In a press statement issued on the occasion of International Women's Day here on Sunday, UN Nepal Office said many serious challenges and obstacles remain to realising the agenda set out in the platform for action albeit some good strides in addressing gender inequalities for empowerment.

Twenty specific concerns to advance gender equality, women’s rights and the empowerment of women were highlighted in the Kathmandu Declaration, adopted as an outcome of Nepal’s national Beijing review conference, reads the statement.

The UN has stated that the expression of the twenty concerns comes as Nepal continues the drafting of its new constitution, which provides an opportunity to incorporate important gender equality provisions in the legal foundations of the country.

From 9 March onward, representatives of governments, UN entities and non-governmental organisations from all regions of the world will gather in New York to review the progress made in the implementation of this important blueprint for women’s rights, and to renew the global commitment, through Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) political declaration, for the implementation of the Platform for Action.

Nepal will also participate in this important global Beijing+20 review.