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Women’s competitive ability has improved: President



SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT SURENDRA BAHADUR NEPALI, GENEVA, June 17: President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Friday said women’s political participation in Nepal has seen an extensive improvement after they were provided with reservation under positive discrimination as compared to full competitive participation.

At a programme hosted by Nepali Ambassador to Switzerland and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Deepak Dhital, President Bhandari noted that fully fledged competition can only take place between competent individuals. She insisted that it would not be appropriate to open the competition between inexperienced women who have been discriminated for hundreds of years and experienced and competent individuals.

President Bhandari referred to the fact that only 136 women were elected in around 200,000 posts in the local bodies before 1992, and added that as part of the provision for making 20 per cent women candidates under the decentralization process, 36,000 women were elected with an additional nomination of 4000. This resulted in 40,000 women being appointed to the political posts. She added that due to this fact women’s political competitive capability had been enhanced in Nepal.

President Bhandari also pointed out that the present constitution has made it mandatory for seeking 40 per cent women candidates’ participation in the elections with either the post of chief or deputy chief allocated for a woman candidate.

She added that 33 per cent reservation for women in the Parliament has ensured the victory of 33 per cent women. The allocation of either the post of House Speaker or Deputy Speaker or the post of President or Vice President to women will help them gain experience and give them practical knowledge, the President insisted.

The President also stressed on need to channel the fruits of democracy’s benefits gained through economic development to the people. She added that migrant Nepali people were the good will ambassadors of the country and that they can make impact on governmental and diplomatic level.

The President arrived here to take part in the World of Work Summit held as part of the 106th Session of the International Labour Conference.

On the occasion, Nepali Ambassador to Switzerland, Deepak Dhital, shed light on Nepal’s participation in International Labour Organization (ILO) and Nepal’s achievements. RSS

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