The issue of gender inclusivity emanated from discrimination of women in different fronts of development and as a result, women or feminist groups and movements were formed by various advocacy groups to advance women rights and efforts to reduce discrimination. These movements started in the year 1946 by the establishment of a commission on the status of women (CSW) as a branch at the United Nations to offer guidelines and directions to enhance women empowerment in different ways such as economic, cultural, political, as well as social among other fronts. Since the early 1940s, gender-based issues have been raised in the effort to improve the conditions of women and their development. Consequently, three issues that have surfaced in these debates include; gender inclusivity and equity, women empowerment and discrimination against women. These issues are fundamental in the general liberation of women because they focus on the factors that affect women and deny them equal opportunities in society.
Gender inclusivity and Equality
The guidelines which were reinforced by the principles of UN charter formulated in 1954 aimed at eliminating all forms of gender discriminations against women and enhance inclusivity. For instance, women faced different types of discrimination based on sex, skin colour, religious inclinations and language. Furthermore, the movements, especially in the west, protested against the violation of reproductive rights, violence against women, and sex-related discriminations. These scenarios triggered changes regarding women approach By UN where they started viewing with a status-oriented approach unlike the former approach referred to as protection-oriented. Further, this resulted to the 1975 declaration of the “international year of women” and also the 1976-1985 declaration referred to as “Decade for Women” that contributed to more focus on women in development plans (Quataert, 2014).
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Feminists have advocated for women involved in the development agendas and this has resulted in equal powers in the hierarchies of national and global platforms (DAWN). This change has been enhanced through formation of Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in the UN that was formed in 1946 comprising of women movements and activists groups to demand and facilitate of economic policies that would give equal opportunities as men (Bhadra, 2001) This commission pushed programs through UN general assembly for human rights and status of women in offering technical assistance and other women-oriented involvements in economy and policymaking. This commission among other activists groups culminated in the advancing significant gender changes and increased their participation in global economic systems.
Discrimination against Women
In Nepal state, citizenship for women is in for debate despite the fact that women participated in the fight for social progress. There is gender-based discrimination towards women citizenship which is due to rising Nepal-India tensions in both geopolitical and historical grounds, due to fear of India invading Nepal’s territory (Grossman-Thompson & Dennis, 2017). Women’s reproductive ability is being undermined by the constitution which restricts them from bestowing citizenship upon their offsprings. Denying Nepali women the exclusive right to convey citizenship to their children indicate that the progressive movements are not fully inclusive of women which undermines gender equality. Consequently, states and other political influences have attempted to exercise control over women since women are responsible for giving rise to children who are potential citizens for a country. Although the issue of citizenship has been raised in public in Nepal, there has been little effort to bring a solution on the same. Nepali women are being considered key participants in the process of liberating themselves and calling for recognition in the full capacity of Nepal citizens just like other citizens. Nepal’s discriminative laws were legislated upon by caste before restructuring was effected in 1950 to overturn some laws which seemed gender discriminative (Tamang, 2009).
The citizenship act underwent a reform in 2006 but it was still harsh as far as gender discrimination was concerned. This was due to the fact that the act acknowledged citizenship of a child only through the paternal line but did not consider the possibility of one acquiring citizenship through the mother’s line and her nationality. Such constitutional provisions seemed to discriminate against women since the act hardly recognized women as far as citizenship was concerned. While a man was allowed by the constitution to pass on Nepali citizenship to his child or spouse, a woman could neither impart citizenship to her child nor her spouse, in accordance to the 1990 constitution ( WARD).
Women Empowerment
Women in development is another approach shifted the role of women from reproductive to productive role to involve them in developments. During this period the following women concerns were addressed; little productivity and efficiency, and excessive work leading to increased women access to; technology, improved health services, education and training. Additionally, specific women-oriented programs were established to offer training on literacy, technology advancement and boosting healthcare to improve their living standards. It was not until the 1970s when women were incorporated into development programs after feminists argued that the Women in Development (WID) approach was not appropriate since it excluded women not only in economy but also social activities that did demonstrate equity (Bhadra, 2001). Further, the feminists demanded changes in structures that would enhance better education for women, health services and access to technology to realize progress and foster equality because these would avail productive resources, reduce exploitation through unpaid work.
The United Nation’s policies such as the UN Decade for Women Advancement provided an opportunity for women experiences in development. This policy required national and private organizations to initiate programs that would include women in development to change both their social and economic conditions ( WARD). The problem of excluding women especially in the third world countries from access to resources, employment, and land shares among other economic activities hindered the improvement of their living standards. According to the women advocacy groups and activists, women empowerment would improve the welfare of the families which would trickle down to the whole society. Over the decades, women have been marginalized and excluded in development activities especially during a crisis where their lives were in deplorable states. Cultural prejudice was the key contributor to this state of women because it subordinated them in economic development.
Women inclusion in development programs is considered to provide alternative development that can help overcome economic challenges. It was envisioned that women participation as managers of welfare and workers was fundamental in transforming the society from all social institutions such as families, community and even the nation at large (Sen & Grown, 1988). The reproductive role of women in Nepal also shows how culture and among other social structures hindered their development. Son preference was the major challenge that led to the subordination of female gender, where boy child was given more priority than a girl child who was only to be brought in the family as a daughter-in-law in the family structures These cultures provides a foundation of women positions in the society and how they have affected their advancements in different aspects of life. However, education and technology have equipped young women with the knowledge that has changed their thinking regarding their positions in the community and also the idea of child-bearing (Brunson, 2008). This openness to ideas and change would result in a new action for freedom in Nepal which will eventually change the retrogressive cultural practices and historical beliefs that undermine women’s efforts in development.
Conclusion
Therefore reinforcing women’s efforts in primary sectors such as agriculture, trade among others would make nations self-reliant and provide solutions to crises faced by the community. Conversely, both women movements and networks at grassroots and globally are the only remedy to their hardships and transformation from subordination and oppressive structures. The networks have equipped women with skills and instilled self-confidence and the necessary capacity to initiate change, but this success would only be realized if there is a political will to support these initiatives. It is evident that women have contributed to global economic development and are among key players in the advancement of any community. Hence drafting more policies to include women would lead to more economic growth.
References
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DAWN. development alternatives with women for a new era. Feminists from the South working for gender, economic and ecological justice, and sustainable and democratic development. Atlas Systems, Inc. https://dawnnet.org/?wpv_aux_current_post_id=5&wpv_view_count=239-TCPID5&wpv_paged=2
Grossman-Thompson, B., & Dennis, D. (2017). Citizenship in the Name of the Mother: Nationalism, Social Exclusion, and Gender in Contemporary Nepal. Positions: Asia critique, 25(4), 795-820.
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Sen, G., & Grown , C. (1988). Development, crises and alternative visions: Third World women's perspectives. Earthscan.227.
Tamang, S. (2009 ). The politics of conflict and difference or the difference of conflict in politics: The women's movement in Nepal. Feminist Review, 91(1), 61-80.
