Prachada asks women to develop capabilities, not depend on quotas

CHITWAN, Jan 31: Former Prime Minister and Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Chair, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that the provision of proportional representation has been enshrined in the constitution as a compensation to the State’s discrimination against women empowerment in the past.

Addressing the national assembly of women journalists organized by the Women Department of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) at Patihani on Thursday, he called on women to prove themselves to be capable rather than paying attention to securing reservation quota.

He said that the reservation system hampered the capacity development and urged women to enhance their skills and capabilities. Indicating to the women journalists, the CPN chair said, “You people are coming to the leadership level, towards becoming the president (of your organization) which should take the form of movement for women’s liberation.”

Stating that Nepal at an important juncture of history, he said, “There is opportunity before us. We should utilize this opportunity that has been achieved through many years’ efforts, struggles and sacrifices.”

He added that the present change could not have been possible had there not been the unity of the people of all classes, regions and communities; and implementing it is the present challenge.

The NCP chair spoke of the need of further strengthening the national unity and institutionalizing the progressive change so as to achieve the goal of prosperity.

Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizen, Tham Maya Thapa, urged the women journalists to work competitively to reach the places where the men have reached.

FNJ central president Govinda Acharya said that the assembly of journalist women would be helpful in bringing them to the leadership status.

President of the then Press Chautari Nepal, Ganesh Basnet and Press Union senior vice-president Deepak Acharya said the women’s participation in journalism was increasing and called for the support from all sides for taking women forward.

Former chairperson of the Sancharika Samuha Babita Basnet, chair of Bharatpur Metropolitan City Ward No 22, Bishnu Raj Mahato, FNJ Chitwan president Radheshyam Khatiwada, among other speakers also put their views on the occasion.

The national assembly will hold extensive discussions on the present situation of women journalists, their problems and ways of addressing their issues and arrive at a conclusion.

Chief of the FNJ Women Department, Laxmi Pun, presided over the opening session of the national assembly. Some leading and senior women journalists were honoured amidst the program.

More than 200 women journalists, including women leaders of the FNJ’s branch committees, central committee, media house committees, province committees as well as the former leaders of the central committee are taking part in the assembly.