Editorial | Make inclusion a reality, not rhetoric
Summary
Nepal’s government is being urged to make inclusion a reality in appointments to constitutional bodies, commissions, universities and cultural institutions, after women and marginalized communities were largely left out. The editorial says merit and inclusion must go together to prevent public institutions from remaining dominated by privileged groups.
Key Points
- The government’s early gains in women’s representation in Parliament and the Cabinet have not been matched in appointments to other state bodies.
- Only four of more than 50 Cabinet appointments were women, while Madheshis, Janajatis, Dalits and Muslims were poorly represented or excluded.
- Recent appointments to the Election Commission, universities and cultural academies also failed to reflect Nepal’s social and regional diversity.
- The editorial argues that inclusion is a constitutional principle and essential to ensuring public institutions are not reserved for privileged groups.
