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Global Perspective

In the training organized by International Idea also reflected in those decisions.”, said another
under its Coherence Programme, female elected participant, Saraswati Nepali.
officials poured their hearts out, exclaimed and A programme specifically developed for them,
nodded at their fellow women representatives when gives female representatives a safer space to
they were short of words or languages to describe express themselves better and thus, provides
how they felt at not being heard, and being treated a conducive environment for a more effective
as liability rather than of value. They felt empowered learning process. This is particularly important for
at being able to share their intimate experiences and those representatives who do not hold any formal
learn with a group of women just like them, without educational qualification and are first timers in
fearing humiliation or hesitation. political positions. In societies where working
“If the chair or deputy chair were here, they’d women bear the brunt of both household chores as
speak on all the issues, we wouldn’t get a chance. well as official responsibilities, outdoor programmes
We would always sit on the back.” Balkumari Basnet, sometimes provide women a dedicated time to focus
an executive member said, “In all other programmes, fully on themselves without having to worry about
our job was to only listen to the trainers. Here, daily family obligations.
they listened to us, asked about our experiences Meaningful inclusion demands a consistent,
and views. We were able to engage in a two-way empathetic, and mindful investment from the state
conversation. I felt like being with a family.” (and non-state actors). As much as reservation is
2.5 months away from the second cohort of local essential to kick-start inclusive governance, without
elections held in May 13, 2022), this training was the investment in the agents of political deliberation,
first of its kind for most of the participants. Most change in the demographics of decision-making
of the capacity strengthening initiatives in support table often only tells a partial story. Blaming these
to LG representatives are centered around the key elected representatives for tokenism and criticizing
leadership position holders of LGs, the majority them for ‘lack of capacity’ is denying the blatant
of whom are male. Intensive support it also being structural inequality that builds and perpetuates on
provided to the rest of the representatives left centuries of systemic discrimination, exclusion and
behind from mainstream capacity strengthening marginalization.
support, that is women mostly from historically As they say, people enjoy and express
marginalized and excluded communities. The young themselves the best when they do what they
mentors of Coherence Programme visit women are best at. This was reinforced when these
representatives houses and provide customized representatives came forward voluntarily and sang
support as per their needs and in the simplest way their folklore when training required an energizer.
possible. However, empowerment is a dynamic Coming directly from households to governance
process and the key to feeling empowered has a lot at once and facing a constellation of obstacles,
to do with feeling valued, heard, and respected as all these seven women aim to contest the next LG
much as it has with having access to information elections, one can just imagine how Nepali (local)
and opportunities. politics will look like in a couple of decades and
“You opened my eyes! Before, we used to go how this will change the narrative of mainstream
towards offices, we even sat at the meetings. But development.
what’s inside of those decisions, I wouldn’t know. Durga Karki
I am going to make sure now that my voice is Associate Program Officer, International IDEA

Credit: International IDEA
Link to original article: https://www.idea.int/news-media/news/meaningful-inclusion-demands-constant-investment-female-local-officials-
have-barely

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