The Women and Constitution Building Initiative in Nepal was initiated (June 2008) in the spirit of a newly formed Constitution Assembly (CA) which saw the election of a high percentage of women.

International IDEA, together with its partners, identified a need for a greater understanding of how a constitution affects women’s lives and how women can contribute to the process of making a new constitution. Strategies were needed to support the creation of an inclusive political environment in a crucial period of Nepal’s history.

This Discussion Paper raises issues about how the Constituent Assembly will work. The CA’s procedures will have an impact on women members’ ability to play a part in its work, and on how women’s issues will be dealt with in the new Constitution due to be drafted by the Assembly.