The Role Of Women As Peace Makers

More than half of Nepal's population is women. The nation’s decision-making structures are, however, filled by male members. Its constitution and endorsement of international obligations affirm equality of opportunity and measurable influence on the equality of outcome. Nepali women’s struggle to beat structural injustice aims for an equal playing field so that they can hit the cruelty of hierarchical control and erect shared mental and social space for animating perfect choice, emotional tranquility and positive peace. But they need self-emancipation from the customary politics of patriarchy and balance both social labour and career. 

This enables their entry into the public sphere for freedom, deliberation, representation and cooperative action for the production of public goods. Political efficacy, however, entails acquiring critical knowledge, occupying suitable positions in governance and social organisations, and exercising constitutional rights. Their struggle for equality traces its origin in democracy and justice struggles. Utilisation of democratic experience and aspiration has freed them from the subordinate position in society, economy and political system.

Goddesses

Classical Hindu scriptures treat women as goddesses, not weak, incapable of assuming public position and responsibility. History and legend cite Sita, Bhrikuti, Gargri, Maitreye, Yog Maya and countless others. They proved their power of shakti (power), intellect, courage and faith to set ideals in society, demystifying prejudice about their inferiority. An ideal family deems women Laxmi (Goddess of wealth) of the house. Nepali Constitution has allowed women to assume the posts of president, prime minister, chief justice, ministers, deputy speaker of parliament, secretaries, head of the National Women’s Commission and envoys.  

It offers them special rights such as gender equality, equal lineage, safe motherhood and reproductive health, protection against violence, discrimination and exploitation. It equally provides them the right to participate in all state bodies through proportional inclusion, social opportunities in education, health, employment and social security, 33 per cent representation in federal and provincial legislatures, equal inheritance of property rights, legal protection against child marriage, equal rights to divorce and property division, criminalisation of domestic violence, dowry death, trafficking and forced labour.  

Local government is highly inclusive of women, while the local conflict mediation committee is manned by women as a head. Before this, Local Peace Committees had served conflict victims, provided relief and life-support, applying human rights principles. These provisions moved politics from social control to cooperation, gender budgeting and peace. They have offered Nepali women incentives, motivations, resources and institutional links with civil society, business and social movements as rightful tools to resolve conflicts.

Nepal’s endorsement of the resolution of Population and Development Conference 1994 and ratification of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women in 1979 helped them fight the entrenched patriarchy, gender gaps and resource strain and improve the state of women’s education and health.  The job market has given them autonomy. Women’s right to control her body enables them to make their own reproductive choice and put rights at the core of personal development. Armed conflict in the nation has marked a role reversal, adding a new public role as bread-earner and a private role for family. The 1995 Beijing Conference on Women has espoused gender mainstreaming. It integrates gender as an integral part of the design, execution, monitoring and evaluation of all policies and programmes of the government, including peacebuilding, such as conflict prevention, intervention and advocacy to reduce gender-based violence. 

Nepali women have built a coalition to exert pressure for their participation in the peace accord and drafting of the constitution.  As a result, they won 33 percent of seats in governance, acquired citizenship with their mother's name, set up the National Women’s Commission and women’s committees in various political parties. Nepal’s endorsement of the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on “Women, Peace and Security” encourages gender equity in security and peace. The resolution 1820 recognises that sustainable peace requires women’s inclusion and leadership. This has led to the women’s peacebuilding organisation, in response to national needs such as Shantimalika (women peace builder), to execute the provisions underlined in UNSCR in close cooperation with the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction. 

It has stressed a gender-sensitive approach. Similarly, Sankalpa, an alliance of Women NGOs, is engaged in peace, justice and democracy. Stri Shakti claims to have 269 NGO, CBOs and cooperatives as partners in 70 districts working in multi-dimensional aspects of peacebuilding. Others have prepared a peace curriculum. Women for Human Rights has integrated single women in income-generating programmes. Women for Peace and Democracy-Nepal runs socioeconomic empowerment to secure their livelihoods, income-generating activities, community development and capacity building of women leaders to build peace, reconciliation and rehabilitation programmes. 

Mothers group 

Maiti Nepal and Jutehala Mother’s Group have built a repertoire of skills to support families in distress and provide health services and counselling support. Mothers group of Lalitpur- Ma Pucha and Jyapu Society Y/al and Naya Goreto - have provided orientations to 132 Mother’s Groups on HIV/AIDS, drug addiction and the creative role of youths in reconciliation, research and education. Nepali women’s engagement in peacebuilding has increased their voice, role and non-violent action to change the quality of the peace process. Peace researchers have revealed that women, by nature, are peaceful. Their persuasive experience, insights, moral courage, and aptitude help deal with structural injustice. 

Bypassing their personal understanding of peace cannot make it enduring. Conclusion of transitional justice can alter the nature of muscular politics. It provides space to all actors, stakeholders and drivers of peace to pursue mutually satisfactory policies and coordinate conduct. Nepali women engaged in peacebuilding seem interested in every issue of socio-political life to change the world. Real peace requires uprooting conflict-producing causes, addressing subjective needs of democracy and dignity, objective needs of livelihoods and moral needs of cooperation. 

(Tara Dahal holds an MA in Peace and Conflict from Otto-Von Guericke University, Germany.)