Memorandum of Understanding signed by UN Women Nepal and Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens
Date:
Kathmandu, Nepal — UN Women and the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens (MoWCSC) of the Government of Nepal signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today to take forward their partnership in advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment in Nepal. The five-year agreement was signed by Wenny Kusuma, Representative of UN Women Nepal and Rudra Devi Sharma, Joint Secretary of MoWCSC, in the presence of Honorable Minister Tham Maya Thapa and Acting Secretary Bir Bahadur Rai of MoWCSC.
At the signing ceremony at Singha Durbar, Ms. Kusuma stated, “This is a historic moment that signifies our common goals and aspirations, where we share with the Government of Nepal in the commitments made to the people of this country, to advance the status of women and girls, to support gender equality and social inclusion. UN Women and the Government of Nepal commit to this partnership because, together, we are stronger in both our efforts and impact.”
Joint Secretary Sharma joined in highlighting gender equality as a government priority, saying, “It is enshrined in our constitution and reflected in our national and international commitments.”
The MoU is based on the current United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and focuses on the areas of work in UN Women’s Strategy, including: women’s human rights, accelerating women’s political and economic empowerment, ending violence against women, providing essential services, eliminating gender discriminatory social norms and harmful traditional practices, increasing women’s representation and leadership in governance, strengthening a gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) perspective in development, and strengthening the availability, accessibility and analysis of gender statistics in policy-making, advocacy and accountability. The MoU establishes the terms and conditions of cooperation between the Government of Nepal and UN Women in achieving their common objectives.
“Ensuring equality is only possible by changing traditional norms, ending violence against women and girls, and empowering women,” said Honorable Minister Thapa. “This MoU will help us further advance this cause, and plan accordingly.”