By Rojina Kandel
Consisting of a patriarchal society; Nepal has been viewed as the country where women’s opinions were made to subside in every sector of life’s decisions. However, the history of Nepal shows that Nepali women have participated in their own revolutions, women’s rights movements, and changes to create a better reputation in society. The relationship between women and men has been referred to as the two wheels of the chariot since the origin of human life, but in a male-dominated society, women have been treated as second-class citizens. Even then, the various women’s rights movements conducted in Nepal have brightened up the lives of women changing their position in society.
The women’s rights movement in the history of Nepal can be clarified by the following points:
1) Sati System’s Elimination:
In Nepali terms: ‘Sati Pratha’ was the cruellest practice in society which has devoided women’s willingness to live by making them burn in the pyre with their husband if the husband died before the wife. The first leader of Nepal to discourage this practice was Jung Bahadur Rana who banned women aged 16 and below from self-immolation attempts. Whereas, Rana Prime Minister Chandra Shamsher ended this practice on July 8, 1920.
2) First-ever organization as Feminist:
Nepal Women’s Association was established by Nepali Congress leader, Mangala Devi Singh on August 8, 1947, as the first feminist organization. This organization flourished in a conducive environment via democratic reforms on women’s further movement in their education and other rights.
3) The Criminalisation of Chhaupadi:
It’s an evil social practice which makes women exiled from their house during their menstruation. Still, in far-western regions of Nepal, this practice can be witnessed. Whereas, in 2005, the Supreme Court issued a verdict against this practice & in 2017, Nepal passed a law which stated that the guilty of chhaupadi could be penalized with a 3 months time jail or a fine of Rs. 3,000.
4) Issuing citizenship with the mother’s name:
The Citizenship Act, 2006, declared that a child can acquire Nepali citizenship if either of her/his parents has Nepali citizenship too.
5) Reservation in the political system:
In the Interim Constitution of 2007, a 33 percent quota was reserved for women in the political system. Following this, in the 2008 elections, women secured 191 of 575 seats (33.2 percent) in the Constituent Assembly & six out of 26 seats in the then cabinet. This provided women with a powerful platform at the policy-making level. Nepal’s Constitution became the most progressive Constitution in South Asia for women’s rights.
6)Law on domestic violence:
The Domestic Violence (Offence and Punishment) Act, 2009, provided domestic violence survivors got a platform to report the abuse. Domestic Violence (Offence and Punishment) Rules, 2010, further Directs the requirement for prompt health checkups and protection of survivors. This act helped the survivors report the violence and get help in punishing the guilty and getting compensation as well.
7) Jail term for marital rape:
On October 29, 2017, Nepal introduced a new law which declared marital rape as a crime and for this crime, it set a five-year jail term. These enhanced women get out of an abusive relationship and even get compensation or alimony.
8) Protest against the travel ban:
In 2021, the Department of Immigration proposed a new amendment in the Immigration Procedure, 2008, according to which; the women under the age of 40, travelling first-time abroad needed a ‘Permission Letter’ from their family members and their respective ward offices for the visit. Women raised their disagreement in this on February 12, 2021, which was also one of the key protests for the women’s rights movement.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect People’s Review’s editorial stance.
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