Political leadership is indifferent to women’s issues

Women’s Day celebrated on the 8th of March every year has a history of over a century. It started with some women in New York honoring garment worker’s strike in 1908. The women during that time demanded many rights such as rights to work, and right to rest.

Nepal, too, has been celebrating Women’s Day for quite a long time but in a functionary manner. However, this day started gaining gravity in Nepal after the restoration of democracy in 1990.

In fact, my grandfather belonged to this remote area who later migrated to Kathmandu. A thought crept into my mind: Had my grandfather not migrated to Kathmandu, I would be one of these women.

In Nepal’s context, a one-day event does not make much difference. Yet, it does stimulate discussions on the socio-political issues facing women. It helps to raise the consciousness level of the people. In the past 32 years of my experience, I have found a great change in the world of Nepalese women.

Some 25 years ago, women were treated even worse than animals in Far-Western Nepal. An incident in Achham district left a deep impression within me. I was drudging up a stiff hill in the district sans a piece of baggage. It was a tiring and arduous climb of around 12 hours. On the way, I came across some local women climbing the hill carrying a load of cement weighing approximately 25 kg.

Curious to know why women were compelled to carry a heavy load instead of mules, I asked a male pulling a mule. His plain response left me speechless. “Mules have difficulty carrying the cement. That’s why they (women) carry cement bags. This is not a big deal for them.” What could be more tear-jerking than this?

In fact, my grandfather belonged to this remote area who later migrated to Kathmandu. A thought crept into my mind: Had my grandfather not migrated to Kathmandu, I would be one of these women.

That event, in fact, moved me. From that very day, I decided to be active for the cause of women besides being a medical practitioner. Since then, I have been conducting numerous women-related programs in the region.

Post-1990, people usually talked about political rights. Neither the politicians nor social workers talked about the heartrending condition of women in far west Nepal. For instance, the Chhaupadi is still in practice. I started writing on these issues and even raised them at the workshops and seminars. Media also did an amazing work by bringing these issues to the fore. Finally, a law is in place now declaring Chhaupadi illegal.

Notwithstanding the law, the practice is still in place. Law has no impact on the evil practice since it is deeply embedded in the social culture. Sher Bahadur Deuba from the far western region who held the post of the prime minister for three times failed to speak against Chhaupadi practice. Similarly, Bhim Rawal, another influential politician representing the region also does not raise the issue because they fear that doing so would displease the people thereby costing them their votes. That means the politicians do not consider women’s issues worth raising.

But what is encouraging in recent years is that I have come across women in the far western Nepal who says that they no longer practice Chhaupadi. Their number is small but it is a positive sign.

Consciousness level of Nepali people has raised considerably over the past 25 years. Maoist insurgency (1996-2006) might have some negative consequences. But it did instill a sense among oppressed sections of the people that they should be liberated and they need their identity.

It is not the raised consciousness level among people that matters, most crucial is how sensitive the politicians are on women’s issue. Equally important is the implementation aspects of existing rights and laws regarding women.

During the elections, political parties in their manifesto talk about women rights or empowering them. However, the promises are forgotten once they come to power. A glowing example is the issue of citizenship. The constitution guarantees that a mother can pass her citizenship rights to her children. But in practice, it is almost impossible for someone to obtain a citizenship certificate in the mother’s name.

Consciousness level of Nepali people has raised considerably over the past 25 years. Maoist insurgency (1996-2006) might have some negative consequences. But it did instill a sense among oppressed sections of the people that they should be liberated and they need their identity.

Unfortunately, the political leadership and bureaucracy are not positive towards empowering women. Situation still persists that a woman despite being born in Nepal can be rendered a non-citizen if her father or husband refrains from recommending her for a citizenship certificate.

That Nepalese women today have access to state organs is a positive sign. However, this is the result of a long history of struggle by Nepalese women activists. Women leaders like Sahana Pradhan and Mangala Devi Singh including others fought for the rights of Nepalese women since 1947. Thirty-three percent reservation of Nepalese women at state bodies in the constitution is having a positive impact in the sense that Dalit women are elected to represent the local level. This has forced them to think about their rights and identity in society.

Yet, it is unbecoming to assume that a single woman remaining at the helm of power makes a substantial contribution to the life of Nepalese women. That is to say, Bidya Devi Bhandari being the president of Nepal does not impact the life of common women. Indira Gandhi ruled India as a lady prime minister for a long time, but many women in India still live a deplorable life.

Our social, cultural values and traditions are grounded in Hindu religion and most of them are now irrelevant. Whenever women activists raise the issue of women’s rights they are dubbed as importing foreign idea. They are also charged with attacking the national culture. We need to understand that our culture is not entirely based on pure Eastern philosophy. Eastern philosophy does not discriminate between male and female. For example, the Geeta says that a person’s stature is decided by his/her karma (acts), not by birth. But our culture still adheres to the discriminatory caste system.

Now there is a kind of movement going in the Terai called, Beti bachaao, Beti badhaao (educate daughter, save daughter). It is also a popular slogan in India. I do not agree with this. Does that mean we should kill sons? The point is about ensuring equal rights to girls be that religious, inheritance, education and citizenship etc. Once we grant equal rights to daughters they will grow into capable citizens.

The situation of women is worse than that of Nepal in countries like Afghanistan and Sudan. That does not mean, we should give up working on women’s issues. Ultimately it is the political will that matters most in bridging the gap between men and women.

On this women’s day, we should not only be talking about the women in Kathmandu but also about the women and their problems in rural Nepal.