Conference raises voices against discrimination

By Lalit Basel , Surkhet, May 31 :  The second edition of the Karnali Daughter Conference–2026 kicked off in Surkhet on Saturday. 

The conference was organised by Shree Jyoti Foundation to raise voices against gender discrimination, child marriage, the Chhaupadi system, domestic violence, sexual abuse, human trafficking, and other harmful practices affecting girls, adolescents, and women.

Speaking at the inauguration, Province Chief Yagya Raj Joshi said that women in Karnali are becoming increasingly capable and talented in every sector. He also expressed concern that around 33 per cent of women in Karnali are still illiterate, stressing that all three tiers of government must pay special attention to make women literate.

He emphasised that Karnali should not be viewed only as a backward region, noting that it is a rich repository of art, culture, and civilisation that deserves proper recognition.

Amid ongoing debates on constitutional amendments, he also suggested that women should not be satisfied with 33 per cent representation alone and should instead demand and press for 50 per cent participation. Addressing the event, former Chief Minister Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, said that he has observed significant changes in the representation and role of women in society. 

He stated that women are now holding leadership positions in the police, administrative services, and other key state institutions, and that the number of girls attending school in Karnali has increased significantly.

However, he added that further efforts are still needed for the empowerment of girls in Karnali. 

He also criticised the current state of programmes previously introduced by the Karnali government to protect and empower girls. 

Initiatives such as “Bank Account for Daughters, Security for Life,” which were once considered important, are now reportedly neglected and disorganised.

According to the organisers, the two-day conference includes participation of two girls from each of the 79 local levels in Karnali Province. Additionally, more than 250 participants from Rautes, Raji, Kusunda, Badi, and Bote communities, as well as persons with disabilities and members of gender and sexual minority groups, are attending the event. 

The main objective of the conference is to hold broad discussions on issues such as gender and caste-based discrimination, violence against women, child marriage, domestic violence, dignified menstruation, and the Chhaupadi system. 

The conclusions of the conference will be submitted as recommendations to the three tiers of government, said Jyoti Katwal, chairperson of the Shree Jyoti Foundation.

During the two-day event, 85 girls from Karnali shared their personal stories of struggle. 

The foundation had previously organised the first Karnali Daughter Conference in 2022, during which a provincial-level Karnali Daughter Network was formed. 

It has also established municipal-level networks in all 79 local governments, bringing 669 girls into the network.