Pant for more women in civil service

January 9, 2001
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Kathmandu, Jan. 9 : A discussion programme was organised here today on the draft report on engendering the Nepalese civil service with specific reference to entry and promotion in the administrative service submitted by Sahavagi to the mainstream gender project under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Inaugurating the programme, Minister of State for Women, Children and Social Welfare Mrs Kamala Devi Pant referred to the minimal participation of women in the administration and civil service in Nepal and pointed out the need to increase their participation for the sake of the development of the country.

Chief secretary Tirtha Man Shakya expressed the view that geographical diversity, lack of proper education and old social traditions have contributed to the low participation of women in the civil service.

From the chair, secretary at the Ministry of General Administration Mukunda Aryal said the civil service alone cannot wipe out gender inequality. development of women on par with men should begin with educational development in the family.

Presenting the draft report, leader of the study team Dwarika Nath Dhungel said His Majesty’s Government planned in the current ninth plan to increase women’s participation in the civil service and has signed an international convention to that end. But it had not been able to function accordingly.

According to the report, women’s representation in the civil service was 6.4 per cent as of April, 1998 of which 4.64 per cent was at officer level, 3.52 at the rank of secretary and 3.95 per cent at joint secretary rank.

Among various suggestions recommended in the report to address gender issues in the civil service, the report says that His Majesty’s Government should have a policy of increasing women’s representation in the civil service to at least 25 per cent within the 10th plan, i.e. by 2007, and make a public policy declaration in this regard.

The report also points out the need for positive discrimination in favor of women including 25 per cent reservations and initiation of a two merit lists system, one for males and another for females.

Besides suggestions for improvements in syllabus and the examination system under the public service commission, the report also recommends establishment of a more gender friendly environment, organizational strengthening, institutional mechanisms to address gender issues and increase in women’s access to education.

Gender expert Dr Meena Acharya, public service commission member Yodendra Nath Ojha and other speakers also expressed their views on gender inequality in the civil service.

Secretaries and joint secretaries at various ministries, intellectuals and women officials from different ministries took part in the programme.