Kathmandu, Sept. 21
Minister for
Foreign Affairs, Dr.
Arzu Rana Deuba, participated in the Women Foreign Ministers’ Meeting organised in Toronto, Canada on Thursday and Friday,
19-20 September.
The Embassy of Nepal in Canada informed in a statement
that the meeting was
hosted by Mélanie Joly P.C., Foreign Minister of
Canada and Kamina Johnson Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade
of Jamaica. The meeting was held in two
sessions: Women in Public Spaces: Politics, Leadership and Governance; and
Women Leaders in the Age of Disinformation.
Speaking at the
first session of the conference, Foreign Minister Dr. Deuba stressed the need for
the ‘whole-of’ approach to attain gender equality, to protect and uphold a girl
from her womb to her tomb with the support of untiring leadership and fearless
efforts.
She also
highlighted the statistical evidence from around the world demonstrating
persistent challenges faced by women to reach leadership positions and attain
general and sustained empowerment,
read the statement.
She also said that there is a need
to build a strong coalition at local, national as well as global level and move
forward to ensure women’s dignified position in the world.
FM
Dr. Deuba underlined the achievements made by Nepali
women since the promulgation of the Constitution of Nepal in 2015. She
highlighted the success of Nepali women to reach to the top positions as the
head of state, chief justice and the speaker of the parliament in a matter of
few years.
According
to her, the participation of women in public
life, such as civil service, security forces and public sector employment
opportunities has also increased significantly.
Likewise,
during the second session, Foreign Minister Dr.
Deuba emphasised the importance of digital technology and tools for women
leaders to directly reach out to their constituencies, to raise awareness and
spread positive message towards women leadership.
According
to the Embassy, she also talked about the flip side of
the digital technology widely used to spread hate, targeted harassment and
disinformation to discourage women from rising in public offices and business.
She said that the
leadership in developed countries could play an important role in securing
technological and financial support to developing countries to bridge the
divide, as well as to rein in the negative by-products of digital technologies
for the betterment of society.
The Women Foreign
Ministers’ Meeting concluded with reaffirming
commitment to break down barriers and empower the next generation of women
leaders. The statement pledges to advance women’s participation in leadership
and decision-making and support safe and inclusive spaces for women in politics
and public life. The meeting also pledges to intentionally encourage young
women across the world to enter politics and public life.
On the sidelines
of the meeting, Foreign Minister
Dr. Deuba had a bilateral meeting with
her Romanian counterpart Luminița-Teodora
Odobescu. The two Foreign Ministers discussed the ways to expedite establishing
diplomatic representation in each other’s country and promoting welfare and
interests of Nepali migrant workers in Romania.
Later on Friday, FM Dr.
Deuba received a delegation of Nepali entrepreneurs based in Toronto and
discussed the issues related to promoting the export of Nepali agricultural and
cottage industry produces to Canada as well as other matters of interest to the
Nepali diaspora community and students.
Separately, the Foreign Minister also
received insights from the community leader and NRNA representatives on the
challenges of Nepali young students who jump immediately after completion of higher
secondary education in Nepal to study abroad without adequate preparation and
sufficient understanding of the courses, prospects and employability.
FM
Dr. Deuba left Canada
for New York on Saturday evening.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 22 September 2024.
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