Development Nepal

Development and Stability

 View Point

September 3, 2006

New Government: New struggle for Women

 

-Nisha Onta (Gender Student, Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand)

 

Nepal has signed almost all the international convention such as International covenant on civil and political right, Convention on Elimination of All forms of Discrimination against Women. Though Nepal is very quick and efficient in signing these conventions the actual implementations and mechanism are non existent. Can we expect our new government to make sure these concerns are addressed?

 

Women of Nepal had to struggle to amend discriminatory laws regarding citizenship and property rights. Though there was substantial success on these movements but has it really changed the lives of women who the amended laws intended to support. How can laws make the lives of women better when the lawmakers and the leaders of the country do not feel women representation is an issue that they need to address? We cannot expect anything from a government that does not push forward for the appropriate representation of women in all spheres.

 

Patriarchy is prevalent all over us, it seeps through every pore of our being which makes it so invisible, because patriarchy is you and me. When a husband dies and leaves behind a grieving widow with two daughters, then comes in the step son who demands his rights to all of the property. This is not a fictional story; it is a real life experience of an affluent family of Kupondole. The step son, well educated and affluent, threatens the lives of two young step sisters and this does not end there.

Tourtured by my step brother  since childhood, I have come to realize that flaw lies in educated people like him who only talk smart, impress people, but act really irrational, negative and senseless when it comes to reality. The fact that my step brother is a very smart and educated man, exposed to places like the United States , London and New Zealand etc but his behavior towards me , my sister and my single widow mother bothers and concerns me about the future of our society tomorrow. 

Since the day my father expired, all he has been wanting is to take all the property and he has tried everything in the past to harass my legally wedded mother. If educated and exposed people like us act the way my step brother does then what possibly can we expect from the younger generation being reared under guidance of parents like him? It was only because my mother was too strong and determined that he could not destroy her literally, but even after the so called women right that is declared in Nepal and is seen as a major victory for the upliftment of women people like us still continue to be victimized. 

 

Of course they have the right to file a case against this man and try other legal actions but will that really stop the abuse and the pain. Women’s issue is not just an issue of women who want to be in the parliament or the rural population, it’s about all of us and our struggle is not just against the state but our religion of Patriarchy.

 

As the struggle continues, we need to be more aware and keep on fighting. We cannot expect any government to grant us our rights; we need to demand for it and the responsibility falls heavy on the educated women such as us to keep the flame burning.