The National conference and rally for equal citizenship right of women (February 2006)
 The Population Census 2001 reveals that the total population of Nepal is 2,31,51,423 among them there are 1,37,88,347 people who have attained the age of 15 and eligible for citizenship. Whereas, according to the statistics of the Ministry of Home only 1,26, 94,403 had the citizenship certificate till March/April,2005, which proves that more than 11,00,000 people are deprived of citizenship rights, a basic human rights and right to identity.
The Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal , 1990 under its Article 11 has guaranteed right to equality between men and women irrespective of sex. However, the provisions relating to citizenship in the Constitution and Citizenship law are directly discriminatory against women, which is the major barrier to ensure equal citizenship rights of women.
FWLD organized a National Conference on "Equal Citizenship Right of Women" which was held on February28, 2006 at the City Hall, Kathmandu . The concerned government stakeholders of the central level, representatives of the various political parties, representatives of the INGO and NGOs, human rights organizations, representatives from the women groups, private lawyers, social mobilizers, members of the Paralegal committee, district participants, media persons and the affected people of the existing discriminatory citizenship law participated in the program. More than 500 participants including 250 participants from50 districts participated in the Conference.
 Shortly after the National Conference, FWLD spearheaded a National rally demanding equal citizenship rights to women on February28, 2006 . The rally started from Tinkune, Koteswor and went through Min Bhawan, New Baneshwor, Biluji Bazaar, Babarmahal, Maitighar and discontinued at Maitighar, Mandala. We had almost 3000 participants in the rally. Organizations like PHECT/Nepal, Didi Bahini, CAC/Nepal and WATCH supported to bring their members in the rally. Participants demonstrated their consensus creating pressure to the government for the reformation of discriminatory citizenship law. The participants were present with their banners and placards demanding equal citizenship rights to women.
The movement's goal was to ensure equal citizenship right. Its objectives were:
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To identify the problems and its implications
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To identify evidences and arguments for advocacy
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To spread awareness and do advocacy on the importance of citizenship right |
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To do advocacy for law enforcement |
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To build network among the affected persons and to raise the voice strongly and comprehensively |
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To build network with organizations and individuals working on the issue |
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To build strategies for action |
The movement's outcomes were:
- Mainstreaming the issue by all the women's group, political parties, NGO's and INGO's
- Media coverage on the issue of equal citizenship right of Nepalese women
- Hearing of the people deprived from citizenship rights
- Legal support to the affected people
- Success in 13 cases with providing citizenship certificate
- Formation of networks
- Massive awareness on the importance of citizenship rights through district conferences
- Realization of existing discriminatory citizenship law and build common consensus for the reformation of citizenship law
- People's commitment and pressure to the government through district rally
- Signature campaign to demonstrate people's commitment to amend the discriminatory citizenship law through district conferences and rally
- Commitment of the political parties to take the issue as a prior agenda and to support amending discriminatory citizenship law
- Commitment from the CDO to facilitate minimizing the procedural hurdles to acquire citizenship
- Announcement of the government to resolve the existing citizenship problem of the country through proclamation of the House of Representative
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