Opinion | Unfulfilled promise of inclusion
Summary
Despite women constituting over half of Nepal's population, their representation in political leadership remains minimal, with systemic barriers limiting their authority and participation in power structures.
Key Points
- Women make up 51.13% of Nepal's population but only 11.35% of first-past-the-post election candidates are women.
- Women’s representation in local government is inflated by reserved structural seats, with only 2% of mayoral positions held by women.
- Nepal’s constitution mandates at least one-third women in parliament, but parties often meet quotas via proportional representation lists, sidelining women in direct elections.
- Economic disparities and patriarchal norms filter out women from political candidacy, limiting their access to power despite constitutional provisions for inclusion.
