By Mala Karn
Kalyanpur, Mar. 9: The International Women’s Day was celebrated by organising different programmes globally and nationally on Tuesday. However, many working women were left untouched by the celebration.

“What about the Women’s Day? Celebration would not help me earn my livelihood,” said Kagati Devi Sada, a farmer, as she continued working in the field. Many like Sada, who work daily to support their families, said that they were satisfied not celebrating the Women’s Day. They also argued that they were mostly unaware of women related days, rights and programmes.

“I have never heard of March 8 till today. Is there a day to celebrate working women’s contribution?” questioned Sansari Devi Sada, a woman from Surunga Municipality who earns her livelihood as a labourer.

Senior women, with whom The Rising Nepal spoke to, informed that they had heard about a day celebrated for women by female teachers of Dhankuta around 1960s. They said that it was later celebrated as International Women’s Day around late 1970s.

In 1977, ‘International Women Labour Day’ is said to have been celebrated in Nepal secretly under the coordination of Parijat, first woman writer to win the Madan Puraskar.
“It has been around four decades that the Women’s Day was started to be celebrated in local levels,” said Basana Moktan, a political activist.

“Women’s Day was celebrated after the People’s Movement in 1990. It was officially celebrated in 2003 and 2004 by the National Women Commission after its establishment in 2002,” Moktan added. Over the years, March 8 has been celebrated by women across the country by organising different programmes.

“The day is celebrated to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women but it has failed to effectively reach the working class women,” said Rita Chaudhary, a teacher. Women activist Punam Yadav opined that much more remained to be achieved in the sector of women empowerment.

“The legal provisions to empower women are not implemented properly. Women in rural areas are still unaware of their rights. Many struggle for justice. We need to move forward effectually,” said Yadav.