KATHMANDU, Nov 6: The Nepal Bar Association (NBA), an umbrella organization of the country´s lawyers, on Friday released a report highlighting the promotion of women in the legal profession and in the constitution-writing process.
The report, titled “Ringing the Equality Bell: The Role of Women Lawyers in Promoting Gender Equality in Nepal”, was unveiled by Vice-Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly (CA) Purna Kumari Subedi at a function organized by NBA.
The report, which was supported by the Canadian Bar Association, identifies barriers and challenges facing women in law in Nepal such as a negative attitude towards women, their social and economic conditions, a rural populace that resides in remote and inaccessible communities and lack of government leadership.
The report provides specific recommendations to be implemented not only by the bar but also by other justice system stakeholders including the CA, the judiciary, the government, universities, law schools and the Bar Council.
The recommendations are intended to promote the inclusion of women in all areas and at all levels of Nepal´s legal and justice sectors as well as in the ongoing constitution-making process.
“Gender equality will only be realized through the efforts of both genders that together will create a better society for all Nepali men and women,” the report says.
NBA Officiating President Hari Uprety and Secretary General Raman Kumar Shrestha urged CA members to take the report´s recommendations seriously while drafting the constitution.
The report has uncovered interesting data. “In 2008, there were 12,222 registered advocates in Nepal and only 932 or 7.6 percent were women,” Sheri L Meyerhoffer, Director of the Canadian Bar Association, said citing the report.
She said that highly skilled women lawyers will add to the depth and breadth of the NBA and enhance its institutional capacity to act as advocates for human rights and rule of law.
The report further says that the participation of women will contribute significantly to ensuring that laws promoting and protecting women´s rights will be implemented and enforced thereby improving the lives of all women in Nepal.
The report analyzed and summarized the responses and recommendations of 1,086 respondents from 67 of Nepal´s 75 districts.
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