A day ahead of International Women’s Day, Habitat for Humanity Nepal and Habitat Women Build Team jointly organised a panel discussion on the topic Ensuring Access to Decent Housing for Women.

The event held in the Capital on Monday drew a panel of experts including  Senior Advocate Sapana Pradhan Malla, Commissioner of National Information Commission Yosodha Timilsina, Madhu Prasad Regmi, Secretary of Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, and Deependra Nath Sharma, Secretary of Ministry if Urban Development. The discussion was moderated by Shrijana Singh Yonjan.

The discussion saw the participation of high level government officials, corporate executives, influential women leaders and media representatives.

The discussion was held on various topics: how public-private-people partnership can play a vital role in ensuring women’s access to decent housing; the right of women to own a house or a share of their house; and challenges to implement the policy/constitutional provision, among others.

Speaking at the event, Sapana Pradhan Malla said, “We should foremost make women aware of equal property rights for both the genders in order to make them feel the necessity to claim it.” She further added that the immense need to disseminate right information is where women in the country lack behind.

Habitat for Humanity Nepal’s Women Build Team, formed in 2015, is an initiation of passionate and dedicated women leaders who have visions to provide women with what they deserve—a decent home. With joint efforts and commitment, they aim to work with women in need of decent homes, through fund raising and advocacy, empowering them to earn a living for themselves and their children.

Habitat for Humanity has helped more than 500 women-headed families across Nepal through new house construction, house repair and renovation, financial literacy, access to safe sanitation, and livelihood skills training.