Despite becoming party to CEDAW three decades back, implementation is bleak

Kathmandu, March 16: Nepal became a state party to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 2048 BS. But, lawmakers expressed worry over the non-implementation of the convention.

During a programme the Forum for Women, Law and Development organized on Nepal's agenda in the UN CEDAW committee, the Chairperson of the Legislation Management Committee of the National Assembly, Jayanti Rai, said the country still has the situation that women themselves need to wage struggles to secure equal rights and dignity. Non-implementation of laws and conventions is a serious problem, she added. 

Lawmaker Kamala Pant viewed it as being difficult to ensure equal rights as the oppressors are powerful or close to power while the victims are the helpless ones.

Another lawmaker Bishnu Devi Pudashaini viewed that although men and women were provided equal rights of citizenship in the constitution, implementation status is bleak.

Those sending false reports to the CEDAW committee must be taken action, according to lawmaker Bagawati Neupane.

Executive Director at FWLD, advocate Sabin Shrestha, reminded that although Nepal had become a state party to the UN CEDAW without showing any reservation three decades back, its non-implementation is a severe blight to the nation.

Immediately after the restoration of democracy in 2046BS, the interim government led by Krishna Prasad Bhattarai had been party to the CEDAW.

Neighbours India, Pakistan and Bangladesh had however endorsed the convention showing objection to Article 16.