Roshni Paudyal, an advocate and associate professor of Tribhuvan University, is of the opinion that the society is not ready to accept women's views.
In the first session of the fifth edition of 'Nirvik Nari' titled 'Invisible Barriers', Advocate Paudyal said that when women speak against the injustice done to them, there is a tendency to blame them.
In terms of constitution and laws, Paudya said that even though women's empowerment and gender equality have come a long way, ordinary women have to face invisible obstacles in the fight for rights. They don't accept that I have been wronged, or that I have this opinion on a matter. Not only in society, but in social media, women are shown to be guilty first before they find themselves in trouble,' Paudyal said, 'before listening to the victim, they show her wrong. I don't think the society is ready to listen to my voice. Even now, the society is not ready to accept our views. Poudyal claims that the 'blaming culture' of seeing the victim as guilty is still present in Nepali society.
'Fighting for common women's rights feels like fighting your personal battle together . Women working outside is only seen as a luxury. If it becomes difficult, they will say yes by their own will. The idea that I can empower myself as a citizen and contribute to my country has not been formed, she added.
Paudyal prefers to introduce herself as a conscious citizen of Nepal. "I was confident in my limited goals and dreams from a young age." From then on, something had to be done. I want to introduce myself as a confident woman who wants to contribute something to the society in terms of my abilities and awareness as a citizen,' said Paudyal.
