Rally organized to mark 99th International Women?s Day

2009-04-08

To mark the 99th International Women?s Day, WHR organized a rally 7th March from Maitighar Mandala-Buddhanagar-Ghattekulo to the head office of WHR at Baluwatar. The theme for this year celebration was ?Ascertaining the rights of single women through democratic constitution?. The representatives from the single women groups of the districts were called for and all the staff gathered at Mandala, Maitighar. The Chief Guest was Ms. Sahana Pradhan, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs.  She has contributed tremendously in taking further single women?s issues at the policy level. Daman Nath Dhungana, ex spokesperson for the parliament also showed his solidarity for the single women issues. Sahana Pradhan, Daman Nath Dhungana, Lily Thapa, founder of WHR and Professor Radha Devi Sharma, Advisor of WHR spoke on the occasion especially focusing on the social security schemes for the single women.

There were 157 participants in the rally who demanded for the social security schemes for single women. The schemes included job opportunities for single women and their children at the place of their husbands on the basis of their qualifications, widows? allowance at the time one gets widowed, strict punishment for those committing violence against women to name a few. They made a 12 point demands. In the interim constitution, single women are addressed only under 35(9) of State Directive Principles and Policies. WHR demanded that single women should also be addressed under fundamental rights especially on right to education, health, employment and social justice.

When the rally reached the head office, legal advisor of WHR read the request letter submitted to the Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The request letter was submitted on the same day.