KATHMANDU, June23: Nepal's candidate Bandana Rana has been elected as an expert member at the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). With her election, she has become the first Nepali to serve at the CEDAW.

Rana garnered 106 votes in the election that saw the participation of the states that have ratified the CEDAW convention. Over two dozen candidates were in the fray for 11 posts of the committee that will be vacant by the end of this year. 

In the election conducted at the UN Headquarters in New York on Tuesday, a total of 189 votes were cast to elect the 11 new experts from around the world. Rana secured sixth highest number of votes in the election.

Starting her career as a media person, Rana turned to social issues and has been leading advocacy, research, and public outreach and community mobilization programs for women rights for many years.

 
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