KATHMANDU, JAN 18 -
Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala expressed her commitment to ensuring the rights of single women at the eighth general assembly of the Women for Human Rights (WHR), held in the Capital on Monday. The programme also marked the end of a two-day national workshop where 250 single women from 54 districts discussed the strategic and monitoring plan for the period 2009-2014.

“I know how widows are treated by the current cultural setting and male dominated society. I can feel their pain,” said Koirala, speaking at the programme. She added “I will do my best to fight for the rights of single women, who are vulnerable, but more importantly, citizens of this country.”

“The state doesn’t need to find husbands for single women but instead provide them with training and skills to financially empower them so that they have confidence to live and bring up their children with their own money,” Koirala stated, as part of her protest against the Government’s decision to grant Rs. 50,000 to men who marry widows.

In its declaration, the WHR demanded that single women’s fundamental rights, including access to education, transportation, health, training and skills, employment, legal advice, and social security for their children, no longer be denied them. The organisation has also demanded that the government annul its promise of Rs 50,000 to those marrying widows, and provide employment to displaced single women and their children.

grant to a couple who marries a widow and provide Rs.500 from the day she gets widow.. “Due to the war, there are 800 displaced single women in the Capital alone who are forcefully working as sex-workers. We urge the government to provide them with useful skills so that they can earn their bread and butter,” said Lily Thapa, President, WHR.

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