Women’s rights groups in Nepal say they are being left out of negotiations at a critical time, weeks before the country’s Constituent Assembly (CA) is meant to agree on a new constitution.
“We need a constitution in time and we need a women-friendly constitution,” Bijaya Karishma, a programme officer for Sankalpa, a women's alliance campaigning for peace, justice and democracy, told IRIN. “We have the right to see a draft and are concerned that we have not.”
Women's rights advocates say they have the most to gain or lose with this constitution: they expect it will grant women rights to pass on citizenship to their children and to independently own property. They also hope it will mandate 50 percent female representation at all levels of government.
To read the complete news story please visit IrinNews published on 8th August 2011.
Women’s rights groups in Nepal say they are being left out of negotiations at a critical time, weeks before the country’s Constituent Assembly (CA) is meant to agree on a new constitution.
“We need a constitution in time and we need a women-friendly constitution,” Bijaya Karishma, a programme officer for Sankalpa, a women's alliance campaigning for peace, justice and democracy, told IRIN. “We have the right to see a draft and are concerned that we have not.”
Women's rights advocates say they have the most to gain or lose with this constitution: they expect it will grant women rights to pass on citizenship to their children and to independently own property. They also hope it will mandate 50 percent female representation at all levels of government.
To read the complete news story please visit IrinNews published on 8th August 2011.