Reintegration Challenges of 'Ex-Pla Women' in Post-Maoist Insurgency (2052-2062) Nepal
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Faculty of Sociology
Abstract
The study identified several weaknesses, complications and consequent suffering of
the ex- combatants in general and ex-PLA women in particular as well it also provides
information on their actual status of socio-economic integration, their actual and short
term livelihood, health, psycho-social and disabilities and other special needs for
further planning and implementation of activities to support them by the Government.
One of the unique characteristics of Maoist insurgency in Nepal was the central role
women played in the PLA. Before the Maoist insurgency women’s participation in the
political domain was extremely limited. The insurgency mobilized a surprisingly large
number of Nepalese women into taking up arms.
Social integration demands the repair of relations between combatants and families
and communities potentially transformed by the conflict. Conservative and traditional
restriction on women’s freedom, caste discrimination, forced marriages and limited
decision making roles in the public and the private spheres, women saw the Maoist as
egalitarian compared to their patriarchal communities. Decade long armed
insurgency’s biggest success was women’s involvement in the PLA to change the
social political system through a revolutionary ideology.
Under the research, challenges in reintegration process and involvement of
entrepreneurship of ex-PLA women were examined briefly. Under the methodology,
descriptive and exploratory research designs were used for achieving the desired
objectives. Different 351 respondents were identified for both qualitative as well as
quantitative analysis. Reintegration is itself a misnomer for many of the PLA who
have spent their entire adulthood and in some case half their lives within the Maoist
movement.
The findings have been that although most of the ex-PLA women are living outside of
the place of their origin, their social status in the new host communities seems
satisfactory and most of ex- PLA have utilize their money on small business. Some of
them are unemployed and work as daily laborers when they get opportunity.