Poor and Marginalized Women Active in the Public Arena during Nepal\u27s Peace-Building Process After Maoist Insurgency

In Nepal, a country where more than half of the population is female, the society is blatantly patriarchal, and the social system is based on caste, class, ethnicity and gender discrimination. It cannot be denied that the violent Maoist insurgency led to socioeconomic and political deterioration in the country. The decade- long violent conflict killed an estimated figure of more than 13,000 people and has displaced even more. Currently, the country is in the process of transformation and peace-building and is moving towards adjusting the past discrepancies to address root causes of the insurgency. However, the Maoist insurgency also brought some positive changes to the society including issues relating to women such as, encouraging them to raise their voice for their right to justice and reparation, their right to education, employment, and meaningful participation in decision-making. They became more aware of the gender based discrimination and were able to address the issues that were especially relevant to the poor and marginalized women. This study, therefore, attempts to identify and analyze the roles played by these women in the public arena during the peace-building process in Nepal after the Maoist insurgency. Additionally, it also tries to examine how their roles improved their social standing and offered solutions to the patriarchal society