"Women have to undergo self-struggle to reach leadership role"

By Sanam Maharjan, Kathmandu, Oct 2: Former Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs and former deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) Dr. Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe has viewed that women have to fight first with themselves to move forward for leadership role.

She made the remarks at the talk series programme organized today by Sancharika Samuh under the slogan Together We Lead.

"To reach the leadership role, first we have to struggle with ourselves. We need to assess what we do and what we can do and thus set priorities. Unless and until I am not prepared within myself, I cannot move forward. That's the point," she said.

She said sentiments of the general people should be upheld in politics as it is the medium to guide the whole of the nation. Politics is not so simple and plain we may assume it to be. "Politics is not an easy matter. It has many aspects. We all have connections with politics in this or that way."

The former minister pointed at the need for men playing a positive role in opening doors for women in the leadership role. "Both women and men have to raise voices and work together for elevating women to the leadership role."

Referring to the long history of women movement in Nepal, she said, "We pushed forward women for women, and we have not met our destination yet. This situation calls for men and women going together."

She emphasized on enhancing women's capacity for leadership role. "Women can compete with men and be nation's leader. And for this they need to develop their competence."

Although 33 per cent representation of women is enshrined in the Constitution so as to propel women's participation in all sectors, women participation is very low within political parties, she commented.