Women in power: Nepal's progress vs South Asia's paradox

Sustainable development, responsive governance and inclusive democracy all depend on women's equitable engagement and representation in politics. Despite international pledges and certain advancements, women in South Asia are still disproportionately underrepresented in positions of decision-making, especially in executive office, legislative leadership and youth politics. In all nine South Asian nations, women make up only 7% of ministerial seats and 15% of national parliaments, according to UN Women.

Every South Asian nation has a largely patriarchal system of governance. This is demonstrated by the fact that women make up a disproportionately small percentage of representatives in elected bodies at all levels of government, and numerous studies have shown that even those women who are elected face significant obstacles to their ability to participate. But it needs to be noted that women's movement in South Asian nations has become stronger over the past 20 years, and calls for greater equal representation are being made throughout the subcontinent. Affirmative action laws have been implemented in several nations to guarantee a minimum level of female representation in government, but they haven't been enough to significantly and sustainably increase women's participation in governance.

Nepal's recent departure from deeply ingrained male chauvinism is an important turning point in the democratic development of South Asia and provides a useful comparison with its neighbours – Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Nepal's 2015 Constitution serves as the foundation for the country's institutionalisation of gender inclusion through required quotas, which guarantee that women hold at least one-third of parliamentary seats and are heavily represented in local administration.

A shift from symbolic representation to substantive involvement has been made possible by this systemic approach, which has allowed women to enter politics and progressively influence policymaking. The establishment of a new government represents a significant institutional and generational change in Nepal's political landscape. It is encouraging that the new administration has nominated five female ministers to the 15-member cabinet, guaranteeing for the first time 33 per cent female representation and meeting Nepal's constitutional mandate. The fact that the female ministers have been assigned significant responsibilities in the areas of law, agriculture, general administration, justice and legislative affairs, health and population, and women and children affairs is encouraging. Additionally, 96 women were elected to parliament, the highest so far in Nepal's history, though only 14 were directly elected, reflecting the age-old male chauvinism of political parties with regard to nominations.

Bangladesh presents a different paradox: despite longstanding female leadership at the highest level, broader female participation remains constrained by male-dominated political structures. India, meanwhile, has made notable strides at the grass roots through local government quotas, yet continues to lag in achieving similar representation at the national level.

Women's political participation in Pakistan faces significant challenges, with the country ranking lowest in the Global Gender Gap Index 2025 due to patriarchal norms, low voter turnout (41% in 2024) and minimal representation in political party leadership (only 7% of office-bearers) as per Free and Fair Election Network. Despite constitutional guarantees and reserved seats (comprising ~20% of parliament), women face obstacles in mainstream politics.

While other nations in the region show fragmented or unequal progress, Nepal stands out for its comprehensive commitment - integrating gender equality into constitutional, political and social frameworks. The more general lesson is obvious: genuine inclusion is essential to the complete realisation of democracy. In order to go beyond tokenism and enhance democratic institutions and make governance more inclusive, responsive and representative, it is necessary to ensure that women truly participate in decision-making in addition to boosting the number of women in politics.