Biratnagar, Koshi Province, May 15, 2026 – A Provincial-Level Consultation on the recently developed CEDAW Roadmap was successfully conducted in Biratnagar, Koshi Province, on 15 May 2026. The program was organized by the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens in coordination with the Ministry of Social Development.
Saathi provided hands-on coordination support to facilitate the overall program management and resource coordination under the GBVPR Program implemented with the support of UNFPA Nepal.
The consultation was chaired by Radhika Aryal. Ram Prasad Mahato attended the program as the Chief Guest. Provincial Secretaries from the Ministry of Social Development and the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers (OCMCM) joined as Special Guests and expressed strong institutional commitment toward the implementation of the CEDAW Roadmap.
During the consultation, Bandana Rana highlighted the CEDAW reporting and implementation process and emphasized the importance of localizing the CEDAW Roadmap. She encouraged local governments to allocate dedicated budgets and integrate relevant gender-responsive activities into their upcoming annual plans and policies.
Indira Acharya, Undersecretary at MOWCSC presented the Roadmap and urged provincial and local government units to integrate gender-responsive programs and priorities as recommended by the CEDAW Committee in its Concluding Observations issued to Nepal in February 2025.
More than 120 local government representatives, including Deputy Mayors, Vice Chairpersons, GESI focal persons, and Section Chiefs from across Koshi Province, actively participated in the consultation. The program created an important platform for dialogue and reflection on strengthening gender-responsive governance and advancing women’s rights at the local level.
Nepal has developed the CEDAW Roadmap to streamline the implementation of recommendations provided by the CEDAW Committee and to further strengthen gender-responsive policies, planning, budgeting, and governance mechanisms across all levels of government.
