NEPAL: Call for Women's Participation in Policy Level

The United Nations and civil society today said today that woman participation in decision-making levels was a must to avert violence against women in conflict and post-conflict settings and that the state should provide, without delay, the victims with adequate multi-sectoral responses and justice.

The representatives aired their view at a programme organised in the capital to mark 'Global Open Day for Women and Peace', which was attended by the Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Nepal Karin Landgren and Acting Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Nepal Gillian Mellsop, among other 24 woman peace activists from across the country.

"The Global Open Day for Women and Peace is taking place to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 of year 2000 on Women, Peace and Security, which focuses on women's participation in decision-making in peace-processes, prevention of violence against women in conflict and post-conflict settings, and on provision of justice to victims.

Nepal joined another 25 post-conflict countries around the world for this global initiative by the UN," stated a press release.

Addressing the inaugural session, Mellsop said the event would break a new ground for women, peace and security.

“The UN will engage with the representatives of women's groups from across the country to hear their concerns and discuss and explore the ways to increase women's participation in sustainable conflict resolution and peace-building. It will transform the development process into gender equality.”

The participants lamented that although the decade-long conflict in Nepal had had a disproportionately negative impact on women, they emerged as resources for peace-building.

Women's rights were enshrined in the Comprehensive Peace Accord, the Interim Constitution, and the Electoral Law, said the participants.

Stating that only the elite male leaders were on decision-making level to resolve the constitutional crisis and organise the reintegration process, Mohamaddi Siddiqui, Constituent Assembly (CA) member said, "The political system must be reformed to allow women to rise up to decision-making rank."

Landgren said, “33 per cent woman representation in the CA was not only a national but also a regional as well as a global achievement.”

Landgren, however, expressed bitter dissatisfaction over the absence of women in powerful decision-making positions and the want of their proportional representation in elected or appointed government bodies or in the political parties.

"Nepal has an opportunity to lay the foundation of sustainable peace by addressing social injustice, including gender inequality," added Landgren, urging women leaders and activists to grab this opportunity to uplift themselves to the decision making level and continue their effort to advance women's participation at all levels of peace-building.