Background

Nepal’s socio-political history has been shaped by continuous movements and transitions, with youth playing a frontline role in major democratic milestones including the 1951 democratic movement, the 1990 People’s Movement, the 2006 People’s Movement, and the 2015 Constitution. Youth contributed significantly to political change through activism, awareness-raising, and promotion of democratic values. Young women participation—nearly 40% during the decade-long armed conflict—followed by the peoples movement including Madhesh movement led to constitutional guarantees of 33% women’s representation under the 2015 Constitution, which envisions a federal democratic republic governing system with inclusive and proportional governance.

Despite these commitments, meaningful youth participation in decision-making remains limited. While youth are active within political parties, their representation in leadership positions is low.

When feminist activists took to the streets demanding state and political party accountability, an end to impunity, and stronger democracy, Gen-Z youth across the country also mobilized in September 2025, calling for good governance, transparency, and freedom of expression. These movements contributed to an important political shift. As preparations begin for the House of Representatives election scheduled for 5 March 2026, youth across provinces express strong hopes for transformative change, a strengthened democracy, and inclusive leadership.

WOREC is a feminist organization working for democracy and social justice. Grounded in past and ongoing struggles, WOREC believes that without a strong and inclusive democracy, the rights of women and other marginalized communities cannot be protected. At a time when democratic values are being challenged in many ways, WOREC along with other likeminded organizations organized Provincial Youth Forums in four provinces to strengthen democratic practices and uplift diverse youth voices. These forums created inclusive spaces for more than 500 young people—especially women and marginalized groups—to reflect, speak out, and engage in discussions on leadership, democratic values, policymaking, and political participation. Through panel discussions, group work, and keynote reflections, the forums demonstrated collective learning and ended with Declaration Papers that were publicly shared through press conferences, reaffirming youth commitment to and demand for democracy and social justice.

Key Provincial Insights

Koshi (Biratnagar)

On 9 November 2025, a provincial-level youth gathering was held in Biratnagar, jointly organized by Tarangini Foundation and WOREC, with the participation of around 56 young people. Discussions during the gathering concluded that democracy can only be strengthened when the foundations of a democratic republic—such as the rule of law, good governance, transparency, inclusiveness, political freedom, and free and fair elections—are firmly upheld.

Youths from Koshi joint appeal , ““We, the youth, are responsible for strengthening democracy. The state must create an environment where questions can be raised, and it must be accountable. We are committed to building an educated and responsible society by fostering political awareness.”

Sudurpaschim (Dhangadhi):

The event was organized on 26 January 2026 with the participation of more than 100 youths of diversity. Youth are hopeful about the upcoming election. While their issues vary, they share a common demand for good governance. Youth expressed interest in political engagement but rejected lifelong career politics, calling for open and accessible political spaces.

“We want to practice politics as a service, not a profession. Politics should be an open space for youth where they can to enter and exit politics easily.” – Padam Saud, Dadeldhura

Lumbini (Butwal):

The event was organized jointly by WOREC and WOFOWON on 2^nd February 2026 with the participation of more than 120 youths of diversity. Youth participants openly discussed political candidates and emphasized the responsible exercise of voting rights. Strong demands were raised to ensure meaningful representation of Dalits, Terai Dalits, and sexual and gender minorities. Participants also highlighted the importance of disability-friendly political structures to ensure inclusive and meaningful access. The diversity of the population calls for diverse leadership. Youth stressed that voters should make rational choices based on candidates’ agendas and commitments, rather than their public image or face value. The event was jointly organized by WOREC and WOFOWON.

Women are not even able to vote as per their choices, their vote is decided by the family head, always a man. –Sunita Harijan, Rupandehi

“We want candidates rooted in communities, who knows the issues with way forward not just visible on Google.” – Muna BK, Dang

“Political parties must recognize the capacity of youth with disabilities and create space for leadership.” – Laxmi Pandey, Gulmi

Madhesh (Janakpur):

In collaboration with 13 youth/women led organizations and networks, more than hundred youths from all the districts of Madhesh Province came together through the Provincial Youth Forum in Dhanusa. Participants challenged the male-centric definition of “youth” and highlighted the exclusion of women and sexual and gender minorities. The intersecting marginalization of Dalit, Indigenous, Muslim, and trans women was emphasized. Their demands include meaningful participation beyond tokenism, the unconditional right to vote, preservation of constitutional values, youth-friendly and gender-responsive policies, and freedom from all forms of structural discrimination and harmful practices. Participants also raised concerns that Madhesh issues remain underrepresented in policy and demanded youth engagement in modern agriculture.

“Youth want meaningful inclusion—from gender-responsive budgeting to implementation.” – Lalit Mahato, Mahottari

“in my community women need to marry for her citizenship yet, we want that political structure which made women’s right to citizenship easy and accessible to all women from Madhesh province also.” – Atiya Khatun, Janakpur

Key Issues Raised

• Limited youth representation in political leadership.
• Lack of governance and transparency in the political parties along with oligarchy
• Lack of opening political spaces for youth participation without lifelong political entrapment
• Lack of inclusive leadership reflecting the sense of the constitution – diversity from the ground with the state and political party’s structures (Dalits, Terai Dalits, women, sexual & gender minorities, persons with disabilities, Muslim communities, economically challenged community)
• Lack of accountable governance and corruption
• Gender Based Violence, Statelessness, denial of voting rights, knowledge capture and other forms of inequality based on caste, gender, race, identity, religion and disability
• Rising anti-democratic and anti-rights movement, misinformation and disinformation
• Shrinking democratic spaces, impunity and lack of state accountability

Major common demands from the youths:

1. Accessible and quality education, expanded technical and vocational training, and decent employment opportunities, including public investment in modern and climate-resilient agriculture, with targeted programs for women, Dalits, Indigenous peoples, and sexual and gender minorities.
2. Democratic reform within political parties to ensure transparency, accountability, leadership renewal, and participatory decision-making, and to end elite capture and dynastic control of politics.
3. Institutionalization of inclusive leadershipacross state institutions and political parties, guaranteeing proportional representation of Dalits (including Terai Dalits), women, sexual and gender minorities, persons with disabilities, Muslim communities, and economically marginalized groups from local to national levels.
4. Meaningful participation of women and youthin all climate-induced disaster risk reduction, preparedness, and response mechanisms at community, provincial, and national levels.
5. Political parties to adopt inclusive and democratic structures, ensure meaningful leadership roles for youth and women, institutionalize leadership succession, and provide inclusive political education and training.
6. Accountability and zero tolerance for corruption, including transparent governance systems that ensure public resources are used to advance people’s rights, dignity, and equitable development.
7. Protection of democratic spaces and state accountabilityby safeguarding freedoms of expression, assembly, and association, ending impunity, and upholding democratic values, human rights, and the rule of law.

Conclusion

Democracy must be lived, not just claimed. It requires dismantling all forms of structural discrimination and ensuring inclusive, meaningful participation—especially for youth, women, and marginalized groups. Gender-based violence, impunity, and tokenism weaken democratic values, making democracy hollow. Youth demand real participation, rights, and accountable political practice, not empty rhetoric. Through feminist and youth-led organizing and active, informed participation in elections, youths commit to strengthening democracy while remaining alert to the dangers of miscommunication and popularity.

Sustainability of the movement

This forum is starting point of a campaign. It will be driven through the ANKUR youth network, an initiative led by WOREC. ANKUR will enable youth to bypass traditional political gatekeepers and create an independent, inclusive space for political engagement.

As a continuous campaign platform, ANKUR will provide youth with a sustained space for dialogue, advocacy, and collective action beyond the conference. The network will be responsible for creating the discourse on youth and maintaining a unified provincial youth front to advance shared political demands and accountability.

The message from the youths is clear:  We no longer content to be labeled as “future leaders.” We are current political actors whose intellect, agency and participation are the indispensable requirements for just, stable and democratic future.

 Women-led organizations (WLOs) are integral to the Nepali community, responding to issues ranging from violence against women to disaster response and different issues related with public health. They are frontline responders of violence against women and disaster response from women’s perspective. WLOs not only provide critical support and response services, they are also the pillars of community movement building and social transformation as they fight against social injustice and human rights violation. WLOs in Nepal have also contributed a lot for political and legal awareness building among women contributing to women’s civil and political rights.
Despite their significant contributions, WLOs frequently encounter substantial obstacles in accessing the resources necessary for their operations, including human resources, financial support, and technical knowledge. This happens because access and access to resources is also a political issue which is impacted by power and privilege. WLOs in Nepal, as in many parts of the world, operate with limited support and face systemic barriers, non-recognition of their knowledge and operational skill leading to face several constraints to accessing the needed resources. There is very little investment in WLOs institutional and technical capacity building. These challenges are exacerbated by intersectional factors such as geographic isolation, language barriers, and socio-cultural dynamics that limit their visibility and influence. This report presents findings from a survey conducted by WOREC Nepal between May and July 2024, aimed at understanding the barriers and challenges that women-led organizations in Nepal face getting recognized as capable human resources with adequate knowledge, expertise and skills despite their decade’s long contribution in social transformation and community movement building. This survey was initiated in the context of a growing recognition of the importance of grassroots organizations in promoting gender equality and community resilience without much discussion on how they are being systematically pushed back. The findings highlight these challenges, providing a crucial understanding of the needs and constraints of WLOs in Nepal and offering insights into potential avenues for enhancing their access to resources and strengthening their impact on communities.

Survey Report 1.pdf

This study focuses on precisely these subtle factors of social change, drawing from a study of how participation in social campaigns has catalysed transformations in the lives of adolescent girls in the Rupandehi and Kapilvastu districts. Specifically, this study delves into the journey of adolescent girls associated with the Girls Rights Forum (‘Kishori Adhikar Manch’), who have transcended social constraints and challenged detrimental traditional norms imposed upon them. It examines their pivotal role in driving societal change, as well as the personal transformations they have experienced throughout the empowerment process.

In the context of this study, the term ‘Abhiyan’ (‘campaign’) encompasses a wider concept. Here, the ‘campaign’ refers to the programmes, diverse activities, and collective social endeavours undertaken by individual adolescent girls, facilitated by the Adolescent Girls’ Rights Forum (Kishori Adhikar Manch) and supported by organisations such as WOREC Nepal, CARE Nepal, and others. Essentially, any social initiative undertaken by adolescent girls within a communal setting has been considered a campaign here. This study comprises two primary components. Firstly, it aims to examine the endeavours made by adolescent girls in transcending social constraints. Secondly, it seeks to analyse the transformations experienced by adolescent girls as a result of their involvement in the campaign, and the subsequent impact of these changes on society.

Scope of Study

This study focuses on adolescent girls participating in the Adolescent Girls’ Rights Forum in the Rupandehi and Kapilvastu districts. Adolescent Girls’ Rights Forum is a district-level network registered in 2019. WOREC Nepal and CARE Nepal are supporting the formation and subsequent activities of the Adolescent Girls’ Rights Forum (Kishori Adhikar Manch).