Indigenous Women

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Indigenous Womens Participation in Political
Sector An Experience of NepalInternational
Parliamentary Conference Parliaments, Minorities
and Indigenous Peoples 31 october-3 November
2010, Tuxtla, Mexico
Indigenous Womens Rights are Human Rights

• Presented By
• Lucky Sherpa
• Member of Constituent Assembly, Nepal
• Email-sherpalucky_at_yahoo.com
• Kathmandu, Nepal

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Indigenous Peoples of Nepal

• According to CBS 2001, Indigenous Nationalities
  in Nepal Consists 37.2 Percent of the Total Nepal
  Population That is 8.46 nationalities recognized
  by Govt but there are still some groups to be
  enlisted.
• There are 59 indigenous Nationalities and more
  are yet to be recognized.
• Indigenous Nationalities are found in 70 out of
  75 Districts in Nepal.
• Indigenous Nationalities make up more than 50
  percent in nearly all the hill districts of
  eastern and Central Nepal.

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INDIGENOUS WOMEN OF NEPAL

• Women Population- 50.4, 11377556
• Indigenous Women Population-37.5
• Ips recognized by the Govt -59
• Source Census 2001

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(No Transcript)
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• Box 1.
• Indigenous Nationalities of Nepal
• MOUNTAIN
• 1. Bara Gaunle 7. Lhomi (Shingsawa) 13.
  Thakali
• 2. Bhutia 8. Lhopa 14. Thudam
• 3. Byansi 9. Marphali Thakali 15. Tingaunle
  Thakali
• 4. Chhairotan 10. Mugali 16. Topkegola
• 5. Dolpo 11. Siyar 17. Sherpa
• 6. Larke 12. Tangbe 18. Wallung
• HILL
• 1. Bankaria 9. Hayu 17. Newar
• 2. Baramo 10. Hyolmo 18. Pahari
• 3. Bhujel/Gharti 11. Jirel 19. Rai
• 4. Chepang 12. Kushbadia 20. Sunuwar
• 5. Chhantyal 13. Kusunda 21. Surel
• 6. Dura 14. Lepcha 22. Tamang
• 7. Fri 15. Limbu 23. Thami

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Major Factors of Social Exlusion
State as 'Hindu Kingdom'
caste system
Nepali as the only official language
Inequitable political representation
Restriction of freedom of association/ expression
Centralised system of governance
Unequal access in education
Denial of communal land/resource rights
Unequal access to State resources
Denial of right to self-development
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238 years of Discrimination

• On the Basis of Gender
• Caste/Ethnicity
• Religion
• Language
• Culture

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Source ESP based on data from Human Development
Report, NESAC, 1999 estimated onlyHuman
Development Indicators
Human Development Indicators Nepal Dominant Group Bahun/ Chhetri Indigenous Peoples Indigenous Women
Life Expectancy (Yrs 55.0 60.08 53.02 51
Adult Literacy 36.7 58.0 35.2 20
Mean Yrs Schooling 2.3 4.7 2.0 0.8
Per Capita Income 7637 9921 6607 5000
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Fundamental Problems of IPs of Nepal

• Lack of participation in all areas of Governance
• Weak Institutional Framework for Supporting their
  development
• Inadequate Government Policies to Promote their
  development and poor implementation of these
  policies.
• Low Educational Status
• Low Socioeconomic Status

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Population DistributionSource 2001 Census,
CBS, Acharya 2004
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Participation in Governance
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Women Movement and Indigenous Women of Nepal

• Womens movement of Nepal is only centered on the
  gender discrimination issue of dominant groups,
  but has failed to encompass the issues and
  innermost dimensions of adivasi/ Janajati
  (Indigenous Nationalities women in this movement.
• Diversity of indigenous women have not been yet
  recognized by Women movement.
• Although Innumerable programs related to women
  development and Gender equality are being
  implemented in the country, Programs have
  benefited those limited castes and communities
  who dominate stat affairs.

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Discrimination, Social Exclusion, Marginalization
and Poverty
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Present Political Context and Ips of Nepal

• Building a New Constitution for Nepal
• Out of Total CA members, 33 percent consists of
  Indigenous CA Members .
• New Constitution is becoming a Low priority for
  most of the Political Parties
• Cases of Human Right Violation, insecurity and
  Impunity at Rise.
• Bandhs and Strikes at rise

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Status of Indigenous Women of Nepal

• Socio-Cultural Status
• Indigenous women in Administration and Policy
  making
• Total Civil Servants - 93,716
• Women Civil Servants- 8008
• Total Gazetted 9517
• Women Employee 487 that is 5.12 percent
• Total Non Gazetted 84199
• Women Non Gazetted 7521 that is 8.93 percent of
  the total
• Bahun Chhetri, Thakuri, Shah, Yadav women - 62.6
  percent,
• Newar women 22.0 percent,
• Non-newar indigenous women 13.02 percent and
• Dalit and other women comprise 2.27
• Indigenous Women in Decision Making level
• Access to Education
• Indigenous women and Health

• July 2000

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Different Forms of Violence Against
Indigenous Women

• POLITICAL Violence Against Indigenous Women
• In-equal\equitable representation in all the
  political mechanisms at all level.
• Organizational Structure of Political Parties

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Indigenous Women in Indigenous Peoples
Organization

• Underrepresented in Decision Making posts and
  processes
• Indigenous men guided by Hindu Patriarchal norms
  and values and high level of inferiority complex.
• Underrepresented in Decision Making posts and
  processes
• Indigenous Womens representation in most of the
  Political Parties of Nepal is almost nil in
  decision making level but represented in the
  lower cadre level.

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Continued..

• In-equal\equitable representation in all the
  political mechanisms at all level.
• Army Adjustment Special Committee
• no. of IP women-none
• Council of Ministers etc.
• no. of IP Women

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ECONOMIC

• Treated as weaker than men and discrimination on
  pay scale.
• Wage Discrimination- Low wage for women
• Treated as incompetency to non-indigenous women
  and discrimination on pay scale.
• Job Politics
• Exploitation - Undue influence/Advantage

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Violence in Socio Cultural Sector

• Omissions of cultural Identity-
• Polyandry
• In some IPs Community
• Polygamy
• In some of the IPs community
• Marriage at Child/Pregnancy Stage
• Child Marriage in Tharu community.
• Dowry System specially in Terai IP communities
• Testimony from Tharu Communities

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Domestic Violence

• Torture from husband by consuming Excessive  of
  Liquor
• Physical torture
• Beating, Snatching, Threatening, Starving
• Mental torture
• Abusing, ignoring, insulting, harassing etc.
• Torture from other members (brothers, seniors)
• Assigning excessive of work
• Treating as burden and curse for family

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Violence in society

• IP Women are treated as the means of
  entertainment
• Mostly employed in Night Bar/Restaurants and
  Massage Centres etc.
• Mostly involved in entrepreneurs situated in High
  Way and Motels
• Mostly employed in Hotel and Casinos

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Girls Women Trafficked by Caste/Ethnicity, 2001
Caste/Ethnicity Proportion Total Proportion Percentage
Bahun/Chhetri Bahun Chhetri 3 17 20 23.5
2. Terai Castes Sardar Shaha Kahar 3 3 2 8 9.4
3. Adivasi Janajati Women Tamang Magar Gurung Rai Bhujel Kumal Newar Tharu 24 7 3 2 2 1 1 2 42 49.4
4. Dalit women Source Adapted from KC et al 2001 ( ILO IPEC Publication) 15 17.7
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Recommendations

• UN Organizations
• Review Gender Policy under MDG inserting the
  programmes deals with Indigenous Women
  specifically.
• Ask reports annually to the government on the
  programmes conducted for IP Women
• Ensure full involvement of indigenous women in
  negotiation of peace dialogue and agreements at
  national and international levels, including
  through provision of training for indigenous
  women and their organisations on formal peace
  processes,

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Nepal Government

• The state should recognize identity of indigenous
  women and specify indigenous women in all plan,
  policy, strategy, operational strategy, program,
  budget, monitoring and evaluation and make
  necessary arrangement for proportional
  distribution of budget, resource and means
• Insert Indigenous Womens Development Policy in
  National Development Plan
• Recognize the diversity of Indigenous women in
  national women commission
• Formulate the Reservation Act Immediately for
  ensuring participation and representation of
  indigenous women in all mechanisms of the
  government.
• Ensure proportional representation and special
  rights of indigenous peoples-women and men, at
  all levels of the tree organs of the state -
  executive, legislative and judiciary

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To Indigenous Peoples

• Respect the spirit and aspiration of indigenous
  Peoples movement
• Respect the international practices of
  characteristics of indigenous peoples
• Respect the federal, inclusive democracy and
  diversity
• Get united and make space for all Nepalese Peoples

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Continue Nepal Govt.

• Ensure the participation of indigenous women in
  the formulation of policy, plans and programmes
  by government.
• Free Prior and Informed Consent and effective
  participation of indigenous women should be
  respected.
• Implementation the ILO Convention 169 effectively
  in consultation with IP Women.

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To Civil Society and International Organizations

• Consider a National Concern to the problems and
  issues of Indigenous women and peoples.
• Encourage Indigenous women and men to come
  forward in strengthening federalism and
  democratic republic in a meaningful way.
• The state, womens movement, and international
  aid agencies should recognize diversity of women
  or gender in terms of caste, ethnicity, language,
  culture and region to ensure proportional
  participation and representation in all sector.