Policy Dialogue on Women’s Rights and Economic Empowerment

The All-Party Women Alliance (APWA), in coordination with the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers (OCMCM) and with support from the Provincial and Local Governance Strengthening Programme (PLGSP), organized a one-day policy dialogue on Women’s Rights and Economic Empowerment on 10 June 2026 in Hetauda, Makawanpur.

The programme was inaugurated by Hon’ble Chief Minister Indra Bahadur Baniya by watering a flower pot. In his inaugural remarks, the Chief Minister recalled the progressive status of women’s representation in federal, provincial, and local state structures, while acknowledging compromises in representation at various levels due to recent political party coalitions. He further shared that the Government of Bagmati Province has prioritized gender equality and women’s empowerment in its policies, programmes, and budget for FY 2083/84.

The dialogue aimed to stimulate awareness among state and non-state actors on the protection of women’s rights as provisioned in the Constitution of Nepal. APWA Central Treasurer Ms. Kalyani Rijal highlighted APWA’s active role in democratic movements in securing citizens’ rights, particularly for women and marginalized groups. Former Chair of APWA and former Minister Ms. Shashi Shrestha emphasized the need to safeguard the Constitution and the inherent rights of citizens. She urged participants to remain vigilant in the ongoing discussions on constitutional amendment, stressing the importance of retaining existing rights and making future provisions more progressive. She also underscored the importance of the proportional electoral system in ensuring representation of women and marginalized communities.

Ms. Shashi Shrestha presented a paper on women’s rights in the Constitution and the status of their implementation and effectiveness. She highlighted the need for proportional representation of women across all state structures, targeting up to 50 percent representation, and emphasized the importance of a decent working environment and equal pay, which remain inadequately practiced. While noting positive progress in the representation of women and marginalized communities in the bureaucracy, Nepal Police, Nepal Army, and Armed Police Force, she also pointed out that several constitutional provisions are yet to be effectively implemented, creating gaps in relation to the spirit of the Constitution’s Preamble.

The second presentation, delivered by APWA Central Treasurer Ms. Kalyani Rijal, focused on key areas requiring attention to safeguard women’s rights during the constitutional amendment process. The third presentation reviewed the election manifestos of eight political parties, highlighting their commitments towards women’s rights and marginalized communities.

A short presentation was also made by Mr. Krishna Awasthi, Province Governance Analyst of PLGSP, on the provincial government’s efforts to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment.

A total of 76 participants, including 63 women, from diverse backgrounds participated in the dialogue. Participants included representatives from the women’s wings of political parties, district and provincial chapters of APWA, and media persons. The dialogue provided a platform for informed discussion and collective reflection on advancing women’s rights and economic empowerment in the province.