Women’s rights activists staged a protest at Maitighar on Thursday, opposing a reported plan to abolish the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens.
The demonstration comes amid preparations by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) to form a new government and reduce the number of ministries. As part of this plan, the party is reportedly considering merging the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens with the Ministry of Health and Population.
According to reports, the proposed merger would create a new “Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.” Activists have raised concerns that such a move would weaken the focus on issues affecting women, children, senior citizens, and people with disabilities.
Kamala Parajuli, Chairperson of the National Women Commission, said activists are raising their voices before any final decision is made, as reversing decisions later would be difficult. She noted that under the pretext of cutting state expenses, the government appears to be preparing to integrate the ministry into the health sector.
Parajuli emphasized that the ministry currently addresses the needs of 51% of the population, including women, children, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities. She argued that eliminating or merging the ministry would be inappropriate, especially since it plays a crucial role in protecting citizens outside the 18–49 age group.
She also pointed out that problems have already arisen after the closure of district-level Women Development Offices, and criticized the government for ignoring calls to reinstate them. According to her, removing the ministry altogether would be a blow to the women’s movement.
Lily Thapa, a member of the National Human Rights Commission, said the ministry has repeatedly been targeted in the past. She recalled that there were attempts to merge it during the state restructuring process after the constitution was promulgated, but those efforts were halted due to protests by women’s rights activists.
Thapa expressed concern that the state has never prioritized the ministry, warning that efforts to abolish it could be followed by moves against the National Women Commission as well.
Similarly, Shyam Kumari Sah, Chairperson of the National Network of Women Human Rights Defenders, described the plan to remove the ministry as an attack on democracy and women’s rights. She stressed that instead of dismantling it, the government should strengthen the ministry with adequate resources and support.
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