Engaging Women, and Involving Civil society and Media

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1 Preliminary Draft Paper CONFERENCE ON STRENGTHENING GOVERNANCE IN ASIA-PACIFIC: PUBLIC SECTOR ADMINISTRATIVE REFORMS AND CAPACITY BUILDING TO IMPROVE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY On the Subject of Engaging Women, and Involving Civil society and Media By Govind P. Dhakal Associate Professor Central Department of Public Administration Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu Nepal Jointly Organized by NAPSIPAG and ADBI Delhi India Held on 5-7 December 2008,

2 Introduction Equal right for men and women is the fundamental concern for democracy and development. Besides the right based approach in inclusion of women in all sorts of governance issues, it is also concerned with the issue of "enabling of women" or "capacitating women" for equal participation in governance. But the issue of participation is conditioned by many factors. The socio-economic and cultural factors, the level of health and education, the political and legal environment and understanding of society to the issue of equality are some of the major concerns in the present governance paradigm. Besides the concept of the women's participation in the governance, the concept of gender participation in governance or the inclusiveness in governance is the other major issue which insists the equal participatory opportunity of men and women in public and private affairs. The Constitution of Nepal 2007 aims to have a society of sovereign citizen with freedom and just and equality. That's why it has principally emphasized the importance of federalism of the state mechanism which was hitherto based on a unitary principle with a strong center and the local governments at the grass root level. The Government of Nepal (GoN) has formulated many laws provisioning in consonance with international obligation to enhance the role of women in governance and development (Acharya, 2003). The recent reform agenda set by the reconciliation of the political parties in Nepal has emphasized the inter personal, inter sectoral or inter regional, inter ethnic or inter community development to promote the liberty and personal life of the citizens. The policy documents (see 8 th Plan, 9 th Plan, 10 th Plan and the current Interim Plan ) have identified the importance of women's participation in the governance so that the issue of development can be shared with the support of women. Various programs like awareness building, supporting, capacitating, encouraging and promoting women in health, education, income generation activities, planning, programming, program implementation, and monitoring and evaluation especially in the local governance sector (see Local self Governance Act (LSGA) 1999). Even LSGA has made mandatory to local plans and programs to focus on development of women, children and backward community on priority basis. Now the government has committed to include at least 33 percent of women in governance including politics. The over all impact is that the women have now 191 (% 31.78) out of 601 Constituent Assembly members (See Election Commission, Nepal 2008)

3 Nepal has already entered into the peace process by accommodating the conflicting political forces together for building new Nepal and by breaking down the traditional and classical structure of politics. Federal system is in the offing. The successful conduction of Constituent Assembly (CA) and letting the way to form new governance structure Nepal, we can hope, will ensure greater participation of women through proactive policies. Now more women are elected in CA (chart 2) and more women are taking part in different activities (see chart 1). Dimension of Women in Development To indicate the dimension of women in development sex ratio, average marriage age, mortality rate, fertility rate, level of education and literacy rate can be taken as indicators of development status which is indicated by the following table 1. Table 1 Social Dimensions of Gender Status, 2001 Indicators/ Years Health Sex Ratio (males per 100 female) Singular Mean Age of Marriage (years) Male Female MMR per 100,000 delivery Number) Total Fertility Rate (Number of children per woman of ages) Life Expectancy at birth (Years) Male Female Education Literacy in 6 years + age group (percent) Male Female Literacy Ratio (Literate female / 100 literate Male) Female in total school enrolment (percent) Primary

4 Secondary Higher Secondary Female percent among full-time students SLC and above (females\100 Male) (number) HDI Index GDI Index Sources: (1) CBS: Population Census, 2001; (2) CBS: Population Monograph, (3) UNDP: HDR, 1995 and From the above table the gender disparity is clearly shown in the sectors stated above. Also the human development index is also quite differential. We still need to have many more pro-active policies and programs that can support the development of women as is indicated by the table 1. If we see the indicators of economic activities among workforce by 2001 the following data presented in the table 2 is sufficient to tell the story of most activeness and less activeness between men and women. Table 2 Selected Indicators on Economic Activity and Workforce, 2001 Indicators\ Years Economically Active (Ages 10 and above) Male Female Female % in total economically active Female % in Agriculture Female % in Non-Agriculture jobs Female / Male Wage Ratio Agriculture Non-Agriculture jobs 4/5 3/ 4 Female % total working force (usually economically active + home Makers) Female % among full time homemakers Sources: (1) Population Census, 2001; (2) Population Monograph, CBS 1995.

5 The above information presented here is to indicate where the problems lie to inclusion and development of women. Even the agricultural sector is dominated by male as indicated by the table above. The reasons may be that the activities of the women are less counted than the activities of male folk This can be proved from the following table 3. Table 3 Gender disparity of occupational activities Men Women Men and Women Outside the home 42.6 hours/week 36.3 hours/ week Contribution to economic activities outside the home Non-economic activities occupied 9.7 hours/week 25.1 hours/week In-house Contribution to in house economic activities Aggregate hours spent in economic activities Aggregate hours spent in non-economic activities % of women in income earnings % of women in administrative services Source: CBS hours/week 42.5 hours/week hours/week hours/week The gender disparity among men and women is also seen in the work done inside and outside home. Men are more engaged in income generating activities outside the home than the women in income generating activities. If we look at the comparative health status of girl child in the SAARC countries the picture is not so much encouraging as is shown in table 4. From the point of view of human development the improvement of health indicator is essential to show that the inclusive programs are successful. The government, thus, need to focus on the health improvement to raise the status of women in governance.

6 Table 4 Under-5 mortality rates Countries Male Female Ratio Bangladesh Bhutan India Maldives Nepal Pakistan Sir Lanka South Asia Source: HD 1995, also see Pande et al Underlying Problems of Involving Women in Governance The Interim Plan ( ) has identified the following issues in inclusion of women in the overall governance: The condition of the women has become deplorable due to armed conflict and displacement Opportunities of livelihood at the local level have been lost Agreement to check cross-border human trafficking still does not exist Labor exploitation by the informal and unorganized sector goes unabated and exposure to such risks is imminent There is an increasing feminization of poverty Use of women labor for income generating activities is not yet a reality The tenth five year plan emphasized on mainstreaming, equality and empowerment while trying to address the major problems related to internalization of these strategies in sector policies and programs. The major problems identified in implementation of these strategies during the Ninth Plan were: Lack of efforts for an understanding of the concept and process of mainstreaming at the sector levels. Marginality of the women's programs in sector goals-the sector establishments had no mention of women's advancement or gender equality in their terms of reference or main programs. Inadequate gender sensitivity of the sector and project implementing agencies in general.

7 Lack of capacity for gender analysis and gender planning in women in development (WID) institutions, divisions, departments, and focal points. Most of the WID institutions were single person units with no financial or human resources to work on gender issues. Only agriculture was an exception. Inadequate gender sensitivity of major training programs to gender issues. Insufficient efforts to include women's representation in decision making roles. Dependency of WID institution on donors for survival. Lack of effective gender monitoring mechanisms and institutional structures at the centre, DDC at the grassroots levels, even when sufficient attention was paid to mainstreaming in specific programs. Even the annual Economic Survey issued prior to Budget had no information on gender goals and their achievements. This means majority of the programs were suffered by lack of human, institutional and resources. Most of the programs were highly dependent on foreign aid and donations. It means the change in donor policies and programs preference led to suffer the women development programs. Current Strategies for the Improvement of Women's Status The government, through its policies and plans has shown commitments to further pave the way for the better improvement of Nepalese women. Therefore, the strategies are much focused on the mainstreaming through promoting participation with the reform and change of legal measures. This can be identified from the following strategies set forth by the government. Women's active participation will be ensured through gender mainstreaming in all the areas of development Policy and legal reforms as well as other necessary measures will be taken to ensure at least 33 percent representation of women in the policy and decision-making process at all levels In the social, economic and political spheres, active participation and empowerment of women of the backward groups, Adibasi Janajatis, Madhesis, Muslims, Single Women, women with disability and the marginalized, will be ensured. In order to completely end all kinds of violence and gender discrimination against women including human trafficking, tasks will be undertaken to create a strong environment, including a legal framework.

8 A special program will be run to protect the rights of conflict victims and internally displaced women, and to rehabilitate them. Active and meaningful participation of women in conflict resolution and peace building will be ensured (see 3 year Interim Plan ) Thus the strategies are much focused on rehabilitation of conflict victims ( ), encourage them to get reach to policy and decision making level- political, economic and social from all sections and minimize the level of discrimination and trafficking against women. To materialize these strategies, the government has identified some major empowerment programs. Women Empowerment Program The empowerment programs identified by the government are the following: Policy and legal reform, coordination of regional entities and NGOs engaged in gender related fields. Leadership development Participation of women in conflict resolution and the peace process, preparation of a national action plan for the social rehabilitation of women affected by the conflict and its implementation. Psycho social counseling service for transformation of emotional disturbances Legal aid Gender awareness and advocacy Ministry Level Efforts The ministry of Local Development (MLD) is probably the most gender-sensitive ministry in terms of its policies and programs (Acharya, 2003, also see Pande et al, 2006). It has shown this gender sensitivity by: Introducing in 1981/82 and managing successfully since then credit programs for women, Production Credit for Rural Women (PCRW) / Ministry of Children Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare (MWCSW) Introducing 20 percent reservations of seats for women in Local Self Governance Act (LSGA) 1999

9 Specifying the need for programs to address gender concerns by the District Development Committees (DDCs), Municipalities, and Village Development Committees (VDCs). The need for the participation of women and other disadvantaged groups in planning and budgeting practices is nicely incorporated in the policies, acts, and regulations of local; institutions. Requiring all user committees to have at least 30 percent women. Introducing specific gender empowering elements in its programs, such as Participatory District Development Program and Local Governance Program (PDDP / LGP). Promoting programs like Decentralized Action for Children and Women (DACAW) in collaboration with UNICEF for increasing women's access to services and changing the community gender perspective by involving men in them. Thus, the programs for the development of women in Nepal are focused on economic empowerment through line ministries, reserving seats for the inclusion of women in political and decision making level especially in DDCs, VDCs, and Municipalities, ensuring around 30% seats in consumer societies formed for local development activities. In this effort not only national and local level agencies are involved but also have active participation of international agencies like UNICEF and UNDP. The empowerment programs have positive impact on the capacity building of women. Improvement of Women's Status Due to the pro-active policies of the government and continuous encouragement by the international and donor agencies the women are now in position of gaining space in different places (see Table 4) Table 4 Women in Trade Unions Institutions GEFONT NTUC DECONT Total National Committee members Total Female % Number Central Leadership Total Female % Number

10 Committees under GEFONT affiliates Source: (General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), 2001 The women are now getting positions even in the activist organizations like trade unions affiliated to different political parties as is shown in the above table. Now the women are actively participating not only in policy making bodies but have made their seat in modern entrepreneurial sectors belong to public or private, media like print or electronic as is clearly stated in the table 5. Table 5 Percent Women in Media Media Year (2002) Print 9.1 Public 4.2 Private 11.2 Radio Public Private TV Public Private Total Public Private Source: Asmita Publishing House, 2003, coated in Acharya, 2003 The above table shows that the women participation in media whether in print or in electronic courageous. Now, as is shown by the above table private sector is quite ahead to adopt women in their workforce. It indicates that the diversification in occupational activities is encouraging. The impact of proactive policy of the government is also seen by the fact that the women are now having greater access in various power points and positions. The following table 6 is indicative to how slowly and gradually the women are accessing to power and positions in political and administrative bodies. `

11 Table 6 Percent Women in Various Positions of Power Details 1986/ / Central Level Parliament House of Representatives Upper House (Rastriya Savha) Number of Women in the Cabinet Government 2.87 Na 7.8 Administration * Of which: Officers High Govt. Position First and Special Class Executives of the major ** 8.3 *** political parties Local Self-Government Structure District Councils Na Na 1.5 DDCs Municipalities VDCs Village Councils Na Na 2.1 Ward Committees Na Na 20 All Sectors-Censuses, 1981, 1991, 2001 Professional and technical human power Administration and Management Source: Acharya 1994; CBS/MGEP, Asmita Publishing House, * Figure related to 1978, 1993 and ** Five nationally recognized parties (NC, UML, RPP, SJN and NSP). ***Seven Parties in the Parliament (NC, UML, RPP, UPF, SJN, NSP and NeWPP). To justify the above tabular information the following chart is reflective how the empower process is gaining momentum in the question of inclusion of women in political sector and how the political parties are being affirmative in supporting the good cause of women's empowerment. The chart 1 states the position of women in CA given by the political parties to support the national policy of gender friendly governance. Chart 1.

12 Elected Women in Constituent Assembly Election Maoist Nepali CPN UML MJF TMLOPA Others Congress Political Party Direct In-Direct Progress in gender equality is also encouraging. If we see the following chart 2 we find that the women are coming up in economic activities, taking up responsibilities various administrative and political activities which is encouraging from the point of view of gender friendly development. Chart 2.

13 Progress in gender equality Male Female Women's share income Administrative Job Field Women's professional Jobs Participation in local election First, second and third level education Women Empowerment Programs in the 3 year Interim Plan The plan has envisaged the following programs in the interim plan to uplift the status of women by empowering, making inclusive and gender streaming. Protection and rehabilitation of women affected by the conflict Inclusion of women in all sectors of development Implementation of the State's commitment for complete gender equality Creation of positive pressure and advocacy Use of social development for conflict settlement and permanent political stability Institutional capacity development of National Mechanism, gender focal point and women development office Identification of specialized and shared responsibilities of all agencies working on gender equality and women empowerment. Implementation of the gender management system. Women Development Program at the center It will consist of coordination, awareness and advocacy, household's development, community development, social inclusion of targeted communities and economic empowerment. At the district level it will cover public awareness against domestic violence and human trafficking, women entrepreneurship and business promotion, development of adolescent girls, women's skill

14 development and income-generation, women entrepreneurship fund operation, group forming, making a national network for levels, control of domestic violence, security for women, human trafficking control, organizing women engaged in the informal and unorganized sectors, conducting campaigns against various malpractices, bas traditions, Violence and such other unacceptable conditions present in the society. In the sector of Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Program aims to cover enrichment of the institutional capacity of women development offices, legal economic and social awareness raising programs for the targeted community, and economic empowerment of the targeted groups. Implementation, Monitoring, and Reporting on International and Regional Instruments Related to Rights of Women has included gender analysis and audit of all the sector ministries and selected DDCs, extension and strengthening of gender analysis and review of the genderresponsive budget system, monitoring and evaluation of the implementation status related to the international commitments made by the government and reporting there on. Capacity Building of the Women Empowerment Mechanism which consists of study and review of ministries and their subordinate agencies for necessary reforms, operation of development and reform programs, setting up gender the management system, extension of the gender information management system from the central to local levels, strengthening of gender focal units, and capacity development of community based local women agencies. Estimated Budget Allocation It is estimated that a total of Rs. 28 billion will be allocated for the MWCSW and other sector ministries to implement major programs like women development, empowerment, and gender mainstreaming. Programs and budget allocation estimates for the MWCSW are as shown below: Table 7 Estimated Budget (at FY 2006/07 prices) (Rs. In million)

15 Items No. Program Amount 1. Women Empowerment Women Development Program at Center Women Development Program at District Level Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Project Implementation of International and Regional Instruments 5.3 Relating to the Rights of Women and Their Monitoring and Reporting 6. Capacity Enhancement of Women Empowerment Mechanism Total Source: Interim Plan , 109 Thus, the govern has planned not only programs for development but also has allocated Million Rs for women empowerment, women development, gender equity, capacity enhancement and reporting to gender violence and rights cases against women to national and international level. Conclusion Gender discrimination has become the issue not only at national but has been equally gained importance at international level. That's why the national governments are taking the gender and governance issue seriously which is indicative by their focus on reducing inequalities of women from different perspectives. The GoN has also taken various reformative measures for the upliftment of the status of women by empowering them economically, socially and politically. As a result the sign of women's development is quite encouraging and the women are now taking initiative in many sectors of modern economy. Though Nepal had to undergo through conflict which affected more to women and children, GoN is taking this cause seriously and has charted out many developmental, promotional and protective programs for women. As a result, the women are building their place in politics, society and economy which are clearly shown in the above discussion. The international community has no lesser role but has played as guide and pathfinder in this direction. Let's hope the coming days and decades the women empowerment will get further momentum paving the way for equal participation in governance and development. Bibliography and References Acharya, Meena, (2003), Efforts at Promotion of Women in Nepal, Kathmadu: FES NPC, (2007), Three Year Interim Plan 2007/ /10, Kathmandu: GoN

16 Election Commission Nepal, (2008), Election Results of Constituent Assembly, Kathmandu: Election Commission of Nepal Pande at al., (2006), Nepal: Reading in Human Development, Kathmandu: UNDP CBS Nepal, (2004), Nepal Living Standards Survey 2003/4, Kathmandu: Central Bureau of Statistics (2003), Population Monograph of Nepal Vol. I & II, Kathmandu: Central Bureau of Statistics UNDP, (1990), Human Development Report 1990, New York: UNDP

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