Kathmandu, 4 February: Nepali civil society has submitted a shadow report to the meeting of the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
The Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD) submitted its report on Monday evening on behalf of civil society at the 90th session of the United Nations Conference on the Rights of the Child (CRC) being held in Geneva, Switzerland. The forum’s executive director, Advocate Sabin Shrestha, informed that an integrated and comprehensive shadow report covering all 16 articles has been submitted.
Advocate Shrestha said in his oral presentation that Nepal is moving towards gender equality and women’s empowerment. “Institutional discrimination against women still exists in key sectors. This continues to exacerbate the issue of intersectionality. It also puts women from marginalized groups at risk of becoming victims of multiple discrimination,” he said while presenting the report.
The report states that the Criminal Code, 2074 BS, prohibits and criminalizes discriminatory behavior by officials exercising their powers in accordance with the law, and also provides for punishment. However, Advocate Shrestha pointed out that there is a need to adopt effective measures to criminalize and punish all types of discrimination that occur individually and in the private sector.
Nepal ratified the CEDAW Convention 35 years ago in 1991. Civil society has also highlighted the continued existence of discriminatory laws in the areas of nationality, registration, employment, migrant workers and mobility, sexual and reproductive health, property transfer, marriage and family relations, etc.
The budget allocated to the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens and the National Women’s Commission is decreasing. Civil society demands that Nepal strengthen the ministry and the commission by providing adequate human and financial resources.
“The Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act, 2075 BS, has failed to fully decriminalize abortion and continues to prosecute women and adolescents who have abortions outside of legal requirements. The Act prohibits termination of pregnancy beyond 28 weeks, even when the woman’s life is at risk. Nepal has already accepted the UPR recommendation to fully decriminalize abortion,” the report submitted by civil society states.
The report submitted by Nepali civil society also suggests that Nepal needs to ensure sexual and reproductive health services as essential services even during disasters and humanitarian crises. It is said that the report will be discussed on Wednesday.
