A woman is a born leader and a nurturer with unwavering purity and love, who can multiply anything she receives, without any limit. She has the power to transform everything she touches. But women still struggle with unequal access to resources, opportunities, and representation globally. They are denied healthcare, education, and are the prey of violence and discrimination. Moreover, in South Asian countries like Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, a deeply rooted patriarchal system that has persisted for thousands of years oppresses women and treats them as a second sex.
In a rapidly evolving world, pursuing sustainable development and peacebuilding has never been more urgent. Among the many players trying to achieve these global goals, one group remains crucial: women. Thus, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) also underscore gender equality as one of the most critical focus areas. Empowering women is not just a matter of gender equality—it is an ultimate strategic means and a powerful catalyst for progress in achieving sustainable development and fostering peace at the ground level worldwide. More inclusive growth, better health outcomes, and environmental sustainability have all been found by studies to result from women's empowerment.
Despite a lot of policies and legal rights in regard of gender equality, there still is a huge gap in those policies and their implementation. Some of the women’s rights are limited only to the pages of the Constitution. So, to fill up those gaps, we need more targeted policies prioritizing women’s economic empowerment, legal rights, equal access to healthcare, and increased representation of women in decision-making roles at all levels of governance.
Recognizing the importance of addressing women’s status and gender gap in the context of Nepal and to highlight the issues in National level to influence policy making, dZi supported “The Policy Discussion on Gender Equality and Inclusion: Empowering Women Leaders for Sustainable Development and Peace Building” hosted jointly by the National Human Rights Commission in collaboration with various NGOs. dZi’s country director, Rakesh Karna, was one of the panelists in the program. He reflected on the importance of Female Equality and Inclusion within Gender equality and inclusion as there is a huge difference between these two.
According to Rakesh, there is a huge diversity within women, whether it be caste, religion, socio-economic status, geographic location, or political influence, and yet, we have put all the women in the same basket, which has led to a greater gap for marginalized and vulnerable women's voices. Gender mainstreaming should focus on the diverse groups of women, given their varied nature. No woman should be left behind.
Moreover, he added, access to equal resources and the division of household work at a larger level are the key to ensuring women's empowerment. Until and unless a woman is financially independent and resourceful, she is always dependent on her family and will lack self-confidence. This is the reason why a woman gets pushed backward every time. Parallelly, women need responsible men as their allies who understand that women can bring a unique perspective, innovative ideas, and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of their families, communities, and nations, and not diminish their worth.
To empower women to break out from the long-standing stereotype and the bubble of patriarchy, there is a need for huge financial investment, encouragement, and guidance. By investing and equipping women with the tools to lead—whether through education, training, employment opportunities, business, or leadership—we can ensure women's empowerment on a solid, inclusive foundation. Knowing that empowered women build an inclusive, equitable world where everyone has a chance to grow and succeed, dZi has been ensuring women’s participation in leadership, decision-making, and economic empowerment in all its work.
In conclusion, empowering women is critical for building a sustainable, peaceful, and equitable world. By providing women with the tools, support, and opportunities for income generation, dZi is tackling the world’s most pressing challenges and creating a better future for all. Empowering women today means an investment in the peace and prosperity of tomorrow.
