The National Women Commission (NWC) bill, which had missed out on being registered along with six other commissions to make it a constitutional body, is likely to be tabled in the Cabinet next week.

The Ministry for Women, Children and Social Welfare (MoWCSW) said that it has already initiated procedure.

Once passed by the Cabinet, the bill will make the National Women Commission a constitutional body as enshrined in the new constitution. It will also open the door for appointing new members at the commission which has been operating with just a single member for the last seven months.

Six other commissions—National Inclusive Commission, National Dalit Commission, Madhesi Commission, Tharu Commission, Muslim Commission and Ethnic and Indigenous Commission—were tabled in the Cabinet on September 27.

The National Women Commission, however, had been left out as the MoWCSW could not complete it on time.

“We have completed all the procedure and will register it for Cabinet approval within a week. The bill of National Women Commission was not tabled with six other commissions as they were tabled through the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development,” said Narayan Prasad Kafle, spokesperson for the MoWCSW.

The draft bill of the National Women Commission was, however, prepared by the commission itself and forwarded to the MoWCSW in April with provisions to ensure it has similar rights like other constitutional commissions. It has also included provisions to grant the National Women Commission the right to hire its own staffers similar to other constitutional commissions.

The MoWCSW states that change of government and the fact that the ministry has been operating without a minister since the formation of new government under Prime Minister Puspha Kamal Dahal.

“Just as the Ministry of Law had finalised the draft bill and we were about to send it to the Cabinet, the government got changed. Initially, we waited for a Cabinet expansion. But when we did not have a minister even after the expansion, we sent it through the Prime Minister’s Office,” explained Kafle.

The commission, which can have a maximum of six members, has the primary task of formulating policies and programmes for women’s welfare and forward them to the government for implementation. It also conducts research on gender equality, women’s empowerment and provides legal assistance to women suffering from gender-based violence and other harmful social practices.