ABSTRACT
Women in Nepal were burdened with dual expectations: to act as a caring female at home and to be as competent as a male in the parliament. This chapter reviews the conditions, dynamics, and factors affecting the participation of women in the constitution-making process of post-conflict Nepal. It presents a brief summary of the historical role of women and women's movements in Nepali politics. An era of important political change began in 1951 with the elimination of the Rana regime and introduction of democracy. The 1962 Constitution of Nepal institutionalized the Panchayat system. Multi-party democracy was restored in Nepal in 1990, providing more space for women in politics. In 2006, a People's Movement was launched in Nepal in a concerted effort to restore democracy and peace. Despite affirmative efforts by women in the CA, women's political participation continued to face challenges. Patriarchal attitudes and behavior continued to create obstacles for women's contributions in both the first and second Constituent Assembly.
