“A Modest Initiative, a Deep-Rooted Patriarchy”: Debate on Discrimination Against Women from Homes to the State

Kathmandu : Activists involved in the anti-patriarchy movement have discussed the discrimination women face in families, society, politics, and state institutions.

The discussion took place at the “Patriarchy Research Series–I,” titled “A Modest Initiative: A Deep-Rooted Patriarchy,” organized by the Scientific Socialist Communist Party on Saturday at Shilpi Theatre in Battisputali, Kathmandu. Activists examined discrimination against women and the social structures that perpetuate it.

During the experience-sharing session, activists also recounted the problems and discrimination they had personally faced within their families and society simply because they were daughters.

Unequal treatment of sons and daughters, restrictions on women’s freedom, and their limited access to decision-making are among the key manifestations of patriarchy. As these practices extend beyond families into political and state institutions, the discussion highlighted the need to transform social attitudes and institutional practices to eliminate discrimination.

The debate on patriarchy also emphasized that increasing women’s representation must go hand in hand with economic independence, equal rights, and meaningful participation in decision-making.

The program framed patriarchy not merely as a problem of individual behavior but as a broader social, economic, and political structure that perpetuates inequality against women.