MEET ON GENDER DATA BEGINS

December 14, 2002 – (The Rising Nepal) Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Anuradha Koirala inaugurated a workshop on gender data in the 2001 census organised by the central bureau of statistics.

The census of 2001 had included housework and housewives in its data on gender statistics.

The workshop aimed at seeking what can be done for women's empowerment by studying data on gender inequality.

Speaking on the occasion, Assistant Minister Koirala said enumeration of women in this fashion would enable them to better understand their place in society and this would boost their self confidence.

Former NPC Vice Chairman Dr. Mohan Man Sainju said data on women engaged in various activities would provide a truer picture of their role.

UNICEF Programme Director Chandani Joshi, the Director of the Central Bureau of Statistics and other speakers also said inclusion of all activities by women under the census would help make them more active.

The 2001 census shows that l5 per cent of households are headed by women and 85 per cent by men. The census shows ll percent of women
economically active in the expanded sense of that term.

Women's involvement in agriculture is put at 57 per cent and that of men at 46 per cent while the non-agricultural sector has l6 per cent women's
involvement and 43 per cent men's involvement.

From: http://www.mahilaweb.org/footer/news/dec_02/rising_nepal.htm