Speaker Calls for End to Gender Discrimination on World Population Day

July 12, 2017

On the occasion of the World Population Day, Parliament Speaker Onsari Gharti Magar has called for gender equity in Nepal and urged families not to discriminate between their sons and daughters. Addressing the gathering in a program organized to mark the day, Gharti Magar, Nepal’s first female speaker has said that despite progress in family planning and efforts towards gender equity, discrimination still exists in many rural areas with couples preferring sons to daughters.

Giulia Vallese, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) country representative to Nepal has said that though a lot of work has been done to promote family planning and ensure availability of contraceptives in Nepal, there is still a lot more that needs to be achieved.

Bishwa Nath Oli, Secretary at the Ministry of Population said that, “Investment on family planning by the government and development partners is increasing. We are moving towards progress but we accept that as compared to other foreign nations, it is not satisfactory”.

Various programs have been organized across the country under this year’s theme, Family Planning: Empowering People, Developing Nations.