Women leaders from different political parties have demanded 50 percent women representation in the Cabinet “in order to empower women”.

“Our leaders have not been able to appoint one-third of women leaders in the Cabinet. This shows they are not serious about making the Cabinet inclusive,” said Sabitri Bhusal, vice-president of Inter-Party Women Alliance (IPWA), a network of women leaders from various parties.

In the 31-member Council of Ministers of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, there are only three women ministers-9.67 percent women representation.

None of the three governments formed after the constitution promulgation has appointed one third women ministers, she said.

Leaders from the IPWA during their meeting with PM Dahal in August had demanded that one-third representation of women in his Cabinet.

The KP Sharma Oli’s government had two female ministers—Rekha Sharma (general administration) and Shanta Manavi (livestock development) and one state minister—Kunti Kumari Shahi (federal affairs and local development). The Sushil Koirala government had three female ministers—Radha Gyawali

(energy), Chitra Lekha Yadav (education) and Neelam KC (women, children and social welfare).

The incumbent Dahal government has one female minister—Sita Devi Yadav (peace and reconstruction)-and two state ministers-Radhika Tamang (agriculture development) and Dhanmaya BK Khanal (education).