Kathmandu: The two-day South Asian Parliamentarians Consultation on Equity and Girls’ Education kicked off here on Tuesday.

Inaugurating the conference, Speaker Subas Nembang pointed out the need for the Constituent Assembly (CA) members to work actively for the implementation and formulation of policies on gender equality in education from the local level to the central level.

Speaker Nembang, describing education as the main basis for development and progress in human life, said it is both challenging to get the girls who do not have access to education enrolled in schools and retain them in schools.

He expressed the belief that the conference of SAARC parliamentarians will add a new dimension in equality in education by sharing of ideas and experiences.

The conference is coordinated by the Ministry of Education and UNICEF Nepal. Parliamentarians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives and Pakistan including Nepal are taking part in the conference.

In the inauguration programme, Minister for Youth and Sports Kamala Rokka stressed the need for the government to bring concrete programmes for resolving problems faced by the Nepli girls in getting education.

Coordinator of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, Radha Gyawali said women’s education is the common problem in the SAARC Member countries and some positive achievements have been made in this regard in Nepal through the active role of the CA members.

Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Shankar Prasad Pandey said although some positive results have been made in equality in education through the efforts initiated by the government, the situation was far from satisfactory.

UNICEF Nepal representative Hanna Singer said gender equality in education could be established in countries of South Asia only through concerted efforts.

Twenty-four parliamentarians from outside Nepal and other stakeholders are also attending the conference.

source: The Himalayan Times,20 Sept 2011