Interviews
1 MIN READ
Dalit women have to overcome many obstacles in order to lead. The story of Nanumaya Gandarva, an elected Dalit representative from Rambha Rural Municipality, Palpa.
The Local Election Act (LEA), 2017, has made provisions for every ward in both urban and rural municipalities to reserve two seats for women, one of which must be held by a Dalit woman. This translates into a total of 13,486 such posts for women, with 6,743 reserved exclusively for Dalit women. The election of Dalit women into leadership roles ushers a new era of increased participation of women, especially from marginalised communities, in the governance structure of the newly federalised nation.
Nanumaya Gandarva is one such elected Dalit representative who holds an executive position in Rambha Rural Municipality in Palpa. When she was first elected, Nanumaya found it to be a surreal experience. She had never aspired to become a political figure, but the Election Act gave her the opportunity to run, and now, she is a ward member increasingly involved in decisions that affect her municipality.
While the election of Dalit women in leadership role is something to be lauded, they still face social prejudices. Most of all, there seems to be general skepticism in women like Nanumaya’s ability to competently contribute in their elected roles. Patriarchal prejudices run just as deep, and there are fears aplenty that women who step out of their homes to work in leadership positions will become arrogant or get out of control.
In all this, Nanumaya gets unconditional support from her husband, who is aware of systemic injustices towards Dalits and women, and encourages her to stand up for herself as she faces both.
:::::::
Nisha Rai Rai has a decade-long experience working as a print, online, and radio reporter in Nepali and international media.
Interviews
12 min read
Vyathit was a prolific poet who wrote in Nepali, Newari and Hindi languages
Features
10 min read
Disillusioned with current politics, young people are now leading a seemingly futile call for the reestablishment of the monarchy
The Wire
7 min read
Navigating Nepali citizenship, Tibetan heritage, and a dependence on China
Features
5 min read
Explosives used during Nepal’s armed conflict continue to take lives
Features
3 min read
The authorities are finally being forced to address corona-related issues in prisons, but they still remain far too crowded
Features
5 min read
A new set of social media directives, combined with plans to purchase a content filtering system, are squarely aimed at stifling dissent online.
COVID19
4 min read
Despite the government’s relief package, the poor and out-of-job in Kathmandu are not consoled
Explainers
6 min read
Fact-checking PM's claims defending his government’s COVID-19 response and overall performance.