The role of Electoral Act 2007 is crucial in mainstreaming women into public spheres. In fact, the Act was instrumental in mainstreaming gender at the political arena. Consequently women were able to secure 32.87 percent representation in Constituent Assembly (CA) elections held in April, 2008. Through constant lobbying and strategic decision of policy and structural reform, we have been able to take a big leap in mainstreaming gender at the political sphere. However, the thrust for women’s inclusion at the decision making level in administrative structures such as in bureaucracy, as a foreign envoy or as a head of corporations is still very scanty. Hence, to institutionalize the gains in women’s representation, it is imperative to make constitutional, legal and structural arrangements at the decision making level of all national structures.
Recognizing the state of underrepresentation of women, some policy decisions and special measures have been initiated in the civil service to maximize female participation. The Government of Nepal adopted quota system at the entry levels for civil service. It also lowered the age of entry into the civil service from 35 to 40, reduced the length of probation period from one year to six months. These are some of the commendable steps on the part of the government. But despite these efforts, women participation in government services has not reached a satisfactory level. The total strength of female in government service is 10 percent with just 5 percent representation at the officer level whereas their representation at the decision making levels (such as in secretary and joint-secretary posts) is almost nonexistent. Currently, there are 9 women serving as joint-secretaries and just 2 serving in the capacity of secretary in the civil service.
Though effort made towards increasing women participation in civil service at entry level posts is laudable, the strategies for supporting them throughout their service tenure so that they keep their performance up to the mark and accelerate their career ride are barely sufficient. As a civil servant, a woman has to go through many more challenges than men due to socio-cultural reasons. Firstly, she becomes overburdened with work as she is the one responsible to balance work, home, children and family. From the entry into the service to her retirement, she passes through several phases of her. She gets married, gives birth to children and thus has to manage the expectations of her husband, children, in-laws and many other kith and kin. More importantly, she has to cope with the changes in her own life.
One of the quick wins to ensure women representation at the decision making level is the immediate employment of women at the highest executive level of administration. Provision of lateral entry should be introduced in all types of services for women. Linear promotional system should not be made a rule for them.
Data shows that a woman is so overwhelmed by these changes that take place in her life that she hardly can prioritize her work demands. In addition, she has to go through series of discrimination and harassments in the workplace that results into low morale and motivation the outcome of which will be an impediment to her overall career growth. There are several other socio-cultural reasons because of which she is far behind her male counterparts in terms of career growth. It is, therefore, high time to conduct robust identification of specific gender needs at the workplace. Also gender friendly measures should be introduced to offset the deterrents on the path of women’s career.
Due to underrepresentation of women in the decision making level, the policies and regulations on gender mainstreaming have not gained adequate momentum. Gender mainstreaming was adopted as a policy following the global strategy for promoting gender equality through the Platform for Action at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. As a way forward to translating this strategy into National Plan of Action, the Interim Parliament in 2006 passed the resolution to reserve one third of total positions for women at all levels of the government structures, decision-making bodies and also in the political parties. But this priority seems to have been diluted and overshadowed now. As an end result, legislation for the implementation of the resolution is not yet in place.
Reservation has proved to be a very effective tool in Nepal and other developing countries, where women’s representation is meager at all levels. The quota system aims at improving the status of women’s representation through the provisions of affirmative action. As women have long been systemically deprived of education, training, exposures and other opportunities of advancement, it is not fair to limit their entry into the service on merit-based recruitments. Through the quota system women will get better access to scopes of employment and it will help to remove stereotyped images of women at work. So the quota system has to be enforced at all levels and types of services not just in entry level positions.
One of the quick wins to ensure women representation at the decision making level is the immediate employment of women at the highest executive level of administration. Provision of lateral entry should be introduced in all types of services for women. Linear promotional system should not be made a rule for them. Without a massive influx of women in the decision making ranks in service sectors such as in judiciary, universities, embassies, diplomatic missions and international organizations, women’s representation is most likely to be sidetracked. It is, therefore, mandatory to put the gender friendly policy in place and continue quota system at all national structures for achieving a minimum of 30 percent female participation in decision making bodies.
The writer is a Development Management Consultant and can be reached at manoramaa@gmail.com
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