Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya said on Thursday that the participation of women in politics was not satisfactory.

Speaking at the first session of the fourth edition of ‘Nirvik Nari’, organised by the Kantipur Media Group, Thapaliya said that there is a huge gap between the constitutional arrangements and the present reality, so the situation isn’t satisfactory.

Despite constitutional and legal provisions, the influence of political parties has hindered women’s participation, he said.

Thapaliya also claimed that although elections are the most suitable and effective way to encourage and bring women to the forefront of leadership, there are loopholes in the system.

“In total population, there are 400,000 more women than men in the country. The number of female voters, however, is less than that of men,” the chief of the election commission shared. “We should try to find the reasons for less participation of women from that point. While discussing women in leadership, we should also discuss management of all issues relating to it.”

After the 2022 election, there is a 42 percent women representation at the local level, 35 percent in provincial and 34 percent in the parliament. If we look at it with optimism, this isn’t bad, Thapaliya said.

Women’s participation in the legislature in Nepal is around 35 percent. Although Nepal ranks topmost in women’s participation in all of Asia, it is still not satisfactory, he added.

Women's leadership cannot be established by the percentage that has been reached by stretching the positions that have been determined as mandatory by the constitution and law.

“Women’s leadership cannot be established by forcibly fulfilling the determined quota as mandated by law,” Thapaliya stated.

“Elections are a multifaceted subject. The political parties are the major sources from where women should be promoted to the positions in legislatures, but if we are to look at the structure of these organisations from the local units to the central committee, women’s participation there isn’t even 2 percent.”