The celebration of this year’s International Women’s Day coincides with a historic moment in Nepal: preparation for the Constituent Assembly election which is a major step in the democratic transition to economic and social change in an inclusive Nepal. This provides an important opportunity to take action to ensure that women from all backgrounds play leading roles in all aspects of this transition. As Nepali women activists continue to remind us all, this is an opportunity not to be missed.
“Investing in women and girls” is the global theme of this year’s International Women’s Day. This investment has its basis in human rights: the fundamental right of equality between women and men, girls and boys. In his message for today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that “Achieving gender equality and empowering women is a goal in itself. It is also a condition for building healthier, better educated, more peaceful and more prosperous societies. When women are fully empowered and engaged, all of society
benefits.”
In order for investment in women and girls to achieve this equality, women and girls must themselves be decision-makers and actors and not just recipients. Women’s political representation, and participation in decision-making from the local to the national level, is essential to bringing about effective investment in women and girls. And this is where Nepal has a tremendous opportunity: in the Constituent Assembly election itself, in the appointment of women to the peace process commissions and bodies which are to be
established, and in the whole process of transition and transformation toward inclusiveness that is at the heart of Nepal’s peace process.
With women from all backgrounds playing an equal role in decision-making, action on priorities which are urgent will be much more effective. In Nepal, human rights activists and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights continue to report an alarming level of violence against women. Women and girls continue to be over-represented in rates of illiteracy and economic disempowerment. Action needs to be taken to address these issues if the people of Nepal are to fulfil and enjoy the promise of the peace process.
The Comprehensive Peace Agreement has made broad commitments to addressing discrimination, including against women. However, turning commitments into policies and programmes that change the conditions for women and girls across the country, from all communities, requires both political will and strategic vision, and more action.
Nepal has a unique opportunity to invest in women and girls in the peace process. Ensuring representation and meaningful participation of women in state mechanisms, peace-building bodies, in all aspects of the Constituent Assembly election and constitution-making are important goals which will contribute significantly to the peace process, and to building lasting peace and democracy in Nepal. I urge all Nepalis to grasp this opportunity.
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Publisher:
UNMIN
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(2008
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Type / Script:
Annual Report
in English
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Keywords:
WOMENS EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION OF WOMEN, WOMENS ADVANCEMENT, WOMENS RIGHTS, WOMENS STATUS, ELECTION, CONSTITUTION, HUMAN RIGHTS, EQUALITY, FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS, PEACE PROCESS, ILLITERACY, DISCRIMINATION, PEACEBUILDING, EMPOWERMENT, WOMEN EMPOWERMENT, POLITICAL PARTICIPATION, VIOLENCE
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Thematic Group:
UNMIN
:
Peace and Conflict through Political Mission
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Thesaurus:
14.01.00
- Advancement Of Women
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Reference Link:
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