The workshop, which kicked off in the Capital on Tuesday, also stressed on the need for ensuring women´s access to capital and discussed on raising economic empowerment of women through knowledge and skills. [break]
“In Nepal, the government has encouraged ownership of property by women. But reality is, women have a little de-facto right to manage and take decisions on property and land and this has been posing constraints on access to financial resources,” said Meena Acharya, general secretary of Tanka Prasad Acharya Memorial Foundation.
She also asked the government to classify women entrepreneurs and put in place social protection and support programs to promote them.
Organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the workshop is attended by more than 60 government and private sector officials implementing ADB-funded projects in six South Asian countries -- India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Bhutan and Nepal.
The workshop will focus on key areas, which will help women the most like improving women´s access to financial resources and services, enhancing skills and entrepreneurial capacity, improving connections to markets and expanding employment opportunities with decent work conditions.
“Women invariably form the majority of the poor and vulnerable in developing societies in South Asia. Efforts to reduce poverty and attain inclusive growth require addressing women´s needs to enable them avail of equal economic opportunities as men,” said Barry J Hitchcock, ADB´s country director for Nepal.
Finance Secretary Rameshwore Prasad Khanal highlighted the efforts made by Nepali government in women´s empowerment.
Related story
Desperate search for missing girls as nearly 80 dead in Texas f...
