The 601 members of Nepal’s Constituent Assembly who have been elected to make a new constitution face a task that may be daunting, but could be inspiring.

The task, as described in the Interim Constitution, is that of making a new constitution 'by the people of Nepal themselves', through the Constituent Assembly. The process is envisaged as involving the restructuring of the state (of which a major part is the adoption of a federal system): ‘To bring an end to discrimination based on class, caste, language, gender, culture, religion and region' (article 138).

Although the Interim Constitution itself does not offer a clear roadmap for the process—or for the principles to guide the making of the new constitution—there can be no doubt that the process should be one that takes as a minimum the rights of women as provided for in the Interim Constitution. It also needs to build on these rights, producing a constitution that reflects the needs and concerns of the women of Nepal.