After ten years of violent conflict between the Maoists, government and monarchy, and pro-democracy uprising in Nepal, parties signed a comprehensive Peace Agreement in 2006. However, the country is sill plagued by political instability and conflict. The agenda of all political parties and citizens was to frame a new progressive constitution by May 2010. After the Constituent Assembly failed to frame the new constitution on time and delayed the process until May 2011, women’s organizations in Nepal decided to join together to take advantage of the opportunity to influence the situation, particularly after the members of the Assembly began discussing the possibility of delaying the process once more. Nagarik Aawaz (NA) requested funds in early May 2011 to join with seven other women’s rights groups and networks in the country and to engage in peaceful protest to ensure that the assembly incorporated the women’s agenda into the newly formed constitution. They planned to launch an awareness-raising campaign to demonstrate the important role women have played in the peace process in Nepal. They also planned 12-hour sit-ins outside the Constituent Assembly building everyday to pressure assembly members to reach consensus on the Constitution and incorporate the women’s agenda by the May 28th deadline.
NA’s mission is “progress through sustainable and just peace,” and their work is primarily focused on conflict affecting youth and women and peace-building in Nepal.
