In Nepal, the Center and Partners Celebrate International Women’s Day with “F for Feminism” Event

The Center for Reproductive Rights, Asia, in partnership with the Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD) and Ipas Nepal, organized “F for Feminism” to commemorate the 112^th International Women’s Day on March 8, 2022. More than 250 people participated in the program, with representation from civil society organizations, government entities, law schools, and legal professions. The event was held at the Nepal Tourism Board in Kathmandu, Nepal.

The program revolved around the theme of “My Body, My Right: Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.” The event featured the launch of a fact sheet titled “Advancing Public Health and Human Rights Standards: Safe Abortion through Medical Abortion and Self-Management in Select Asian Countries.” The fact sheet was published by the Center in collaboration with the South Asia Reproductive Justice and Accountability Initiative (SARJAI), and examines the existing legal and policy framework around medical abortion and self-management in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, and Sri Lanka. The fact sheet also assessed the existing framework against the backdrop of international public health and human rights standards.

Speakers included:

• Jagadiswor Ghimire, Deputy Country Director of Ipas Nepal, who welcomed the participants and highlighted the objectives of the program.
• Nepal’s State Minister Honorable Bhawani Parsad Khapung, Ministry of Health and Population, who attended the event as Chief Guest and launched the fact sheet.
• Senior Advocate Geeta Aryal, President of FWLD, who chaired the event and launched the fact sheet.
• Prabina Bajracharya, the Center’s Senior Manager for Asia, who highlighted the key findings of the fact sheet and the importance of self-management of medical abortion.
• Family Welfare Division’s Kabita Aryal, who delivered a guest speech.

The program also featured a great cultural and literary experience where art met activism. Based on the theme of sexual and reproductive rights, this segment saw a stage drama by Shailee Theatre, as well as poetry, songs, a dance performance, and the presentation of a painting and stickers of fellows of the Reproductive Health fellowship, which is run by FWLD and supported by the Center.

View photos from the event, courtesy of FWLD: