Kathmandu, March 12
Nepal has been ranked second in Asia in terms of representation of women in the federal Parliament.
The ranking, prepared by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and UN Women, shows slow progress towards gender equality in politics, says the women in politics 2019 map, made public on Monday
Nepal ranks 36th, the second highest in Asia behind Timor-Leste (ranked 34) when it comes to representation of women in Parliament as 90 of the 275 MPs in the lower house and 22 of the 59 MPs in the upper house are female. Neighbouring India has 66 women MPs out of 524 in the lower house and 28 women MPs out of 244 in the upper house.
Even though Nepal’s head of state is a woman, it ranks 123rd in the world when with comes to women in ministerial positions with only three women having a ministerial position out of 21. India is ranked 78th as it has six women in ministerial positions out of 26.
The world average for women involved in mainstream politics is 24.3 per cent and the Nordic countries have the best representation of women in politics. Around 42 per cent women are members of the houses there.
Asia comes after the Americas, Europe and sub-Saharan Africa when it comes to women in politics.
