Women election candidates in Nepal face abuse and vitriol

The few women politicians who were given tickets to contest direct election are dealing with scrutiny over their bodies and identities.

Late in December, a Facebook user uploaded a photo showing Ranju Darshana, a leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, placing her hand on her pregnant belly. The caption read, ‘‘I decided to stay in the proportional representation list due to my health condition: Ranju Darshana.’’ The comments the post received were far from encouraging. “If she is pregnant, I don't think she will be able to work,” one user declared. “It would have been better if she stayed at home rather than on the PR list,” another wrote. A majority of the over 500 comments under the post were critical about Darshana’s decision, with some of them verging on the abusive.