KATHMANDU, MARCH 12

Member of National Planning Commission Saloni Singh said women’s contribution to the economy was invariably undervalued and yet to be duly recognised.

Speaking at a women’s fair organised on the occasion of International Women’s Day, Singh underscored the need to count the tremendous contribution made by women to gross domestic product through care economy.

“Women’s unpaid care work is not counted as economic activity. However, such work contributes a lot to the functioning of the Nepali formal economy and social system,” she added. Saying that economic empowerment is one of the crucial aspects of gender equality, she highlighted that investment in equality today would ensure sustainability tomorrow.

UN CEDAW Committee member Bandana Rana called on all and sundry to promote and encourage women entrepreneurs’ products that would add to gender equality in the true sense. Rana also said economic empowerment and independence of women further strengthens women’s movement in Nepal.

Deputy Mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan City Gita Satyal apprised that the local government had prioritised women’s entrepreneurship development and economic empowerment.

Chairperson of Saathi Sajani Amatya said her organisation had recognised the economic empowerment of women as the most important aspect of gender equality. She said economic independence would provide voice and visibility to women and enable them to speak against violence and injustice.

A version of this article appears in the print on March 13, 2022, of The Himalayan Times