Boosting gender equality in Nepal
Achieving gender equality is one of the core aims of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The situation in Nepal
Sandhya, one of the original seven women, showing off her craft
Nepal is a highly patriarchal society and on almost every measure, women are worse off than men. In 2016, the Global Gender Index ranked Nepal 110th out of 144 countries for gender parity.
Women have restricted access to education and employment and experience startlingly high rates of domestic violence. As victims of ‘double discrimination’, disabled women experience even greater levels of disadvantage.
Lacking educational or vocational training, disabled women are often completely dependent upon their husbands and many report being beaten. Disabled women are also often denied the support, training and opportunities accorded to disabled men.
Our impact
Fighting for gender equality is at the heart of Seven Women’s mission. Our work directly combats gender inequality by increasing marginalised Nepali women’s access to education, training and employment.
As well as providing women with economic opportunities, our educational programs teach women money management, gender awareness and self-care skills, thereby enabling them to become self-sufficient. Education has also made disadvantaged women less vulnerable to exploitative practices like human trafficking.
“gender inequality is not inevitable”
As part of the Seven Women social enterprise, women fully participate in decisions regarding the usage of the profits and many women have taken on managerial roles.
Crucially, the beneficiaries of our program serve as invaluable, inspiring examples of strong and empowered women who challenge deep-rooted misconceptions regarding the inferior abilities of women and disabled people.
Our work is premised on the fundamental ideal that gender inequality is not inevitable. All of us can make a difference.