First National Conference of Women Government Lawyers
The first national conference of women government lawyers in Nepal is beginning on Monday. The event will be held on 2082 Bhadra 23–24 (8th to 9th September 2025) under the theme “Empowerment of Women Government lawyers for Strengthening the Criminal Justice System.”
At a press conference held today at the Office of the Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General Mina Gurung informed that the conference will be inaugurated by the senior-most Justice of the Supreme Court, Sapana Pradhan Malla.
She said the conference will allow women government lawyers to exchange experiences with each other and engage in in-depth discussions on professional knowledge, challenges, and opportunities. “We see this as a historic step to establish the voice of women government lawyers at the national level,” she said, adding, “When women government lawyers are empowered, the criminal justice system becomes stronger and more trustworthy. This belief is not only in words but will be reflected in lifestyle and responsibilities, and government lawyers are confident about this.”
It was informed that around 250 participants, including all women government lawyers working at the Office of the Attorney General, subordinate offices, and other bodies, will take part in the conference. The purpose is to contribute to strengthening the criminal justice system by enhancing the professional capacity and development of women government lawyers.
Five working papers will be presented at the conference. These will mainly focus on:
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The current status of women government lawyers
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Issues concerning women government lawyers that should be addressed by the Office of the Attorney General’s strategic plan
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The role of government lawyers in the judicial treatment of victims of crimes involving the use of technology
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Participation of women government lawyers in the justice service
The conference will also include group discussions on balancing professional and daily responsibilities of government lawyers and topics related to capacity enhancement. Through this, ways will be sought to ensure gender equality and a safe environment in workplaces.
Deputy Attorney General Gurung stated that strategies will be determined to turn professional challenges into opportunities. She added that the conference will conclude with the issuance of a declaration containing firm commitments to strengthen the capacity and leadership of women government lawyers.
In the government attorney group, there are currently 148 women: 4 Deputy lawyers General, 32 Under lawyers, and 112 Assistant lawyers. This makes up 28.40 percent of the total sanctioned posts of 521.
At present, there are 502 government lawyers in service, of which 29.48 percent are women. Entry of women into the government attorney group began in 2055 BS. Out of the four Deputy lawyers General, one is serving as head of the office.
Among the 32 women Under lawyers, only seven are serving as chiefs of District Government Attorney Offices. Nepal’s first woman government attorney was Sharda Bajracharya, who joined the service on 13 Poush 2029 BS, worked up to the position of Secretary, and retired on 29 Bhadra 2058 BS.
The conference will also see participation of Justices of the Supreme Court, the Chairperson of the National Women Commission, the Attorney General, Deputy Attorney Generals, women Secretaries and Joint Secretaries of the Nepal Judicial Service, all women judges working at the High Court Patan and district courts of the Kathmandu Valley, the Vice President of the Nepal Bar Association, as well as representatives of related organizations in the role of observers.
The closing of the conference will be held on 2082 Bhadra 25 (Tuesday, 9th September 2025) by Justice Sharanga Subedi. The Kathmandu Declaration will also be issued at the conclusion.
Published date: 2082/05/22 (6th September 2025)
Kathmandu Conference