Take 2: The President's Pawns
If we remember correctly, President Bidhya Devi Bhandari hasn’t always been the most progressive voice when it comes to women’s rights and gender equality. So, it did come as a surprise when the President refused to authenticate the citizenship act on the grounds of gender. The President was concerned that the provisions in the act went against the spirit of the constitution and trampled on the privacy and dignity of women:
As much as we like the sentiment, we also cannot help but be suspicious.
While her concern for ‘women’s dignity’ in reference to the self-declaration clause seems rightfully laudable, it is also important to remember that in May 2021 she swiftly authorized the citizenship ordinance issued by KP Oli- led government, which also had self-declaration (declaration made by the woman that the father of the child is ‘untraceable’) as one of the conditions for a woman to pass on citizenship to her child.
In fact, the crafting/drafting of discriminatory citizenship provisions has been a favorite pastime of our esteemed lawmakers since the president joined active politics. So, why now?
We may not know about her exact intention behind the President’s recent move, which has essentially plunged the country into yet another constitutional crisis, but it does seem like this power play could be used to divert attention from other issues, while once again making citizenship rights a hot campaign issue for the November elections.
President Bhandari claimed to take a stand for women by rejecting the citizenship bill, but the Nepali internet rejected her reasoning and instead made a hero out of her for saving the nation from एक हातमा सिन्दुर, एक हातमा नागरिकता लिने women:
On any given day, Nepali social media is already full of चर्को राष्ट्रवाद comments, and the events that unfolded last week unleashed a flurry of such senti remarks. Here is an example of hero worship that Nepalis are so good at.
And as goes with these चर्को राष्ट्रवाद narratives, it’s not just the gorkhey keyboard warriors but also elected leaders justifying the President’s move saying she “saved the country” by rejecting this bill, which would’ve “harmed the country”.
But, once again it is women who bear the brunt of the political ping pong and politicization of such a crucial bill. We are mere pawns in the pre-elections power play.
As advocate Sabin Shrestha explained so succinctly in Subin Mulmi’s podcast that the politicization of the citizenship bill is being done for short-term political gains at the cost of the already marginalized section of Nepali society who continue to be stateless.
Equality, Representation, Inclusion
It’s funny that when women from Nepal have raised their concerns about equal rights, inclusion or representation, men are quick to point out that we have a woman president, so भाड मे जाए ३३%!
High-ranking Nepali male leaders and the parties they’ve helmed for years are happy to say - Yes…we support women…we nominate them as President, Speaker, and Chief Justice.
But these are the same men who don’t bother to put a system and mechanism in place, which actually benefits women who might be just starting out their careers in politics.
Take for example the recent news about most of the recently elected Dalit and female candidates in local bodies being fined for not disclosing the election campaign money.
Most of them were running for public office for the first time. But the parties they fought elections for didn’t even seem to have informed these first-time candidates about due processes. For some women, their election campaign cost was as low as 5000, but now they risk being fined 1.5 lakhs or more. A failure to not pay the fine could cost them their seat, along with being blacklisted, and not being able to contest elections for another six years.
On the other hand, male politicians like Mohammad Aftab Alam, who has been charged with murder and is in judicial custody, are being brazenly recommended for the upcoming elections.
And don’t even get us started on the समानुपातिक lists - we’ll save that for the future.
So this week’s reading list includes stories of women’s struggles in the private and public sphere as they work towards making themselves heard and seen:
‘सानालाई ऐन ठूलालाई चैन’ भन्ने उखान राज्यका निर्णयहरूले बरोबर चरितार्थ गरिरहन्छन् । चुनावमा भएको खर्च विवरण समयमै नबुझाउने स्थानीय तहका उम्मेदवारमाथि निर्वाचन आयोगले गरेको कारबाही ।
A Dalit Mother’s Accounts. (Gurnica, written by Sarita Pariyar)
एउटी महिलाले प्रहरी कार्यालयमा महिना दिनसम्म काटेको चक्कर! (Setopati)
'This isn't an acceptable part of the job': How journalists and publishers can tackle online abuse. (Press Gazzette)
Mathura, Hapur, Jhajjar – Small-town divorces rising and shocking courts, lawyers, families. (The Print)
Iran's Feminist Revolution--Women, Life, Liberty (Feminist Giant, written by Mona Eltahawy)
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Event Alert!
Mark your calendars for the second edition of ‘Sad Womaniya Sessions’
दशैं आयो, खाउला पिउला, तर त्यो मीठो मीठो खाना चाहिँ कसले बनाउला? About time we talk about women’s labor during festivals. And that’s exactly what we will be doing in the 2nd edition of ‘Sad Womaniya Sessions’
Where: Zoom ma, aur kaha?
When: 28th September
What time: 8:30 pm NPT
Register here: http://bit.ly/guffgaffsept
Oh, and btw, we also did an episode about women’s unpaid labor at home.