Women comprise more than half of Nepal’s 23 million people; yet they are worse off than men in terms of income, education and life expectancy.
See http://www.unescobkk.org/fileadmin/user_upload/arsh/Country_Profiles/Nep...

Only 27 percent of women are literate compared with 67 percent of men.

Many have to survive on less than $1 a day. A study by NGO Shrishakti says Nepali girls and women work more than boys and men, spending 25 to 50 percent more time on household tasks and economic and agricultural activities.

The Ministry of Health estimates about 60 percent of girls marry at an age below 18 years of age.

Domestic violence and the trafficking of women are widespread.

It is estimated that 91 percent of the deliveries in Nepal take place at home.

A Nepalese woman cannot apply for a job, passport, or bank account without permission from her father or husband.

And with low female literacy rates, it is difficult for Nepali women to use public courts to challenge abuse and discrimination.

The Local Self Governance Act of 1997 has helped increase the number of women in governance. Though 40,000 women are engaged in local governance as a result, women’s needs still remain submerged. See UNIFEM (2003), Say No to Gender Based Violence, Responses From South Asia, New Delhi.

In light of sharp gender bias, the Tenth-Five Year plan (2002-2007) targets to raise the gender-related development index by 0.550, gender empowerment value by 0.500 and women participation in decision-making levels by 20 percent.