Women's rights activists staged a protest at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu on Thursday against the proposed dissolution of the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens.
The backlash stems from reports that Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) plans to streamline the government by merging this portfolio into the Ministry of Health and Population, creating a unified Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Kamala Parajuli, chairperson of the National Women Commission, warned that the move is an "objectionable" attack on the rights of over 51% of the population, including women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.
Human rights activists, including Lily Thapa from the National Human Rights Commission and Shyam Kumari Sah of National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders, characterized the proposal as a strike against democracy.
Activists are demanding that the Ministry remain an independent, well-resourced entity rather than being sidelined as a secondary department.
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