OVERVIEW
Despite women’s active representation and participation in the ‘People’s War’ (1996-2006) and the 2006 peaceful protests (Jana Andolan II) that led to the peace process, women were not included in any of the peace negotiations. However, due to the pressure from the women’s movement, four women were eventually included in the interim constitution-making process that eventually led to a 33 per cent gender quota and the unprecedented election of 167 women to the Constituent Assembly in 2007. Nepal’s final Constitution was adopted in September 2015 after nearly a decade of negotiations and contains key enabling gender provisions to advance women’s rights and gender equality. Yet despite positive changes on paper, lack of implementation and access to decision-making power has hindered women’s influence in the political sphere. Furthermore, patriarchal hierarchies and continued discrimination based on gender and caste constrains women’s participation in political and economic spheres.
