KATHMANDU, Dec 16: Only three women are contesting 19 top leadership positions at the ongoing CPN-UML’s 11th National General Convention, facing competition from 39 male candidates.
Voting is currently under way at Bhrikutimandap as the party prepares to elect a 301-member working committee.
All men’s march for women and girls
The party’s constitution mandates the inclusion of at least one woman in the leadership team, although it does not specify the position. This year, a total of 42 candidates are vying for the 19 leadership posts.
Party chair KP Sharma Oli, who is seeking re-election, has nominated one woman, Padma Aryal, for the post of secretary. His challenger, senior vice-chair Ishwar Pokhrel, has fielded two women candidates: Dr Vinda Pande for vice-chair and Rachana Khadka for secretary.
Pande, a former central committee member, is competing with 10 others for five vice-chair posts, while Aryal and Khadka are up against 18 male candidates for two secretary positions. Other key posts, including general secretary and deputy general secretary, are being contested exclusively by men.
At the party’s 10th general convention, two women—Ashtalakshmi Shakya as vice-chair and Aryal as secretary—had secured top leadership positions. Shakya is not contesting in this year’s election.
