the occasion of 94th International Women’s Day, “To deny a girl an education not only crushes her own potential, but diminishes the chance that any children she might eventually have both boys and girls will go to school and will be able to escape a life of poverty”.

She further adds “Luckily, the flip side is also true. When a girl receives an education, everyone wins, the girl herself, her family, her community and her country.”

To add, the International Women’s Day is being celebrated every year since 1910, when a Socialist International, meeting in Copenhagen voiced for the women’s equal educational, social, economical and political rights as men for the first time.

The outcome after 94 long years of fight against the societal loopholes, it can be inferred that nothing has happened towards educating a woman. Still in the 21st century UNICEF is calling for “Girls’ Education the Key to the Future”. This long march towards empowering women through education has virtually failed. The fact that still 10 million more girls are out of school than boys proves this reality.

However, Nepal started recognizing the International Women’s day since 1975. It was in 1991 that Nepal formally acknowledged the convention for eradicating all sort of discriminations against women. Since then various steps have been taken, for example, from establishing Ministry for Women, increasing women’s participation in sector programs, skill training and access to health facilities, health information and making legal reforms, making women’s right to property more secure and strengthening punitive action against violence.

But the lack of serious efforts in implementing what has been adopted in the past is the major problem that continues to deny the due rights guaranteed by the constitutions and the various covenants wherein Nepal is a signatory.

More than 100 existing laws in Nepal differentiate women folks reveals a report recently published by the National Human Rights Commission.

The report further states that around 5000-7000 women’s are trafficked across the border each year. The price for a woman is around 25,000 to 50,000 NRs. And 50% of those who return back to Nepal are HIV positive and face societal humiliation thereafter.

The degrading Net Enrollment Ratio situation, bad maternal mortality rates, average life of 53.5 years and literacy rate of 30% are a few of the indicators to prove that women in Nepal are still suffering and demand urgent redress to their genuine grievances.

Amidst all these, UNDP-Nepal and the Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare jointly organized a program to celebrate 94th International Women’s Day here in Kathmandu on 7th March 2004.

On the occasion, awards were distributed for those who have performed outstandingly to create social awareness in the society.

Mr. Santosh Pant, Producer/Director of the TV serial Hijo Aajaka Kura (aired in NTV every Friday evening) was awarded for creating HIV/AIDS awareness through the Tele-serial.

Ms. Goma Sapkota, at the age of 25, after death of her husband (11 years ago) in an accident has performed extra-ordinarily in her village to unite all the womenfolks. Ms. Sapkota was also awarded for her outstanding achievements.

Ms Suni Bhandari from Dadeldhura and Ms. Hira Devi Khadka from Doti district were also awarded on the occasion.

UNDP Resident Representative, Mathew Kahane and Ms. Puspa Shrestha, NPC, spoke on the occasion.