Nepal's parliament has elected women's rights campaigner Bidhya Devi Bhandari as its first female president, in a move hailed as a milestone.

She is the second person to hold the mainly ceremonial role.

The 54-year-old is currently the vice-chair of the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist).

Ms Bhandari was defence minister from 2009 to 2011. As president, she has promised to champion minority and women's rights in Nepal.

Earlier this month, Nepal's parliament chose its new prime minister, KP Sharma Oli.

The BBC's South Asia editor Charles Haviland says Ms Bhandari is a close ally of Mr Oli, and has long been a political activist in a male-dominated society.

Ms Bhandari replaces Ram Baran Yadav, who was the country's first elected president in 2008 after Nepal abolished its monarchy.

Her election comes shortly after Nepal put in place its new constitution aimed at stabilising the country, but which ended up sparking deadly violence.

(BBC)