'SHE LEADS ICON' concludes stakeholder engagement programme

KATHMANDU: Stakeholder engagement programme of 'SHE LEADS ICON', a campaign to highlight the achievements of Nepali women representatives, concluded at Holiday Inn Express Kathmandu Naxal on Monday.

SHE LEADS ICON is part of the Kalpa Nepal's Women in Politics project. The campaign aims to globally recognise elected women representatives at the local level in the country who are inspiring and leading in areas such as women's health, entrepreneurship, policy and justice, empowerment, and accountability.

The programme, launched to honour three women representatives for their outstanding work in these areas, has witnessed participation from 140 women representatives from various local levels. Of these, 27 have been selected for the public vote.

Applications were received from 24 women representatives from Koshi Province, 14 from Madhesh Province, 12 from Bagmati Province, 11 from Gandaki Province, 36 from Lumbini Province, 16 from Karnali Province, and 15 from Sudurpashchim Province.

The jury, including senior political leader and first woman chief minister Astalaxmi Shakya, Media Nine Editor Charu Chadha, and gender specialist Sharu Joshi Shrestha, selected four women representatives from Koshi, two from Madhesh, eight from Bagmati, three from Gandaki, seven from Lumbini, and four each from Karnali and Sudurpashchim for the public vote. Additionally, 100 youths from various local levels of Nepal have been selected as SHE LEADS Fellows to promote the inspiring achievements of SHE LEADS ICON and to discuss the right course of politics by sharing experiences in women's health, entrepreneurship, policy and justice, empowerment, and accountability at the local level.

From the 27 inspiring representatives selected by the jury, three will be declared icons.

The programme will conclude with an award ceremony in Kathmandu on January 3, 2025, with the Prime Minister as the chief guest. This event will also serve as a celebration of women representatives.

The event will feature stalls exhibiting materials produced at the local level and local level information centres. The event is expected to attract more than 3,000 visitors.

The programme will be broadcast live on Prime Times HD.