Freed women tillers issue manifesto

MAHENDRANAGAR, APR 23: The first national gathering of freed women tillers concluded today with a 12-point manifesto in Mahendranagar of Kanchanpur.

The gathering was organised to advocate fundamental rights of freed women tillers as per various agreements reached earlier. The gathering formed a 13-member National Freed Women Tillers Department, including members from 12 districts of the far-western and mid-western regions.

Shanta Chaudhary of Surkhet chaired the committee. The manifesto states that the women will be united and take special initiatives for the strict implementation of the five-point agreement reached with the government earlier along with the 10-point report. They have also decided to host various awareness raising programmes for basic rights and social justice besides enhancing financial strength and sustainable development.

They also said they will conduct frequent discussions with stakeholders to guarantee their rights and initiate measures for rehabilitation in the new constitution, said Sanju Nepali, secretary of the department. The government had freed the tillers of nine district of the far-western region and Humla, Surkhet and Jajarkot of the mid-western region six years ago.

According to state statistics, of the 19,062 freed tillers, only 10,000 have been approved so far. A total of 7,637 households have been given identity cards. Similarly, as many as 696 families have been rehabilitated under the government’s rehabilitation policy launched two years ago, according to Prabhunidhi Panta, advocate of Federation of National Freed Tillers’ Society Nepal.