Kathmandu, February 25:

Women from indigenous communities today said that there should be proportional representation of ethnic women in the constituent assembly on the basis of their population.

Speaking at an interaction titled ‘Identification and assurance of indigenous women’s seat in the constituent assembly’ organised by the National Federation of Indigenous Women (NFIW), they demanded for proportional election system to guarantee 33 per cent seats for women in 205 constituencies instead of 33 per cent candidacy of women in the constituencies.

They said 33 per cent candidacy of women in the CA does not assure that all of them would win and make one-third representation.

Presenting a paper, advocate Shanti Kumari Rai said: “There should be proportional representation of women in each of the 205 geographical constituencies. According to population census of 2001, of the total population, 18.5 per cent comprise indigenous women, 8.5 per cent Chhetri women, 6.5 per cent Bahun women, 6 per cent Dalit women and 10.5 per cent women from other communities.”

All political parties should choose women candidates from the same ethnic origin in each constituency to ensure proportional participation and inclusion of women, she said. “These elected candidates will represent their communities, regions, ethnic groups and class in the constituent assembly and the new constitution will be able to address diversity,” she added.

Soma Rai, general secretary of (NFIW), said that indigenous women face triple discrimination for being women, for being indigenous nationalities and for being indigenous women. She put forward 17 issues of indigenous women related to the constituent assembly. “There is no identification of indigenous women in any document, no assurance of proportional participation of indigenous women in the interim constitution, indigenous women are ignored in plans, policies and there are no plans, policies and programmes for their economic, social, educational, health, cultural and political development,” she said.