Paper short abstract:

This paper explores women's engagement in post-war negotiation processes in the creation of post-war order, authority and legitimacy, therefore, addresses women's status in everyday politics amid new political arrangements in Nepal in transition.

Paper long abstract:

The advantageous opportunities gained by women aftermath a decade long conflict in the wake of new political arrangements has gathered heightened attention and controversy in recent years. There are critics that high rise in macro-level indicators of gender empowerment as shown by SIGI index 2012 has not ensured women's voices in decision making positions. There are chances that the gained empowerment could relapse in the context of prolonged post-conflict transition which has been visible in cases of women combatants. To understand micro-level post- war politics and order is important because it has a direct impact on women's meaningful participation in decision making processes. Therefore, , this paper explores women's position and role in practices of consensus and contestation, and questions the forms of authority and performative registers of dissent and harmony, protest and loyalty in everyday politics. The study is grounded empirically with examples of local community user groups from 2010-2013. The paper argues that although the new transitional political arrangement has brought women in the forefront of decision making bodies, the local political space is still gendered and guided by power relations in new transitional arrangements which are discriminatory for women. This has greater effect on both the participation and decision making power of women. Therefore, compromise/decision made by women usually is uninformed, unintended and guided by the male leaders of the VDC.

Keywords: Women, Gender, Governance, Compromise, Decision Making, Participation