Parties deny women fair share of FPTP candidates
Summary
Political parties contesting the March 5 parliamentary elections in Nepal have failed to field one-third women candidates under the FPTP system, ignoring Election Commission directives and raising concerns about commitment to gender equality.
Key Points
- Political parties in Nepal have failed to nominate the mandated one-third women candidates under the FPTP system for the March 5 elections.
- Major parties like Nepali Congress and CPN-UML have nominated less than 7 percent women candidates each, far below the 33 percent directive.
- Women face obstacles such as lack of political backing, financial barriers, and patriarchal norms that hinder their direct election bids.
- The Election Commission acknowledges the directive but lacks enforcement power as the quota is not legally binding, allowing parties to ignore it.
