Karki urges women lawmakers to unite against the discrimination faced by women

KATHMANDU: Member of House of Representatives, Dr Toshima Karki, has called all women lawmakers to unite and fight against the discrimination faced by women.

Speaking during the urgent meeting of the lower house on Friday, she said women lawmakers need to collectively combat discrimination and advocate for their social, political and professional rights.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker said that although the constitution has guaranteed gender equality, the state’s perspective towards women has yet to change. “Let this parliament set an example of gender equality by rectifying the discrimination against women by the state. The slogan of women’s equality should not just be rhetoric; the state must bear the responsibility,” she added.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the delay in forming the Women Parliamentarians Coordination Committee as mentioned in the House of Representatives’ Rules, Dr Karki said that the ruling to ensure that 33% of the house committee chairs are women has not been implemented.

She also objected to the recent appointment of a secretary at the Ministry of Health and Population, where Dr Sangita Mishra, who was first in line based on seniority, was overlooked in favor of another individual.