The first step towards a gender-inclusive political system

The 2017 local elections saw over 14,000 women elected as local representatives, but for many of them, their tenure has been mostly about navigating social challenges.

Before 2017, Bimala Mijar was a shy and timid person who couldn’t properly express her needs or concerns. As a cook for a foreign education consultancy in Kumaripati, she spent her days enclosed within the four walls of her work kitchen.