Gender and Development

Nepal

Training Elected Women Representatives

Background to the Project

The local government ordinance enacted in 1997 reserves 20 percent of seats in the Village Development Committee (VDC) for women. Following local elections in 1997, more than 39,000 women representatives assumed office. While a significant number of elected women representatives at the local government are entering public office, their participation in the operation and decision making of the VDC remains low. In many cases, these elected women are unfamiliar with their roles and responsibilities, the operational procedure of the VDC and the planning and implementation of government projects. Many elected women are unaware of the VDCs development budget and uninvolved in VDC planning and other committees.

Capacity building of local women representatives is both a precursor to effective devolution and a catalyst for increased demands for greater local authority. The need to develop the capacity of elected women representatives has become in principal more urgent following Parliament's passing of the Local Self-Governance Bill in September 1998. This potentially provides for greater delegation to a lower administrative and political level. Locally elected women need to understand the full contect and operations of local government if they are to make a difference, have their voices heard and more effectively represent the women's constituency that they represent. In this context, a program of capacity building training for elected women representatives was devised by ADB in consultation with a local Nepali women's NGO.

The capacity building training for elected women representatives in VDCs is aimed at team-building, consciousness raising, increasing their level of involvement in the operation and decision making processes of VCDs, and to better represent women's interests. Without knowledge of the operational mechanisms of VDCs these women are unable to voice and protect the interests and concerns of women in their electorate, thus nullifying the rationale of having a reserved quota for women.

To overcome this problem, ADB has forged a partnership with Sristi Associate CEDPA to fund and implement a training program for women elected office bearers in VDCs. The project is being implemented in four village development committees (VDCs), one each in Morang, Lalidpur, Rupendehi and Dang districts. As part of this project, Sristi Assoicate CEDPA will develop training course curriculum for elected women, ward chairpersons and other women leaders.

Project Components

The objective of the project is build the capacity of elected women office bearers in Village Development Committee. The project is compromised of the following activities:

Rapport building and team building exercises in the four VDCs. Project staff will hold introductory and rapport building meetings in the four VDCs with VDC members including the VDC Chairperson and Vice Chairperson, women elected representatives and ward chairpersons.

Development of training manual and comic. A training manual and comic will be prepared as training materials by Sristi Associate CEDPA staff. The training manual will cover the following topics: (i) gender based justice and equity, (ii) decentralization, local self governance and women's participation, (iii) human rights and legal rights of women, (iv) women and culture, (v) communication, organization and social transformation, and (vi) leadership and personality.

Commentary

Women elected representatives' sense of inferiority was compounded by the general lack of respect directed towards them by other VDC members. For example, several VCD chairpersons commented that these women lacked education and capacity, and that they were only there because of the government mandate. Some women themselves acknowledged that they stood for election because they were asked to do so by their political party, admitting that they had little former interest in or awareness of local government. Many stressed, However, since their election some indicated they have learnt many things in relation to government and now take a more active interest in the affairs of their ward. One women representative in the district of Rupandehi said that prior to her election, she would sign anything her party would put in front of her. Now she reads everything and has her own opinion.

The project is already catalyzing change. Even after the initial short information meetings, elected women representatives were beginning to see their role and potential role differently. For example, some women elected representatives were unaware that wards were supposed to hold regularly monthly meetings; others knew but were never informed so never attended. After discussion with Sristi project members, these women became committed to establishing and attending such meetings. Similarly, many women representatives are unaware that each VDC has a development fund. At one meeting in the district of Rupandehi, when informed of these women representatives began to talk amongst themselves as to how this money could be spent on projects to support women in the VDC. Some women are now aspiring to a larger role in the ward and Village Development Council. One women was asked to stand for the position of ward chairperson; another as vice-chairperson of the VDC.

A by-product of the project has been the `space' created for women to come together as a group to discuss their common experiences and concerns. A representative in Rupandehi said that prior to this project women elected members had never met as a group. Some of the women in the meeting recognized the potential of holding a meeting of elected women representatives immediately before the Village Development Council meetings, which are held twice a year. The nominated woman representative - who is the only woman to attend the Council's meetings - suggested that she could then take their proposals and concerns to the meeting on behalf of the elected women.