Centring Women in Nepal’s Economy & Society

Centring Women in Nepal’s Economy and Society brings together Meena Acharya’s intellectual output spanning half a century. These writings delve into the multifaceted intersection of women and the economy, development, and politics. From the intricacies of their role and impact on households and society at large, Acharya unveils the critical contributions made by women in all spheres of life. Filled with insightful, evidence-based research and analysis, the book unravels the nuanced connections between women and the socio-political landscape. This two-volume anthology represents and reflects the progress made by Nepali women and the author herself in understanding and advancing their own agency. It will serve as an indispensable resource for scholars, policymakers, development practitioners, and anyone passionate about women’s empowerment and gender equality in Nepal.

Meena Acharya is a feminist economist whose work has focused on poverty, gender, macro economy, political structures and policies for equitable development. Her major contribution has been in measuring
care work by women and men at home, the economic significance of which is recognised globally but remains a major unresolved gender issue. She was among the lead authors of the seminal, multi-volume ‘The Status of Women in Nepal’, published by the Centre for Economic Development and Administration at Tribhuvan University over 1979 and 1981.

Acharya obtained a BA Honours in Economics from Delhi University, an MS in Economic Cybernetics from Moscow State University, and a PhD in Development Studies from the University of Wisconsin. She has written many books and articles on Nepal’s economy and gender, in both English and Nepali. She supported the engendering Nepal’s Tenth Development Plan and the Population Census of 2001 as well as gender
auditing of Nepal’s budgetary process. She worked for many years in Nepal Rastra Bank as Chief Economic Advisor and Chief Manager of the Development Finance Department (1966-1990) and for the World Bank from 1980-82.