Status of women in Nepal About half of the world’s population is of women. In the western countries, both men and women enjoy equality of rights. But the situation in most of the Asian and African nation’s women is different. There is a large scaled discrimination between men and women. Discrimination starts from home itself, parents treat male and female child differently and have expectations based on the cultural differences (Nalini sastry, 2000). Nalini reports socializing process is the responsible factors to differentiate male and female by their parents.
In the past, in Europe and in America, there were lots of conflicts raised and for rights of women. They had protest or demonstration for their participation on various sectors of status uplifting. These days the situation of women in western countries has changed a lot. They have been enjoying their freedom. They have adopted the culture of equity between both sexes and being treated both men and women by their caliber rather than gender. They have given emphasis on the capabilities and education level of women and weakness of women like physical structure, softness etc were least highlighted.
But still Nepalese women were lacking far behind than western women in their freedom and access to education, economic resources and political power. The United Nations has defined the status of women in the context of their access to knowledge, economic resources, and political power, as well as their personal autonomy in the process of decision making. When Nepalese women’s status is analyzed in this light, the picture is generally bleak. In the early 1990s, Nepal was a rigidly patriarchic society.
In virtually every aspect of life, women were generally subordinate to men. The economic contribution of women was substantial, but largely unnoticed because their traditional role was taken for granted. When employed, their wages normally were 25 percent less than those paid to men. In most rural areas, their employment outside the household generally was limited to planting, weeding, and harvesting. In urban areas, they were employed in domestic and traditional jobs, as well as in the government sector, mostly in low-level positions
One tangible measure of women’s status was their educational attainment. Although the constitution offers women equal educational opportunities, many social, economic, and cultural factors contributed to lower enrollment and higher dropout rates for girls. Illiteracy imposed the greatest hindrance to enhancing equal opportunity and status for women. They were caught in a vicious circle imposed by the patriarchical society. Their lower status hindered their education, and the lack of education, in turn, constricted their status and position.
Although the female literacy rate has improved noticeably over the years, the level in the early 1990s fell far short of the male level rural In Hindu mythology, women have dominated to men . furthermore, they are in supreme position in their society or their position is highly recognized. Later on, especially in the medieval period, because of various factors they had to loss their social status in domination of men. The country Nepal, prominently know as the country of Buddha and Mt Everest left women behind the curtain of development.
Women were left t perform household works and give birth to babies. But situation has changed a lot these days. Women have started taking education. They work in the offices. However, number of them can be counted in fingers. The other major sectors where women are employed are hospitals, schools, aviation companies, and other private and public enterprises. Moreover, very few women working as civil servants in the government offices and involvement of women in politics is also nominal. Of 28. 82 million people, more than 50% are women in Nepal..
With majority of women population, still Nepalese women is lacking far behind than men in every sectors. However government is also trying to accommodate them into the main stream of social, as well as, other development sectors of the country, but still it has not achieved yet. Unless women are carried together with the men in the path of development prosperity is impossible. Gradually, with the changing time and atmosphere the conservative thought over women is getting modernized by giving opportunity to education, allowing them work in the government as well as private and public enterprises.
The dogmatism of not permitting them work outside and treating them as commodity not person, is being changed these days. In fact, all the countries throughout the world have realized that women participation on education, politics. Employment and developmental areas play a tremendous role in the overall development of country. One of the major responsible factors underlying poverty in Nepalese society is the backwardness of women population, who in fact, holding more than 50% of the total population.
Nepalese women especially rural women consume most of their time either in the household work or in the fields. Instead their contribution to increase GNI per capita is very less. However the case is different in urban areas, the women are also educated, equally capable to their male counterparts and they seek for equal Opportunity in every facets of the society. However there are still lots of flaws in Nepalese societies which restrict the empowerment of Nepalese women.
