Second edition of SHE LEADS ICON to be held in Kathmandu on Dec 8

KATHMANDU: The second edition of the SHE LEADS ICON award ceremony and Women Representatives Festival is set to be held in Battisputali, Kathmandu, on Monday, organisers said.

Organised by Kalpa Empower Women Nepal, the event aims to highlight the work, contributions and good deeds of elected chairpersons and vice chairpersons at local level on a national scale. Inspiring women representatives selected by a jury will be honoured, and seven outstanding representatives will be declared and honoured as SHE LEADS ICON.

Pooja Koirala, president of the organising body, said this year's edition will be particularly significant and will be held in the presence of Nepal's first female President Bidya Devi Bhandari, first female Chief Minister Astalaxmi Shakya, first female House Speaker Onsari Gharti and first female provincial governor Anuradha Koirala, along with leading women from various sectors.

Local governments will present the work and achievements of their representatives through an information centre, with stalls showcasing services, plans and products. Women entrepreneurs will also exhibit their products and services.

Preparations are underway for debates and panel discussions on women's leadership, participation in politics and the role of women in entrepreneurship. The programme includes presentations by Bhawani Rana, the first female president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI); Shova Gyawali, president of the Federation of Woman Entrepreneurs’ Associations of Nepal (FWEAN); Rita Pokharel, country representative for inDrive Nepal; and the icons of the first edition of SHE LEADS ICON.

Kalpa Nepal President Koirala said the programme is being run by young people under the age of 30 and that, by highlighting the institution's continuous advancement of social leadership development programmes without the support of any donor agency, they are trying to establish the narrative that something can be achieved while remaining in Nepal itself.