Nepali parliament endorses proposal on women rights

The Nepali House of Representatives (HoR) unanimously endorsed on Tuesday a landmark proposal on women rights that allows acquisition of citizenships by the name of mothers and 33 percent reservation to women in all state mechanisms.

A sitting of the HoR endorsed the "motion of public importance", state-run Radio Nepal reported.

The proposal seeks to end to all forms of discrimination against the women.

Now, with the ratification of the proposal, citizenship certificates can be issued by the name of mothers, the Radio said.

As per existing provisions, citizenships are issued only by the name of father for which identification of the father is mandatory. This had been depriving the children of single mothers from citizenships.

The proposal has also opened the doors for annulment of all discriminatory laws in terms of gender, the Radio said, adding that women rights groups have been pointing out that at least 139 laws are discriminatory to women.

Talking to Radio Nepal, Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Urmila Aryal, termed the parliament's decision as being historic in liberating the women from manifold discriminations.

Aryal said the government will now have to gear up for adoption of laws on the basis of the proposal endorsed by the House.

"After the endorsement of the proposal by the parliament, the government now has the duty to adopt laws to guarantee at least 33 percent women participation in state mechanisms, distribution citizenships by the name of mothers and curb domestic violence," Aryal said.

Source: Xinhua