The feminist movement in Nepal is a long and complex one, dating back to the early 20th century. The movement has achieved significant progress in recent decades, but there is still much work to be done to achieve full equality for women and girls in Nepal.
After democracy came to Nepal in 1950, women’s groups became much more active, demanding rights to education, property, and equality before the law. Tara Devi Sharma was instrumental in getting polygamy outlawed and ensuring the right to divorce. – The Record Nepal
One of the key milestones in the history of the feminist movement in Nepal was the establishment of the All Nepal Women’s Association (ANWA) in 1958. ANWA was the first women’s organization in Nepal and played a leading role in advocating for women’s rights. In the 1960s and 1970s, ANWA and other feminist organizations began to campaign for women’s suffrage, education, and employment rights.
In 1981, Nepal granted women the right to vote. This was a major victory for the feminist movement, but it was only the beginning. Women continued to face discrimination in many areas of life, including education, employment, and marriage.
In the 1990s, the feminist movement in Nepal gained new momentum. This was due in part to the pro-democracy movement that led to the overthrow of the absolute monarchy in 1990. The new democratic government enshrined women’s rights in the constitution and passed a number of laws to protect women from violence and discrimination.
However, the implementation of these laws has been slow. Women in Nepal continue to face discrimination in many areas of life. For example, women are more likely to be poor and illiterate than men. They are also more likely to be victims of violence, including domestic violence and sexual assault.
Despite these challenges, the feminist movement in Nepal has made significant progress in recent decades. Women now play a more important role in public life than ever before. There are more women in government, business, and the media. And more women are getting an education and entering the workforce.
The feminist movement in Nepal is still facing many challenges, but it has come a long way since the early 20th century. The movement has achieved significant progress in advocating for women’s rights, and it is continuing to fight for full equality for women and girls in Nepal.
History of Women movement in Nepal
The women’s movement in Nepal has undergone various changes over the years. During the last60 years, it has witnessed three revolutions and has promoted women’s rights. The womenstruggle in Nepal dates to the battle of 1814 at Nalapani against British imperialism. Women inNepal have been participating in the patriotic movement since the time when Nepalese werefighting British ruler in Nalapani under the leadership of Balbhadra Kumar. hundreds of womenjoined the courageous decision of Kamala, Manamaya etc. to be part of the war. The bravenessof those women even impressed British battalion (Pandey, 2016). One of the first recordedorganized political movement that emerged in the country was led by a woman named Yogmaya.In 1917, Yogmaya Neupane, a woman from Bhojpur, became interested in women’s movement.She was a leader with a vision and mission. With the help of poetry and prose, she was the firstwoman to speak out against the oppression of women in the Rana era. During her period, it wasvery difficult launch any kind of movement however, she launched various activities andmovements. The demand of this movement was, various cultural practices were demanded to bechanged, including the portrayal of women as subordinate of men.In 1948, Women marched with men in the civil right movement in 1948. It was the first timeNepalese women taking part in civic right movement. During the post-1951 period, the women’smovement got fragmented into various groups. They were still able to come together and raisetheir voices for their rights. Women participated in the democratic revolution in 1951 whichoverthrew the 104 years old Rana family’s autocracy in Nepal. (Shakya and Upadhya). The roleof women has been transformed from serving and caring to making decisions. The feminist movement has been attributed to people to end all forms of oppression and discrimination. Thefeminist movement sought to liberate women from patriarchal culture and religion. It recognizedthat women’s participation and mobilization are the keys to social progress in today’s world.Women have been leading and performing critical roles in every stage of society since the Vedicera. They have shown more transformational and inspiring leadership in every stage ofcivilization. (Pandey, 2016). During the 1990s, many women-led organizations and networks pushed for the establishment ofpolicies and procedures which evolved into an issue-focused advocacy demanding inclusive, fair,and meaningful participation for women at all levels of development. Today many young groupshave emerged which are advocating for identity-based issues, such as ethnicity, sexualorientation, and language. These groups are growing into a strong feminist movement. They arealso working towards uniting various groups of women. They are tackling the oppression ofwomen in society.
– From STUDOCU
Here are some of the key achievements of the feminist movement in Nepal:
- Women’s suffrage was granted in 1981.
- The constitution was amended in 1990 to enshrine women’s rights.
- A number of laws have been passed to protect women from violence and discrimination, including the Domestic Violence Act (2009), the Human Trafficking Act (2012), and the Gender Equality Act (2017).
- Women’s participation in public life has increased. There are now more women in government, business, and the media.
- More women are getting an education and entering the workforce.
there are still many challenges that need to be addressed, including:
- High rates of poverty and illiteracy among women
- Violence against women, including domestic violence and sexual assault
- Discrimination against women in education, employment, and marriage
The feminist movement in Nepal is continuing to fight for full equality for women and girls. The movement is working to:
- Increase women’s participation in public life
- Promote economic empowerment for women
- End violence against women
- Ensure that girls have access to education and healthcare
- Change discriminatory social norms and practices
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