Women election candidates in Nepal face abuse and vitriol
Summary
Women election candidates in Nepal face online abuse and societal bias questioning their capabilities due to their gender, age, and physical conditions like pregnancy, reflecting broader misogyny in political participation.
Key Points
- Women candidates in Nepal face widespread abuse and vitriol on social media, often centered on their bodies and reproductive status.
- Ranju Darshana, a pregnant politician, received abusive comments questioning her ability to work and lead due to her pregnancy.
- Despite constitutional guarantees, political parties field minimal women candidates, treating women as electoral liabilities and tokens.
- Activists highlight that women face corporeal humiliation and misogyny online which serve to exclude them from political life.
