Kathmandu, June 23
The ruling Nepal Communist Party leader Pampha Bhusal, a vocal female member of the House of Representatives, has claimed that the seven-year threshold for naturalised citizenship for women marrying Nepali nationals is not against women.
Bhusal’s statement comes after the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, which Bhusal is also a member of, endorsed the bill to amend the Citizenship Act with the provision, by majority vote and forwarded to the House of Representatives for further discussion.
Many have commented that the provision is discriminatory as it would deprive women marrying Nepalis of citizenship for seven years, but Bhusal says it is not.
“The new rule has given equal rights to women from Mechi to Mahakali and from Madhes to mountains. It will benefit all women. All women have won,” Bhusal says in an interview with Onlinekhabar, arguing there is not any country in the world that has the same provisions for the citizens of own country and other countries.
“There are more than 200 countries in the world and they have their own nationalities. All countries have made policies about citizenship easier for their citizens and tougher for other foreigners. I am surprised to have heard that the provisions should be equal to both in Nepal.”
Bhusal argues citizenship is not an issue related to gender, but about nationality and identity.
