Section Report 2002  

Nepal Section WILPF actively participated in the IEC Meeting with special powers held in Geneva on the last July 27-August3, 2001. Our representatives: Chairperson Mrs.Neelam K.C. (Mainali), Mrs.Nirmala Sitoula and Mrs.Saraswoti Chundali, still cherish the happy moments of sisterhood, friendship and solidarity to the causes of women's liberation, peace and friendship expressed during the meeting. Though a very unfavourable situation has developed in Nepal shortly after the meeting, our section has been trying its best to propagate and implement the decisions and resolutions adopted in the meeting .We are going to mention some of our main activities below.

1) Two general meetings held:

Nepal section -WILPF organized two general membership meetings participated by all members of the WILPF on September16, 2001 and on January16, 2002 in Kathmandu to discuss about the proceedings of the IEC Meeting and policies and resolutions adopted by it. All members actively participated in the discussions, strived to understand the policies and resolutions and supported them. They committed to propagate them among the masses and implement them through the proper process.

2) Drive to popularize the resolutions: 

Our section organized meetings and members and supporters of WILPF wrote articles in vernacular papers and magazines to popularize the three national resolutions presented by it on the Geneva IEC meetings, i.e. dialogue between the government and the armed rebels, popularly known as Maoists; equal inheritance rights for females and males and end to the flourishing criminal practice of trafficking in women and the dowry system.

Fortunately as the changed (on July 22, 2002) leadership of the government i.e., the new premier Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba, favoured ceasefire and dialogue between the govt and the rebel forces, there emerged a brief period (from the last week of July to that of November 2001) of peace and dialogue.

In September 2001, the parliament of Nepal passed a bill accepting, though mainly in principle, an equal inheritance right for females and males. The bill says that a female child is equally entitled to paternal property as a male child but the girl must leave her share of paternal property to her parent family after her marriage. Though it still retains the age –old discrimination between males and females in the society, the bill is progressive in many respects. It is a victory of progressive people, especially that of progressive women of Nepal.

A strong public opinion has been rapidly building up against the criminal trafficking in the women and the ignoble dowry- system through the hard and continuous awareness – building activities of several political parties, various mass organizations, women organizations and several NGOs working among women.

WILPF Nepal section has been actively working for the above mentioned progressive changes, co-operating with other progressive organizations and contributing to the cause of women’s liberation and peace and friendship among the peoples and nations of the world.

 3) During the state of Emergency:

The period of ceasefire and dialogue between the government and the rebel forces was short-lived. As the dialogue didn’t proceed smoothly due to the status quo of the government side and the non-flexible ultra-left position of the rebel side, both sides worked covertly to build up their positions militarily during the period. The rebel forces simultaneously launched heavy attacks against the positions of Royal Nepalese Army stationed in Dang  (mid-western Nepal) and Syangja eastern Nepal) in the night of Nov.23, 2001. Three days after the attacks, on November 26, 2002, the government led by Mr. S.B. Deuba imposed the state of emergency upon the country declared the rebels as ‘terrorists’ and enacted the so-called anti-terrorists draconian regulation. Thus the country entered into a dark period of terror, violence, suppression and fake-encounter deaths of mostly common and innocent people. All basic democratic rights were suspended and mobility and work among the masses of people were grossly obstructed.

Nepal section WILPF opposed the government policy of imposing state of emergency.  It advocated for the early lifting up of its ceasefire from the side of the rebel-forces, preparedness for the dialogue from the govt. side and search for the peaceful solution through   dialogue. As the main opposition –Nepal Communist Party (UML) supported the state of emergency in the parliament, it prolonged for six-month period from its inception in Nov. 002. While the six-month period was approaching to the end, a strong public opinion against the imposition of emergency was gathering the moss in the country comprising all political parties, except a small pro-govt faction in the ruling party –Nepali Congress. Being afraid of the defeat in the parliament, the Deuba government dissolved the parliament and announced a mid-term poll in November 2002. This factionalist, power-greedy, short sighted and anti-people act of the PM Deuba prepared a background for the constitutional breakdown in the first week of Oct, 2002. It isn’t necessary to mention here that we couldn’t work freely among the masses during this emergency period.

4) King came to the forefront:

The popular democratic movement of 1990 had brought a great political change in the country where the monarchy was changed from an executive to constitutional or honorary institution .The supreme power of the state was transferred to the people and the executive right of the state, to the elected representatives of the people. But when the Prime Minister Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba recommended to the King (October 3, 2002) to postpone the date of general election, using his special right according to the provision 127 of the present state of constitution, from November 2002 to November 2003, citing a reason that the government is unable to conduct the election in this Nov. due to the security problems, King Gyanendra, bypassing the state – constitution grabbed the supreme state power and executive right, dismissed the Deuba government (October 4, 2002)  and formed a new cabinet (October 11, 2002) making Mr. Lokendra Bahadur Chand  his premier .This royal step has changed the political  scenario of Nepal.  Almost all major political parties and recently formed United Left Front of Nepal are criticizing the royal step as regression in politics, a fatal blow to the present state constitution and a anti-democratic move. The leadership of the rebel forces has also criticized the royal move and it has escalated its opposition to royal seizure of state power and executive rights.  WILPF Nepal Section observes that only the dialogue among the three political forces of Nepal, namely –the monarchy, the pro-multiparty system political parties and the rebel forces and a solution acceptable to all sides can bring peace, normality, and progressive changes in Nepal.  It will work for the attainment of a political solution to the present day crisis prevailed in Nepal.

We demand a round –table conference of all three sides, a sovereign interim government and progressive socio-political changes in the society. Only such measure can again compel the monarchy to be a constitutional, democratic and transparent institution and also can bring the rebel forces in the peaceful political process.

 5) Observation of anniversaries:

Nepal section WILPF organized talk – programmes on the occasion of the 92nd International Working Women’s Day (March 8,2002) and on the 87^th anniversary of the founding of WILPF (April 28, 2002). It participated in various programmes organized by several women’s organizations to celebrate March 8 WILPF is being more and more familiarized among the Nepalese people through such activities.   

6) Various creative activities:

Nepal section WILPF has been continuing to aid and support women in getting skill- training so that they can earn by themselves.

·         The section helped five poor students for three years consecutively in their high-school studies. Now due to the lack of funds, they are being helped individually by the executive members of our section and by some friends of WILPF.

·         The section collected clothes, food and other household materials for the victims, especially children and women victims of landslides and floods in the last rainy seasons (July-August) and delivered to them.

7) Miscellaneous:

This year we could not launch many independent awareness building programmes against the flourishing criminal trafficking in women, spreading dowry system and many other inhuman and discriminatory practices prevailed in the society. But we are happy to note that the level of awareness is gradually going up against all superstitions, discriminations and derogatory practices against women.

8) 0rganisational:

We have increased our members from 60 to 80 persons and Ms Neelam Sitoula and Mrs. Rita Basnet have been co-opted in the section executive committee, increasing its member from seven to nine.