WUNRN
NEPAL ISSUES "STAY ORDER" ON BILL TO PAY MEN TO MARRY NEPAL WIDOWS - NGO CAMPAIGN ADVOCACY
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
WPD (Widows for Peace through Democracy), the
lead iNGO working for widows across the world, especially those bereaved
through armed conflict,
Congratulates the
We also
congratulate WHR-SWG for the
dignity, dedication, and integrity shown in their campaign to get this bill off
the statute books.
This bill
outraged the international community of organisations and individuals working
to promote human rights, gender equality, eliminate discrimination, and ensure
that all women, including widows, are afforded their full rights, along with
respect, and autonomy.
This
proposed law breached the CEDAW, by
implication imposing on widows a form of forced remarriage. It proposed to
treat widows as “chattels” that could be brought. It also would have brought
into disrepute those widows who chose to remarry of their own volition.
The long conflict
in
It would
have encouraged impoverished families and impoverished men in particular to
coerce young widows into forced matrimony, and would have also increased
widows’ vulnerability to violence including sexual abuse.
Far better
that the
Again, we
congratulate this good decision. It
demonstrates the power and strength of widows when, as they have via WHR-SWG,
BAND TOGETHER so as to influence government to do the right thing, according to
international laws and standards.
We shall refer to this achievement when we
present on WIDOWHOOD issue to the CEDAW committee in
Margaret Owen Director WPD www.widowsforpeace.org
36 faroe road
44 207 603 733
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