Nigeria, Feb. 5 -- With the rising number of single women in Nepal, a question arises: Is Nepali society embracing singlehood? A significant portion of single women are widows, and becoming a widow is never a matter of choice. Though the average age of marriage has increased in recent years, women in past decades married at a younger age. As a result, statistics reveal that many Nepali women lost their spouses and became widows by the age of 64.

The number of people choosing to remain unmarried or getting divorced is increasing. This shift is changing perceptions of marriage, which serves as a social institution considered the foundation of family, community, and society. Experts observe that factors like gender equality, financial inde...