Why do Post-Civil War Countries Fast-Track Gender Quotas? The Case of Nepal

Abstract

The rise in women’s legislative representation is globally evident. Both developed and developing countries have implemented gender quotas to address women’s political underrepresentation. But in recent decades, postwar developing countries have been at the forefront of quota adoption. This article examines why postwar developing countries fast-track1 the adoption of gender quotas after the civil war. By analyzing the case of Nepal, this study shows that war-induced gender disruption and women’s deep-rooted and persistent activism combined with the support of the international community enabled Nepali women to enter new political spaces after the war. Moreover, it illustrates that international influences alone may not be sufficient to promote gender quotas in postwar societies without a mobilization by the national women’s movement.