The Election Commission has urged all the political parties to ensure women’s participation in important positions of the local federal units during the elections scheduled for May 14.

According to the Local Level Election Act-2015, the local vote will elect 13,360 women, among the 36,639 local representatives, including 6,680 Dalit women. Each five-member ward committee will have two women representatives including one Dalit woman in the team. 

Every village council and municipal council is required to elect at least four women representatives while the Act also directs political parties to guarantee 50 percent women candidates for the posts of either chairperson or vice-chairperson of the village council, mayor or deputy mayor of the municipal council and chief and deputy chief of the District Coordination Committee.

With an aim to enhance women’s leadership skills, along with ensuring their candidacy, the EC and the United Nations, in collaboration with the Collective Campaign for Women’s participation in Local Election, organised a two-day conference starting on Thursday in the Capital.

The conference marks participation of 225 women leaders from 75 districts, members of Women’s Group Coalition, members of Inter Party Women Alliance, government bodies, and the UN.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the conference, Chief Election Commissioner Ayodhee Prasad Yadav said, “We have found women enthusiastic about the elections.”

In a parallel to the “Planet 50-50 by 2030: Step it up for gender equality” theme of the International Women’s Day-2017, the local level election this year has the theme of “Towards Planet 50:50- Enabling women’s leadership and representation in local governance”. The Election Commission aims to promote gender-sensitive voter education across the country.

“It’s an opportunity for female leaders to show their calibre. We need to work together to successfully execute the election process,” said Speaker Onasari Gharti.