Politics is viewed as the centre of concern in every sector. When talking about women empowerment, their political empowerment is key. This study was carried out to identify the status of political participation of women in Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City, Kaski district, Nepal. The findings presented in this dissertation is based on information collected through scheduled questionnaires with the candidates of the last local election using purposive sampling method of sampling. Also a Key Informant Interview (KII) and Case Study was also done in the process.
Social, economic and educational level of respondent along with their challenges in politics has been analyzed collecting information through primary and secondary sources. Lack of educational qualification, intra party discrimination of women, family barrier, and lack of will power seems some of the factors causing underrepresentation in politics despite attractive provision in constitution. From the finding of the study it is suggested that women should be given educational opportunities, freedom from household work, support from partner, strengthening women organization to louder their voice and proper implementation of formulated plan and polices are the some ways that can increase the qualitative and quantitative aspects of women political participation.
This study was carried out to identify the status of political participation of women in Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City, Kaski district, Nepal.
Key words: Women, Inclusion, Participation, Empowerment, Discrimination
Table of Contents
CHAPTER- I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Context
1.2 Statement of Problem
1.3 Research Rationale
1.4 Research Objectives
1.5 Research Questions
1.6 Scope and Limitation of Research
1.7. Operational Definition
CHAPTER-II
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Women’s political participation
2.1.1 Historical Background of Women's Participation in Politics in Nepal
2.1.2. Legal Provisions for increasing Women’s Political Participation in Nepal
CHAPTER III
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
CHAPTER IV
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
4.1 Study Area
4.2 Research Design
4.3 Nature and Sources of Data
4.4 Population of the Study
4.5 Sample Size and Sampling Procedure
4.6 Methods of Data Collection
4.6.1 Primary data collection
4.7 Analytical Framework
4.8 Reliability and Validity of Tool
CHAPTER V
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPETATION
5.1 Women Participation in Politics: An Overview of Local Election, 2017 in Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City
5.1.1 Status of Candidates in Local Election as per their Achievement
5.1.2 Status of Candidates in Local Election as per the Designation
5.1.3 Status of Winners in Local Election as per the Designation
5.1.4 Status of Candidates in Local Election as per the Wards
5.1.5 Status of Winners in Local Election as per the Wards
5.1.6 Status of Candidates in Local Election as per the Political Parties
5.1.7 Status of Candidates in Local Election as per the Political Parties
5.2 Primary Data: Political Awareness among the Women Leaders: An Overview of Local Election, 2017 in Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City
5.2.1 Caste and Ethnicity of the Respondents
5.2.2 Education Level of the Respondents
5.2.3 Income Generator and household in the family
5.2.4 Sources of Income in the family
5.2.5 Entry Year in Politics by the Respondents
5.2.6 Political Parties of the Respondents
5.2.7 Source of Motivation to the Respondents to be in Politics
5.2.8 Priority of Politics of the Respondents
5.2.9 Participation of the Respondents in Different of Political Movements
5.2.10 Information of the Respondents about Local Politics
5.2.11 Respondents’ View on Women’s Reservation in Local Politics
5.2.12 Respondents’ Priority in Local Politics
5.2.13 Problems faced by women leaders in Local Politics
5.2.14 Use of Email/Social Media by women leaders
5.2.15 Level of Satisfaction of the Respondents
5.3 social works, economic contribution, development works and training attended by women leaders
5.4 Case Study
5.4.1 Manju Devi Gurung, Deputy Mayor
5.4.2 Sarada Kumari Parajuli, Ward Chairperson, Ward No 1
5.4.3 Buddhi Maya Rijal, Ward Member, Ward No 27
5.4.4 Sangita Pun, Candidate, Ward Chairperson, Ward No 30
5.4.5 Sita Baral Poudel Candidate, Member, Ward No 30
CHAPTER: VI
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION
6.1 Findings
6.2 Discussion
CHAPTER:VII
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
7.1 Summary
7.2 Conclusion
7.3 Recommendations
Objectives and Topics
This dissertation investigates the current state and challenges of female political participation in the Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City, Nepal, with the primary goal of understanding how constitutional provisions and social factors influence women's representation in local government.
- Analysis of women's political participation in the 2017 local election.
- Evaluation of socio-economic and educational barriers hindering female leadership.
- Investigation of the impact of reservation quotas on female representation.
- Exploration of motivations and priority areas for women active in local politics.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 The Context
The human being is a social creature that can live only within a group. This human group, which is called society, needs to manage the affairs of its members and to assign authorities. Hence, politics arises as a tool and a human requirement in order to continue living as an organized community.
The word Politics has been defined in many ways from past up to the present time. Ancient philosophers in Greek, which is said to be the origin of politics treat politics as management of the state affairs. Later, it became the modern nation-state and because politics begins with city community. The original Greek word polis, which means city, emphasizes the French and English derivation of the word politics (Mazkor, 1975).
Ian Adams said that “politics refers to the process of decision-making for human associations. But there is a need for some kind of formal organization or constitution which members can recognize. Otherwise, decisions will have no authority.” (Adams, 1998). Talking about political participation, Patrick J. Conge noticed that “Political participation may be defined as individual or collective action at the national or local level that supports or opposes state structures, authorities, and /or decisions regarding allocation of Public good” (Conge, 1988).
Herbert McClosky refers to political participation as “those voluntary activities by which members of a society share in the selection of rulers and, directly or indirectly, in the formation of public policy. These activities typically include voting, seeking information, discussing and proselytizing, attending meetings, contributing financially, and communicating with representatives. The more of ‘active’ forms of participation include formal enrollment in a party, canvassing and registering voters, speech writing and making, working on campaigns, and competing for public and party office.” (McClosky, 2013).
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER- I: This chapter introduces the context of political participation and defines the research problem, objectives, and scope regarding women in the local level of Nepal.
CHAPTER-II: This chapter reviews literature on women's political participation, including historical backgrounds and legal provisions in the Nepalese context.
CHAPTER III: This chapter outlines the theoretical conceptual framework guiding the study, focusing on the link between awareness, participation, and decision-making.
CHAPTER IV: This chapter describes the methodology, detailing the study area, data collection techniques, and sampling procedures used for the research.
CHAPTER V: This chapter presents the analysis and interpretation of empirical data derived from both local election records and primary questionnaire surveys.
CHAPTER: VI: This chapter summarizes the major findings from the field survey and provides a discussion on the status of women in local politics.
CHAPTER:VII: This chapter provides a comprehensive summary, conclusion, and recommendations for stakeholders to enhance women's political involvement.
Keywords
Women, Inclusion, Participation, Empowerment, Discrimination, Politics, Local Election, Nepal, Gender, Leadership, Reservation, Policy, Social Development, Decision-Making, Governance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
This research evaluates the status and trends of women's political participation in the Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitan City, specifically examining the outcomes of the 2017 local election.
What are the primary areas of study?
The study examines the socio-economic status of female leaders, the impact of reservation quotas, the barriers to political entry, and the overall levels of satisfaction among elected women.
What is the main objective of this study?
The primary objective is to analyze the level of women's political participation and to identify the hindrances and responsive indicators that could improve effective and qualitative political representation.
Which scientific methodology is employed?
The study employs a mixed-method approach, combining descriptive and exploratory research, including questionnaire surveys, Key Informant Interviews (KII), and case studies.
What does the main part of the dissertation cover?
The main body focuses on data analysis from the 2017 local election and primary survey data, discussing candidate demographics, party affiliations, motivation factors, and the problems faced by women in leadership.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The most relevant keywords include women empowerment, political participation, inclusion, gender discrimination, and local governance.
How did constitutional changes influence the findings?
The findings indicate that new constitutional provisions and the Local Election Act 2017 played a crucial role in significantly increasing female candidacy and representation through reservation quotas.
What role does patriarchy play according to the author?
The author identifies patriarchy as a structural barrier that confines women to household labor and creates social and economic dependencies, which restrict their ability to fully engage in political life.
What is the conclusion regarding women's satisfaction?
The study concludes that while women are moderately satisfied with their political careers, they still perceive major obstacles and advocate for higher levels of participation beyond current quotas.
- Quote paper
- Januka Parajuli (Author), 2018, Women Participation in Politics. A Study of Pokhara Lekhnath Metropolitian City, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/439366
