The government is committed to ensuring representation of women in the proposed Disaster Management Bill to build disaster-resilient communities, Bishnu Prasad Lamsal, secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MoWCSW) said on Wednesday.

“The government has initiated discussion on localising the Sendai Framework for Action to create a space for mainstreaming gender equality and women’s empowerment concerns in the national Disaster Risk Reduction policies and programmes, including the Disaster Management Bill that is under final stage of approval,” Lamsal said at a programme in the Capital. 

 After years of delay, the government is finally working to formulate the Bill with an aim to set up a national disaster management authority chaired by the prime minister to oversee disaster preparedness and management. 

“The Bill is being worked out to ensure women’s representation and leadership at all levels for building community resilience,” said Lamsal while speaking at the South Asia Peer Learning Regional consultation meeting jointly organised by MoWCSW and UN Women. 

The three-day consultation, attended by delegates from seven South Asian countries, concluded with country-specific priority actions, which call for women’s engagement in localisation, formulation and implementation of the strategic recommendations of the Sendai Framework. 

Similarly, the representatives agreed to key common action including strengthening evidence generation and knowledge on DRR from a gender perspective and strengthening disaster risk governance by ensuring meaningful participation and leadership of women and girls.