The alliance—Political Women’s Forum—organised a press conference on Friday to express their dissatisfaction over some of the provisions in the draft which they claim discriminate women.

They have called for a constitution that ensures gender-friendly provisions on citizenship, equitable and meaningful representation of women in state bodies, and women’s reproductive rights, among others.

“The first draft of the constitution fails to grant women total rights, especially the right to citizenship. We will act together to ensure citizenship through mother,” said Kamala Roka of the UCPN (Maoist).

The draft makes it mandatory for applicants to prove that both their father and mother are Nepali citizens. The women leaders want citizenship for an individual whose mother or father is a Nepali citizen.

Concerning naturalised citizenship, the draft retains the provision in earlier constitutions—that a foreign male married to a Nepali woman should have stayed in Nepal for at least 15 years in order to be eligible to apply for Nepali citizenship, while a foreign female married to a Nepali male can immediately apply after marriage.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal leader Roshan Karki said the draft is “regressive” as it omits reproductive right as the women’s fundamental right. “It’s a woman’s right to decide when and how many babies to have. This right has been taken away,” said Karki.

The Interim Constitution states that “every woman shall have the right to reproductive health and reproduction”.

Stating that the draft constitution fails to ensure strong participation of women from the local level to the Centre, they demanded at least 40 percent women in provincial assemblies and 50 percent in the local bodies. The draft states that at least one-third seats in the federal parliament should be reserved for women.

“It’s time to raise our voice for equitable and meaningful participation of women in all state organs,” said Tham Maya Thapa of the CPN-UML.

Deputy Speaker Onsari Gharti said female leaders across the party line must unite to speak for their rights in Parliament. “You must cross the party whip. It’s only through collective efforts that women’s issues will be heard,” she said.

Former lawmaker and Advocate Sapana Pradhan Malla had briefed the leaders on the drawbacks of the proposed constitution and provided inputs how they should take up the case in the Constituent Assembly.

She added that how citizenship, reproductive right and equitable representation are provisioned in the constitution will make a huge impact on the status of women in the country for years to come.

They also demanded high positions for women. “If the President is male then the Vice President should be female and vice-versa. Women should also be appointed chief ministers of states,” stated Karki.