Women Participation in Local Government (A Case Study of Kirtipur Municipality)

Abstract

Nepali women constitute more than half of the country’s population. Due to the continuous dominance of the patriarchal value system they remain discriminated and treated as second class citizens. The current Constitution incorporates specific provisions to provide some political support to women. Despite special measures set by the government for women’s political participation, women have not been benefited from such measures. Present paper is an attempt made to analyse status of Nepalese women in various sphere of socio-economic life. This dissertation entitled "WOMEN PARTICIPATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT (A CASE STUDY OF KIRTIPUR MUNICIPALITY)" was undertaken aiming at exploring and analyzing the challenges faced by the locally elected women representatives and their leadership capacity. Both the primary and secondary sources of the data have been used to capture the research objectives. The study is limited in entire 10 wards of Kirtipur Municipality and it employed three tools: a semi-structured interview schedule, key informant interview, observation checklist, and document study for the collection of primary information. The study with findings indicate elected women representatives found to be evolving with the capacity of leadership through overcoming challenges they are facing like limited knowledge in their performing roles that they have a mandate with greater responsibilities at the local level. Elected marginalized women had no proper political and social work background prior to the election. They were mostly engaged in a household activity and community-based groups – saving credit, women group; however, they have now been involved in social services, development, community and women rights being a representative of their community. Regardless of their education status or age, majority of the marginalized women representatives have felt the need of increase capacity of leadership by leadership and women empowerment training, and law constitution and regulation training. Among the five members of the ward, two seats are reserved for female representatives one ofhas been a dramatic increase in female political representations. Locally elected marginalized women's numerical representation is good. However, there are barriers in effective and meaningful representation in the local level government as much effective as it was intended due to their limited capacity. These barriers are however linked with structural composition of society as well as their personal capacity. They have realized the significance of politics and they are convincing other women of their community in involving to the politics through sharing the significance of politics in social transformation. Furthermore, educated and socially active elected marginalized women representatives have started to unite to the women representatives for collective contribution in uplifting and empowering to their own communities. The study has mapped the training needs of women elected representatives referencing women's own articulation of their limitations and challenges. However, such training to "raise women's consciousness" is insufficient. This study reveals that even when women in politics are aware of their roles and responsibilities and are actively seeking to exercise legally mandated authority, they are prohibited from taking on their functions. The representatives have felt the need for financial and budget management training to help perform better at work, followed by leadership and women empowerment training. Government and policy makers should pay the special attention in making such policies and programs that aims at eliminating those barriers of the women representatives.

whom must be Dalit. Overall, through the use of quotas and other mechanism, there