Women leaders, activists and youth representatives have demanded an end to the systemic exclusion of women from politics in Nepal.

Speaking at a public dialogue titled ‘Excluded by Design: Women, Politics, and Ethical Failure’, they said the political mindset remains the same even after the Gen Z movement.

The event brought together 22 speakers who shared personal experiences, debated challenges to participation, and urged political parties to provide fair opportunities for women candidates. More than 300 participants attended and actively supported the cause by signing petitions calling for equal representation in decision-making roles.

Organised by World of Women Magazine (WOW), Project Abhaya and She Leads Icon, the dialogue was held on Saturday in Naxal. It provided a platform for participants to confront hard truths, ask difficult questions, and hold the system accountable for its ethical failures. The dialogue was hosted by Sugarika Sanat KC, Miss Nepal 2005, who facilitated discussions on the challenges and opportunities for women in Nepali politics.

The dialogue also highlighted that women make up 52 per cent of Nepal’s population, yet only 396 of the 3,486 candidates in the upcoming House of Representatives elections are women. Speakers emphasised that this indicates not a failure on the part of women, but of the system.

Bina Kumari Bhattarai, deputy mayor of Thakurbaba Municipality, spoke about the structural challenges women face in politics. She said, “Without the constitutionally mandated requirement for at least one woman in the mayor–deputy mayor pairing, I might not even have had a chance to put forward my candidacy.” Despite quotas, she noted that women still receive little encouragement to lead and are often confined to supportive roles.

Drawing from her personal experience of losing her first election and later winning in 2022, she stressed that women can no longer move forward as “objects of pity”. She added, “It is no longer about numbers; power must now be shared, as it is a matter of equality.”

Rakshya Bam, another speaker representing Gen Z, said the protest was never about “new male versus older male” leadership, but about advocating for progressive leadership, a quality she said is still lacking. She added, “We shouldn’t still be asking for our rights; we should be claiming them,” highlighting the generation’s demand for meaningful representation.

Meanwhile, former education minister Sumana Shrestha said language, attitudes and party structures continue to undermine women’s leadership. She criticised terms such as “Cheli” (daughter/girl) and called for cross-party solidarity among women, stressing the need for consistent activism beyond election periods. Several other speakers also shared their experiences and proposed solutions.

Each speaker was given six to eight minutes, and the dialogue drew the involvement of more than 300 participants. The audience actively supported the cause, with 310 petitions signed calling on political parties to provide women candidates with equal opportunities, representation and access to decision-making positions in upcoming elections and future political processes.

Ishika Pant, the founder of Project Abhaya, concluded the programme by discussing the disconnect between women’s activism and their lack of representation in leadership positions. She stressed the need for inclusive decision-making and collective action to ensure women have equal access to political power.

Pant ended with a call to action, quoting Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to the US Congress: “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.”