Despite achievements, challenges exist in women's empowerment: Foreign Minister Rana

Kathmandu, Nov 11: Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr Arzu Rana Deuba has said that Nepal continued to face persistent challenges despite achievements in women's empowerment.     

The Minister has highlighted ongoing challenges to gender equality and women's empowerment in Nepal despite significant achievements over the last three decades.     

Releasing the Beijing+30 Civil Society Report at an event organised by UN Women Nepal in the capital on Monday, she reflected on the progress since the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing 30 years ago.     

"I think that the Beijing conference 30 years ago played a key role in ensuring the constitutional and other rights that Nepali women enjoy now. The conference made commitments to 12 areas, including gender equality, women's empowerment, and the elimination of violence against women," she said recalling her participation in that event.     

Since then, the campaign carried out by Nepal's women has resulted in achievements in the field of women and many rights ranging from women's reproductive health, she added.     

However, Dr Rana called for collective efforts pointing to the persistent challenges that women still face in Nepal.     

"Women and girls here are still facing challenges in the areas of economic participation, education, health, employment, equal access to justice, etc. Collaboration between the government and the civil society is necessary to address these challenges."     

Minister Dr Rana highlighted Nepal's achievements in areas ranging from girls’ enrollment in schools to women’s participation in the labour market, maternal health indicators or criminalization of child marriage; and equal property rights or ownership of lands and businesses.     

Focus is being placed on intersectionality, ensuring that women from marginalized communities, including indigenous, Dalit, and disabled women, benefit from gender equality initiatives, she said.     

Dr Rana also shed light on the progress in women's participation in Nepal's politics due to constitutional and legal guarantees. However, she expressed concern about persistent discrimination and the impact of misinformation particularly on women in the digital age.     

Sharing her experiences of digital misinformation, she said, "With the growing digital age, women increasingly become victims of misinformation, a challenge I faced. World's women leaders may have faced similar experiences."     

Calling for collective efforts against these challenges, she said, "We have paved the road. We have determined the direction. We have created the momentum –sometimes, even in the face of pushbacks. Yet, much remains to be done. While we sustain the gains, we have much more to achieve." She urged for a clear action plan to identify and address these challenges. (RSS)