The stakeholders highlighted the unequal power relation prevalent in the country and emphasized on increasing access of women and marginalized communities in technical and vocational training opportunities.

In an interaction programme entitled, "Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in TVET," jointly organized by UNDP Nepal's Support to Knowledge and Lifelong Learning Skills (SKILLS) Programme and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST) in Butwal, the capital of Province 5, on December 24,the stakeholders discussed on role of TVET in promoting gender equality. Addressing the programme, Minister for Social Development of Province 5 Sudharshan Baral ensured quality and equity-based Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the province. Further, he appreciated the timeliness of the initiative to promote gender equality in technical-vocational skills training at a time when the provincial government is trying to come up with its own TVET strategy.

Also speaking at the programme, Deputy Mayor of Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City Guma Devi Acharya stressed on the need to ensurethat the soon-to-be developed provincial Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) strategy and the subsequent provincial TVET policy that the government of Province 5 would formulate and adopt are in line with the Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) provisions enshrined in the Constitution of Nepal. She said that Butwal Metropolis wants to do away with gender biasness in the education system, including technical skills training, to ensure that women and people from marginalized communities don't have to suffer from unemployment and are able to contribute to the development of the province.

Meanwhile, UNDP's GESI Specialist Binda Magar and Professor Uma Koirala of Tribhuvan University made very informative presentations on GESI perspectives in Nepal's TVET system, bringing the attention of the participants to various ways to ensure gender equality by way of increasing access and participation of women, Dalits and marginalized communities in technical and vocational training programmes.

The programme saw participation of over 70 people, including Dalit women members of all the wards of Butwal Metropolis, officials of various provincial ministries, Principal of Korea-Nepal Institute of Technology (KNIT) and other public and private TVET institutions, UNDP representatives, education experts, private sector representatives, among others.