KARNALI: A report by the Karnali Foundation has revealed that women in Karnali Province have only been elected to the Provincial Assembly through proportional representation, with no female candidates winning seats through direct elections.
Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, Chair of the Karnali Foundation, stated that despite two terms of the Provincial Assembly, political parties have not directly nominated any women candidates.
“The 33 percent quota for women has made their proportional representation possible, but their presence in key decision-making roles remains minimal,” he said.
The report also highlighted the low representation of Dalit and indigenous women in politics. While the first term had a female Deputy Speaker, the second term saw both the Speaker and Deputy Speaker positions held by women. However, Bhattarai pointed out that women have been given limited leadership roles, with only a few serving as committee chairs or whips.
Since the formation of the Karnali government, there have been only six female ministers—four full ministers and two ministers of state. In some cases, women were included in the cabinet only after legal intervention.
Bhattarai said the constitutional 33 percent reservation for women must be strictly enforced and that political parties should prioritize merit and leadership potential when selecting female candidates.
The number of women MPs in the Provincial Assembly has increased from 13 in the first term to 15 in the current term.
MP Janaki Singh stated that women MPs are actively addressing regional issues but need more inclusive policies to enhance their leadership. Similarly, MP Bindaman Bista stressed the importance of women’s participation in local committees to develop their leadership capacity.
Provincial Assembly Secretary Jeevan Budhathoki acknowledged the report’s findings and assured that efforts would be made to implement its recommendations effectively.
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