Women Participation in decision-making: as Change Agent

Binda Pandey @2016, https://kusoed.edu.np/tersd2018/outcomes/proceedings-tersd2016.pdf

Abstract

Nepal has gone through powerful people's movement-II in 2006, which abolished 238 years long monarchy and established republican Nepal. One of the major demands of the movement was inclusion, participation and social justice for all to mainstream the marginalized groups, which compose majority of the country population based on gender, class, ethnicity and geographical location. But, the reality is that even within each group of marginalized population has almost equal number of women, who has been left far behind of men within the group. The constitution of Nepal demanded through constituent assembly since 7-decades has been promulgated in September 20, 2015. Through this process, the political rights including major economic social and cultural rights (ESCR) have been institutionalized. Further course is proper enforcement of these.

From a feminist perspective, several issues are at stake, but this paper deals only with the issues of mainstreaming women in the decision making process, since the state has already committed for proportional women participation in its all structure (Art. 38) and make sure one-third women in all elected body as critical mass (Art. 84-8, 176-9, 222 & 223) including political parties. Based on this reality, my article has been prepared as case study of women participation in Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML) to see its policy and women's quantitative participation in the different level of the organography and allocating opportunity in the state mechanism.

Keywords: Women; participation; decision-making

Background

Women participation in the policy-making became one of the agenda after the first successful people's movement in 1990. The political parties and the state agreed on this demand and included the provision in their policy document only for nominal participation in the decision-making level. But, the temper of the demand was gradually taking up. In 2006, Nepal went through second powerful people's movement, which abolished 238 years long monarchy and established republican Nepal. This movement strongly voice out the demand of inclusion, participation and social justice for all to mainstream the under-privileged group of people.

In the Nepalese context, large numbers of people are marginalized not only based on class and gender, but also from different ethnicity and geographical location. In our reality, women are more than half of the population of the country. But, they are left far behind of men both in mainstream and under-privileged group of the society.

Women's vulnerability is cause by continuation of tradition of backward socio-cultural norms and value to see women, even after restoration of democracy and having republican Nepal. Their economic dependency has not been changed as tangible way.

In the course of getting access to know the changing context of world, the facts are voicing out that women are not only the half of the population, rather half of the workforce. They are overwhelmingly engaged in reproductive role and informal economy. Women are deeply immersed in cultural norms and values. This patriarchy based norms and values are being one of the major root causes of the gender discrimination. Based on these facts, unless women themselves participate actively in the process of social transformation toward equality based on human justice, dignified change in their life is not possible.

Change agent is the people, who act as catalysts for change. A change agent is someone who intentionally or indirectly causes or accelerates social, cultural, or behavioural change (Nussbaum-Beach, 2010). In this regard, George (2013) has mentioned five key characters of change agent as (a) clear vision: change agent should have clear vision and ability to communicate that clearly with other, (b) patient yet persistent: change would not have overnight. Accepting that reality, patient and persistent is needed to have sustainable change, which can be embraced and see importance by people (c) asks tough questions: feeling ownership is important in change process. For the cause rather providing solution by outsider, help people to come to their own conclusions based on their experience (d) knowledgeable and leads by example: leaders should have “character and credibility” as they should not just seen as good people but they should also be knowledgeable in what they are speaking about, and (e) strong relationships built on trust: relationships with the people that you serve is essential for change.

People will not be the part of action, if they do not trust the person. In that case, either change would not happen or not be sustained. To win over the trust and confident of the targeted people and involve them in the process, change agent should act as role model.

Constitutional Provision and Social Transformation

Nepali people were demanding constitution through constituent assembly for last 7- decades. After all, having second constituent assembly election in 2013, it has been promulgated on September 20, 2015. This constitution has institutionalized major political rights including economic, social and cultural rights (ESCR), as respecting demands of different walk of people and state's international commitment on recent generation of the human right. More importantly, it has mentioned compulsory primary and free secondary education for all, which is significant vehicle of social transformation. Right to food sovereignty, shelter, health, social security, and employment are some of the examples of fundamental right. Relating with ESCR and right to women, children, dalit, senior citizen, workers etc. are example of the collective right (GON, 2015). These provisions are directly linked with process of mainstreaming the under-privileged group of people with guaranteeing their participation in development and benefit.

Inclusion is one of the major steps to mainstream knowledge, skill and experiences together with securing quota for quantitative representative. It is directly linked with social transformation. Further course is proper enforcement of the constitution to translate those provisions into practice and let targeted group to realize positive change in their lives.

IPU (2008) study has shown that more women in parliament make easier to address women’s issues and to change the gender dynamics and influence on political policies and priorities. Realizing this fact, the constitution of Nepal has guaranteed at least one-third women in federal and state parliament and 40 percent in local government.

It has also mentioned that there should be at-least a woman in either post as chair/vice-chair and speaker/deputy speaker in the federal and state houses. Considering women as major chunk to mainstream, constitution has insured inclusion of woman in all the constitutional bodies and state representative in different sectors (art. 282). Recognizing women are not homogenous group, constitution has said that participation should be inclusive even within women from different group (art. 38).

Considering women as most vulnerable gender in each cluster of people, National Women Commission has been given constitutional status (art. 252). Its major role are working for gender mainstreaming through empowering women, monitoring violence against women, analyze the national and international policy instrument regarding gender equality and provide policy feedback to state to reduce the discrimination and strengthen their voice and participation to act as citizen of equal status to enjoy the rights and fulfil the duty to the family, society and the nation.

Having all these provisions in constitution, it has created space and opportunity for women in different sector and level to be part of state mechanism directly to involve as actors in the change process. Guaranteeing the equal inheritance property right to all children (art. 18-5) will make daughter more confident and stronger with economic stand to take bold step.

Social Transformation: Destination of the Education

Since, most of the political agendas have been addressed through constitution, major agendas in front of the nation is to achieve prosperity through economic, social and cultural transformation, which is agreed by almost all the political forces including civil society movement. But, the challenges are how to move forward and who do play what role? And, how to manage?

Participation in decision-making depends on the intellectual and logical talent of the people as well as economic independency and self-stand. Both of these capacities are closely connected with education. UN (2014) has identified that "education is one of the influential instruments of social change". Education system is a good vehicle to transfer the ideas and perspective in mass level at once in the process of social transformation. Taking this into consideration, new constitution has mentioned education as fundamental right (GON, 2015, art. 31). If it could go through proper implementation, the process of transformation might be geared up. But, this matter depends on policy maker how they do choreograph the implementing plan and translate into action?

Connecting with decision-making and education, a woman parliamentarian of Lithuania has said, "Women’s priorities are mostly related to solving education, cultural, family and social issues" (IPU, 2008). In addition, woman parliamentarian of Kenya has added as "women and men are equal but different. These differences are linked with their experiences of daily life, gender needs and role". Women are more family-oriented, which can make change in people's daily lives and eventually bring change society.

Talking about formal education, Haider (2013) mentions that education at all levels share four major characteristics. She mentions that education (1) contains common guideline for action, (2) evolves out of common concerns, (3) based upon a common set of assumptions, and (4) projects a desire to bring about the changes in spirit and latter. These points are highly considerable in the process of action for change. Fact is that changing level of information makes change in knowledge and the skill to analyse the information change the way of thinking. The ways of thinking is key to determine the attitude and behaviour, what finally bring change in society. That is why education acts as crucial means to get change as ends. But, acquiring the knowledge and skill in the process of social transformation is connected not only with formal education alone.

Informal and non-formal ways of learning the matters are part of the education, especially to make change in adult population.

Women as Change Agent

Women are largest group among the marginalized population; obviously, the part of the all level of state and community. Being a major section of the under-privileged group having different knowledge, skill and experiences from peripheral position, inclusion of women in decision-making has great meaning in connection with social change.

Women's meaningful participation can determine their position in the society and social perspective seeing them. Women bring different views, talents and perspectives to politics and their involvement in all aspects of political life, including as members of parliament, societies are more equitable and democracy is both strengthened and enhanced (IPU, 2008). The report has further mentioned that real change requires political will and partnership. Women and men must acknowledge that the equal participation of women in parliamentary processes not only benefits society, but it is required in legitimize democracies.

Bell, McLaughlin and Sequeira (2002) say that "increasing numbers of women in higher- level positions will reduce sexual harassment, overt discrimination, and the glass ceiling and they use their positions of influence to increase gender equity". As one of the strategies to change the social abuse over women, Kizende (2007) says, "all the women around the world should continue speaking out whenever their rights are abused".

Wollack (2010) says that woman’s political participation results in tangible gains for democracy, including greater responsiveness to citizen needs, increased cooperation across party and ethnic lines, and more sustainable peace. IPU (2000) report says, women’s political participation has profound positive and democratic impacts on communities, legislatures, political parties, and citizen’s lives. All these presented views suggest that promoting women's participation in decision-making process is essential in the process of transformation. Their different talent, views, perspective, knowledge and experiences can be shared and used in the process of changing society and act as change agent.

Nepal is going through the significant change in terms of women participation in the past decade. Seeing the data of state's decision-making mechanism as cabinet and parliament, women participation was only about three percent in executive and less than five percent in legislation during the period of multiparty democracy (1990-2006), while constitution had also made provision of only 5 percent women to be included as candidate in the general election (GON, 1990). Guaranteeing the 20 percent women in local body (GON, 1997, art. 7), more than 40 thousand women were elected in local body through the local election in 1997. They play very vital role in terms bringing women out from private sphere and be part of the public activities locally. Women started to be part of collective work through community group as cooperatives, mother groups, community forest etc. These activities supported them to widen their level of understanding on public concerns and play essential role to mainstream them. One of the tangible examples as result of their mainstreaming process was women's equal participation over the country on the street agitation for democracy in 2006.

Arriving in republican Nepal, parliament committed for 1/3rd women participation (GON, 2007). As result, almost one-third women are in the constituent assembly. In the period of 2008-2015, women participation in cabinet increased to 14 percent, which is almost fifth fold in compare with previous decade (PMO, 2015). Women’s participation in public affairs is central to the functioning and strengthening of democracy and also crucial to the struggle against oppression. Accepting this reality, if women are not present at policy and decision-making levels, there is a democratic deficit. Greater inclusion of women would lead the society and state to better democracy, increased transparency and improved governance (UN, 2000). UN report further mentions that Western Europe perceives that decisions taken without women’s perspective lack credibility in a democratic context.

Women participation in topmost decision-making position is improving in Nepal after restoring the democracy in 2006 and strengthening after declaration of the constitution in 2015.Now, women are holding the position as president of the country, speaker of the parliament and chief justice in the Supreme Court within a year. Young women are challenging male in top most position in different profession and movement as well. For instance, Nabina Lama has been elected as chair of the All Nepal National Free Student Unions (ANNFSU) by defeating male candidate. Engineering as male dominated profession, Sumitra Amatya is challenging man in the position of president of Nepal Engineer Association (NEA). More and more women are now becoming confident to compete rather waits for reserved quota.

These are the significant change from gender point of view, seeing in the Nepali society. But, it may take some time to see its impact, whether it will make some different in gender relation and social change, since women have been in those position recently.

CPN-UML as a Political Institution for Case Study

Political parties are leading institutions to make policy not only their own, even for state and insure its implementation. Based on this reality, I am taking Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML) as a case to see gender issues in its policy and women's quantitative participation in the different level of the organography.

Because, CPN-UML as the party, has gone through internal policy reviewed convention twice and adopted constitutional provision and set up provision of one-third women participation in its internal structure (Art. 66-4 of party's constitution). Considering this circumstance, CPN-UML has been taken as an institution to study. In addition of the participation, CPN-UML has identified five major gender agenda as equal right to descent, property and participation, ending violence against women, and guaranteeing reproductive rights to women (CPN-UML, 2014). It has mentioned that they should have special program of affirmative action to build capacity and change attitude of both male and female on the issues.

In the process of implementing these policies, within a decade, numerical participation of women have been increased by multiple folds. Central decision-making body has 17 percent women now, which is almost double of 9 percent in 2006. Similarly, the membership and district committee members have reached 18 and 23percent in compared to 8 and 5 percent respectively in 2006 (Organization department of CPN-UML, 2016).

CPN-UML had elected two women vice-chairs out of 14 portfolios in 2014, which was none in 2006. These are the positive changes. And, those women are playing significant role as social change agent, not only in politics, but also all around the society. Attitude among the general people towards women leadership is also changing day by day. One of the studies (not published yet) done by National Democratic Institute (NDI) among 108 people (23 women and 85 men) in 2016, ninety-eight percent respondent said that women could lead the nation as equal to men. It shows that the image of female leadership is changing and it may make impact even in personal behaviour. The policy and position of women in political party has played vital role to change gender perspective in this way as well.

Way Forward

Grimsley (n.d.) says that a change agent is a person who helps in transformation process focusing on effectiveness, improvement, and development of the society. They often play the role of a researcher, trainer, counsellor, or instructor with four competencies as (a) broad knowledge, (b) operation and relational knowledge, (c) sensitivity and maturity and (d) authenticity. People having these elements and getting in touch with decision-maker, can influence them for change. In this connection, women in decision-making are more responsible for changing women's position and condition, would use their talent and capacity more effectively to make better policy and program. Change agent always needs the ability to get majority of the people affected by the change to insure their support and commitment. It require high competency to be accepted, which include ability to communicate, understand and take others opinion and doubts into positive account.

One very important factor is that every change should be linked with people's acceptance in order to get changed result, not against them. George (2013) says, if a school embodies itself as a true learning organization, change would happen much quicker. Gender activities that focus on the empowerment of women may be strengthened by the inclusion of men by taking into account their relations and positions within families and communities. Taking all about the change agent, there are three major pillars, which effectively play the role as (1) bringing up communication gaps, (2) social forces such as culture, valuing potential people, time and most importantly teaching community and (3) re-shape the culture by seven influencing mountains of culture such as: media, arts, government, business, entertainment, family, education and religious institute.

Going through the transformation process with utilizing all these factors, women should be active actors to bring change toward equality throughout the process of decision-making to implementing level. Men should be equally active part of the process. In this regard, GTZ (2009) has mentioned that men's participation may help to strengthen the relations and positions of both men and women within families and communities.

Working together for gender equality means respectful listening and constructive dialogue between the groups of mainstream and peripheral. It is as theory of Paulo Freire as 'Pedagogy of Oppressed'. In this process, if women have developed level of information, knowledge, confidence and skill to argue logically based on fact, they can influence the decision. And, they can act in better way as change agent to transform the society toward having better equality and social justice.

In the regard, the education system as part of formal, informal and non-formal play vital role. Women having more informal relation within family and society than men can have better opportunity to educate themselves practically. And, strengthening their access to formal structure as organization/party and state mechanism as well, women can have wider way to learn. Maximizing the access and opportunity, women can play better role as change agent. Essential factor is that change agent should accept and internalize the learning as life long process and be ready to keep it continue as part of every-day life.

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