If political power is to be achieved through parliamentary legislation, then women have first to get elected to Parliament. The male-dominated hierarchies of the major political parties have not proved very progressive in this sphere.
For a while, it seemed that Nepali women would be able to run with the momentum of the People's Movement of April 1990 and make strides towards achieving political equality. After all, women leaders and activists were very active during the Movement and the tempo did not let up until the formulation of the new Nepali Constitution, in which woman-friendly provisions were certainly included.
But lately, what seems to be the endless meanderings of Nepali party politics, has begun. In the process, the women's agenda seems to have slipped slowly to backstage. Even though women (and some men) elected to Parliament have promised to take women's concerns into the Parliament and try their best to change discriminatory laws, the Upper and Lower Houses have yet to begin grappling with the real issue including women's demands for political equality, economic right and freedom from all forms of discrimination.
Because there had been little history of women's activism during the Panchayat years (or the Rana years previously), it was all the more remarkable to observe the manner in which women arose during the Nepali movement for human rights and democracy. While the exact numbers are not verified, at least 300 women were arrested during the course of the 50-day movement. At least six died for freedom.