May 28, 2025, Pokhara – Saathi organized a high-level consultative dialogue in Pokhara on May 28 to promote the internalization of CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women) recommendations into provincial annual plans and programs.
The event was led by Bandana Rana, a founding member and former president of Saathi, who currently serves as a member of the UN CEDAW Committee. During her facilitation, Rana emphasized the critical importance of CEDAW recommendations in guiding gender-responsive governance. She underscored the obligation of provincial governments to advance social justice through gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, especially those facing multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination in Nepal.
A total of 47 participants, including provincial secretaries, planning department heads from various ministries, members of the provincial assembly, journalists, and representatives of civil society organizations, took part in the consultation. Participants were divided into four working groups to assess, deliberate, and prioritize key actions based on CEDAW recommendations that could realistically be included in the province’s annual planning process.
Through a participatory and consensus-driven process, the groups first identified seven immediate priority areas and later finalized a list of ten most actionable and realistic. The top 10 list of the actions are as follow:
- Ensuring legal provisions for registering a child’s birth through both mother and father
- Establishing a Provincial Women’s Commission
- Creating a provincial-level mechanism to implement human rights and CEDAW commitments
- Ensuring practical implementation of women’s inheritance rights
- Guaranteeing non-discriminatory and free legal services
- Ensuring women’s participation in climate change and disaster management
- Establishing rescue and rehabilitation centers for GBV survivors
- Introducing age-appropriate comprehensive sexuality education in schools
- Conducting capacity development to challenge gender stereotypes in the public and private sectors
- Strengthening systems to prevent cyber trafficking and technology-based crimes
In total, 28 proposed actions were identified during the event, spanning a wide range of issues including gender-responsive climate action, inclusive education, and access to sexual and reproductive health services, legal empowerment, and protection mechanisms for vulnerable groups such as Dalit women, indigenous women, and persons with disabilities.
The consultative dialogue served as a significant step toward localizing Nepal’s international gender equality commitments. Saathi reaffirmed its commitment to working in collaboration with provincial stakeholders to ensure that these priorities are not only acknowledged but also translated into concrete actions in the upcoming fiscal year’s provincial plans.
