UNDP Nepal stresses on women participation in legal professions

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Deputy Resident Representative Ghulam Isaczai has said Nepal's legal system will continue to fail on women issues until at least one-third of legal professionals are female.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of a new book 'Gender Justice in the capital on Friday, Isaczai said, "With 95 percent of Nepal's practicing lawyers being male, and only five out of the nation's 250 judges being female, law in Nepal was still seen as a male profession."

He urged the concern authorities to consider ways of encouraging women to enter the legal profession and suggested law course conductors to take in 50 percent female students. He further suggested that a mentorship programme be established to support aspiring female lawyers.

" Until at least one-third of Nepal's lawyers and judges are female, women in Nepal will continue to suffer systematic discrimination when they attempt to seek justice ," he said, adding "By this I mean that our mothers, wives, sisters and daughters will be unable to stand equal to men before the law—unable to get fair hearings, especially in cases of gross human rights violations like domestic violence or rape. This is unjust and against numerous UN conventions ratified by Nepal," Isaczai said.

'Gender Justice' is a compilation of rulings and conventions that protect women's legal rights. It was produced as part of the UNDP supported 'Mainstreaming Gender Equity Programme,' which works to increase the number of women participation in Nepal's government institutions, including the legal sector. nepalnews.com ia Oct 27 06