KATHMANDU, March 15: Director of Nepal Republic Media Pvt. Ltd, Shova Gyawali highlighted how Nepal’s vibrant media was playing an instrumental role to expose corruption and wrong practices in the country and safeguard democracy.

She highlighted the role of media in ending Nepal’s decade-long civil war from 1996 to 2006 and how Nepal Republic Media had been “been at the forefront of exposing corruption, wrongdoings in the country. At the same time, we have also been advocating for a strong family value system.”

Gyawali said that the government needed to play an important role to ensure prosperity. She praised the government’s efforts to realize the dream of a “Prosperous Nepal and Happy Nepali.”

“Although Nepal’s per capita income is still below 1000 USD, the state has been quite generous in providing different social protection schemes. Though not perfect, Nepal’s social security includes health insurance of a certain amount to the poor, monthly allowance to disabled, elderly and poor, contribution-based social security to the employed and unemployed allowance to those not employed,” she said.

“Very recently, Nepal’s prime minister has started prime minister employment programme. Under the program, a jobless Nepali will be provided subsistence allowance as well as employment for at least 100 days in a fiscal year. They will also get vocational and skill-oriented training along with employment-related information.” She added.

Addressing the Commission on the Status of Women’s parallel event on Family and Social Protection at New York, Gyawali said how women were shouldered with additional responsibilities as youths migrated for work abroad. “Women are the pillars of smallholder agriculture in Nepal. They produce, labour, process and market goods,” she said.

According to a World Economic Forum study, women are responsible for 60-80% of food production in most developing countries, as well as for half of the world’s food production. “Women are the foundation of Nepali families. They contribute equally both at home and in the fields. We have work to do in ensuring equal participation of women in businesses and the economy. “Women in Nepal enjoy a wide array of rights, and they have been incorporated into our society and economy,” Gyawali said and lauded the benefits they enjoyed from the state: enjoy reproductive rights, participation in politics, 33% representation in civil services and many more.

“I am proud to state that the status of Nepali women is much better, compared to South Asian women. South Asia is also one of the least integrated regions of the world,” she said.  

 
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