EDITORIAL | Selection bias
Summary
Despite constitutional directives for inclusion, Nepali political parties have nominated only a small fraction of women candidates for the upcoming elections, undermining gender equality and democratic spirit.
Key Points
- Nepal's major political parties have nominated only about 10-11 percent women candidates for the First-Past-The-Post elections.
- The Nepali Congress, UML, NCP, and Rastriya Swatantra Party have all failed to meet the Election Commission's 33 percent directive for female representation in direct elections.
- A prevailing narrative relegates women to Proportional Representation seats, marginalizing them from direct elections dominated by men.
- The Election Commission lacks legal enforcement power to mandate the 33 percent female representation, allowing parties to sideline women candidates with impunity.
