Kathmandu, Oct. 2: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has said that achieving women’s empowerment and gender equality was the only path to justice, peace and progress. Addressing the high-level meeting on the  occasion of the 25th anniversary of the fourth World Conference on Women (Beijing+25)’ on Thursday, the President said that despite  the steady progress achieved in the 12 critical areas of Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, gaps and challenges persisted in the full realisation of women’s rights. 

She expressed concerns about the existing structural inequalities, further aggravated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and called for timely medical care, equal access to vaccine and robust recovery plans to address the economic and social needs of women and girls, according to a statement issued by the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations. While highlighting Nepal’s major achievements on women’s empowerment, the President stated that gender agenda was mainstreamed as an integral part of national development. 

“We have strengthened law enforcement and implemented targeted interventions to end gender-based violence and discrimination,” she said.