The Asian Development Bank has agreed to provide a loan assistance of SDR 6.636 Million (about US $ 10 Million) equivalent to about Rs.73 Crore 45 Lakh to Government of Nepal for the implementation of Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women project. An agreement to this effect has been signed between Government of Nepal and the ADB at the Ministry of Finance today.

The goal of the project is to reduce poverty in the Project area through empowering poor rural women and members of other disadvantaged groups such as ethnic and low caste women. It will contribute to uplift socio-economic conditions of the poor rural women. The project is expected to strengthen women's individual capabilities to improve their access to and control over assets. In addition, the project will also contribute towards making government institutions and processes gender-responsive and including marginalized women into development opportunities. The project will consist of four components: Economic Empowerment, Legal Empowerment, Social Empowerment and Institutional Strengthening and Project Management in the core project area.

The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare and is expected to be completed by 31 December 2009.

Dr. Bhoj Raj Ghimire, Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Mr. Sultan Hafeez Rahman, Country Director, Asian Development Bank, Nepal Resident mission signed the agreement on behalf of Government of Nepal and the ADB, respectively.

Government of Nepal has expressed its sincere appreciation to the ADB for the assistance and continued support in the socio economic development of Nepal.