Sharing their own struggles and hoping to inspire future generations, four women professionals took to the stage on Tuesday to talk about the many obstacles they have faced to carve out a niche for themselves in their respective sectors. The event, Tiago Inspire Generation, organised as part of the M&S VMAG Weekend series, saw Malvika Subba, Kamala Shrestha, Preeti Thapa and Shanta Nepali, converse with host Alok Thapa, on topics that ranged from body-shaming and feminism to gender discrimination in the workplace. 

During the talk programme, the speakers discussed and shared their experiences and stories regarding the challenges women professionals face in the respective sectors.  At the event, former Miss Nepal, Malvika Subba said, “Our society is still very narrow-minded and conservative in many instances; women are expected to follow many rules that men generally are excused from. This happens not only in households but even in the professional world, including the media.” Subba also shared an anecdote regarding how perception about her as a media personality changed after she gave birth to her first child, before speaking on topics like body-shaming, feminism and homosexuality.

Tourism entrepreneur and journalist Shanta Nepali, who is also a travel and mountaineering enthusiast, talked about instances where she has been subtly discriminated against in her mountaineering career. She said, “Even though indirectly, men have questioned whether or not I could climb mountains. The Nepali society has this subtle way of making a woman feel old and useless.”

Singer and songwriter, Kamala Shrestha talked about how our society relentlessly throws obstacles at its women and how they have learned to take it in their stride. Meanwhile, lawyer Preeti Thapa raised concerns about how the number of women in the judicial sector is alarmingly low and talked of how she struggled to create a niche for herself in the field.

The panel of guests also answered the questions and queries the audiences. The event was part of the Inspire Series of the M&S VMAG Weekends.