Finance Minister pledges budget for women empowerment

Kathmandu, Nov 26: Finance Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat has pledged to allocate the budget as per the capacity for women's empowerment and enhancement of their rights. 

Inaugurating 16-Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence at the National Women Commission today, the Minister said, "Presently budget more than the State's capacity is being spent for social security allowance and a significant portion goes for infrastructure developments. Despite this scenario, women's empowerment is the priority of the government in various ways."

The Minister stated that a democratic system is a must for the protection and implementation of the citizens' rights, adding that vulnerable communities are generally subjected to physical, mental and economic violence and the situation should be addressed legally and structurally. 

National Women Commission Chair Kamala Kumari Parajuli said though women have achieved political rights constitutionally, the effective implementation side is still lacking and combined efforts among the State bodies and citizens are needed to bridge this gap. 

Election Commission's commissioner Dr Janaki Kumari Tuladhar said despite the Constitutional provision for at least 33 percent women's participation in the State each apparatus, the 41 percent participation in the last local-level elections was an achievement. As she said, the Commission has presented a draft of a revised law to the government seeking an address to loopholes in electoral laws 

National Women Commission member Krishna Kumari Paudel Khatiwada said women's issues are relegated to the back-burner as political leadership is concerned with power gains while National Planning Commission's Dr Anita Sah Dhungana said the upcoming 16th periodic plan has incorporated the issues concerning the economic empowerment of women. (RSS)