Kathmandu: Seventeen-year-old Prakriti Shrestha represented Nepal’s civil society at the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. In her presentation, she shed light on the challenges Nepali girls continue to face despite progressive legal reforms. She emphasized that deep-rooted societal beliefs still perceive women as weaker than men, limiting their access to opportunities and development.

Shrestha pointed out that lack of accessible infrastructure in educational institutions has created significant barriers, especially for students with disabilities. She highlighted that 60% of girls from Indigenous and marginalized communities, as well as those with disabilities, face issues such as lack of access, language barriers, social and cultural discrimination, and bullying, leading many to drop out of school.

Despite the criminalization of the Chhaupadi system, 8,550 menstruation huts have been destroyed in the past two months alone. Furthermore, Nepal’s 2021 national census revealed that child marriage remains widespread, with 22.3% of individuals marrying between the ages of 15 to 17, and 0.3% getting married before turning 10. In the fiscal year 2023/24 alone, 52 child marriage cases have been officially registered, she added.

Shrestha recommended increasing the education budget in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.5 to ensure universal access to education and address existing gender inequalities. She also stressed the need to amend child marriage laws to prevent the criminal prosecution of minors and instead prioritize their protection and support.

She further called for improving school systems to ensure access for all students, adopting intercultural teaching methods, and providing education in Indigenous languages. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of raising awareness among parents about the rights and educational needs of girls, especially those with disabilities and from Indigenous communities.

Citizenship Discrimination and Gender Inequality in Nepal
Nepal’s civil society presented a total of six reports at the CEDAW meeting. Advocate Binu Lama from the Forum for Women, Law, and Development (FWLD) discussed gender discrimination in citizenship laws. She pointed out that Nepal’s constitution restricts women’s rights to pass citizenship to their children, particularly affecting single mothers and marginalized communities.

She highlighted that Articles 11(2), 11(5), and 11(7) of Nepal’s Constitution prevent single mothers from granting citizenship to their children. In contrast, Article 11(6) and Section 5(1) of the Nepal Citizenship Act allow foreign women married to Nepali men to obtain citizenship, while the same right is not extended to foreign husbands of Nepali women or gender and sexual minorities. Furthermore, Article 11(3) mandates that both parents must be Nepali for a child to acquire citizenship by birth, putting children of Nepali mothers at risk of statelessness.

Gender-Based Violence and Legal Gaps
FWLD advocate Sagar Pathak presented on sexual and gender-based violence in Nepal. According to Nepal Police data, 2,540 rape cases were registered in 2023/24, marking a 6.75% increase. He highlighted that in 93.95% of cases, the perpetrator was someone known to the victim. Despite existing laws, gaps in legal enforcement and lack of adequate legal provisions continue to hinder justice for survivors.