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FES Activities in Nepal
on Democracy, Trade Union Development and Regional Co-operation
in 2000
Since its establishment in
Nepal in 1995 Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) has been organizing
its activities with the objectives of promoting democracy and
development in Nepal, strong trade union movement as well as
helping to strengthen Nepal’s position in regional cooperation
in South Asia. Accordingly, FES sponsored activities—seminars,
workshops, trainings, meetings, exposure visits, scholarships,
expert advise, publication, material support, etc became relevant
to achieve a number of objectives set by the Nepalese government.
Focus and Outcome of Each
Activity
In order to achieve the above
objectives, FES Nepal office under its Democracy, Development,
Trade Union and Regional Cooperation organized 67 activities
involving meetings, seminars, workshops, training, exposure
visit, publications and material support to its partner organizations.
FES conducted most of its planned activities through 18 partner
organizations. The activity list is given below:
Nepal Foundation for Advanced
Studies (NEFAS) organized a series of one-day workshop on
five different geographic regions of the country: Birgunj
(June 9), Jaleshwor (June 12), Dharan (June
15), Nepalgunj (July 21) and Butwal (July 23)
on "Educating Young Generation About Democracy in Nepal." The
idea was to consolidate democracy in society through the spread
of civic education and collective action. NEFAS is politically
neutral organization capable of carrying out educational activities
throughout the country. It is a link institution of ILO, and
Japan Institute of Labor. Outcome: About forty higher
secondary schools have offered civic education course, some
donors have also entered into this domain and FES-prepared book
on "Contemporary Nepali Society" is taught as an elective subject.
The book is useful for civil service examination and party schools
are using this book to train their cadres.
Forum for the Protection
of Consumer Interest (Pro-Public) organized two-day
training course in three places: Nagarkot, Kathmandu (June 3-4)
on "Consumer Protection in the Next Millennium," Janakpur (August
12-13) on "Consumer’ Rights and Responsibilities, " and Nepalgunj
(November 15-16) on "Empowering Consumers to Face Socio-economic
and Cultural Challenges." Pro-Public involved many consumers-related
NGOs, food and drug related organizations, lawyers, government
officials and concerned citizens in their programs. This organization
advocated the need for reform in Consumer Act, sensitized the
consumers on their rights and responsibilities, explained the
impact of new international competitive regimes and the structural
changes occurring in the world and their impacts on Nepal. Outcome:
Pro-public established and consolidated its networking with
important consumer and public interest related organizations;
supplied them with five Briefing Papers written in Nepali to
familiarize them with the changing informational, economic,
technological and political regimes, especially focusing on
globalization, WTO and regionalization and prepared them on
how to cope with the emerging challenges.
Nepal Center for Contemporary
Studies (NCCS) Organized one-day Workshop on three places:
Biratnagar (July 12), Kathmandu (August 17) and Mahendranagar
(November 23) on "Critical Discourse on Electoral Reforms in
Nepal." The main purpose of the workshops were: to familiarize
the opinion leaders, party representatives and elected representatives
about the different modes of elections: first-past-the-post,
absolute majority and proportional representative systems of
German type; familiarize the attentive public of the need for
free and fair election for strengthening democracy and good
governance; shortcomings on the current election system in terms
of representativeness and provide suggestions for reforms. Earlier
this year His Majesty the King had asked the government to establish
mechanism for free and fair elections in the country and the
government had constituted a commission to suggest ways and
means for this. Outcome: Workshops were organized in
the context to provide 1) inputs to the Government-constituted
Commission on the modality to make elections free and fair;
and b) involve chief election commissioner and election commissioners
in the debate process so that policy linkages are established
about the administration of elections from the day of registration
of voters to final outcome; and c) provide inputs to those involved
in electoral administration.
Prithvi Narayan Post-Graduate
Campus (PNPGC) organized a one-day seminar on "How Civil
Society Can Uplift the Disadvantaged People?" in Pokhara
on July 6. The purpose was to see the disadvantaged people’s
condition in the context of government policies of liberalization,
globalization and privatization, social struggles emerging in
the country with anti-state discourse, and the legitimate movements
of those disadvantaged people themselves. Dalits who having
20 percent of population have no representation in the Lower
House of Parliament; women whose representation is just 6 percent
and indigenous communities and societies who are marginalized
from the mainstream politics, development and society. Outcome:
alternative views were articulated outside Kathmandu; demands
of Dalits and bonded labors are heard and heeded by the donors
and the decision-makers; and dominant groups of society began
to consider that democracy and development cannot be possible
without the upliftment of the all sections of society, especially
the downtrodden.
Nepal Foundation for Advantaged
Studies (NEFAS) organized a two-day seminar on "Good Governance
in South Asia: A Decade of Governance in Nepal," on September
19-20 in Kathmandu. The ideas behind the holding of this
seminar were: to assess the performance of a decade of governance
in Nepal; find out critical obstacles on the way of achieving
good governance and explore ways and means to cope with the
implications of changing concepts and contexts brought about
by the new developments, especially in political, economic,
technological, informational and security regimes. Outcomes:
the proposed Information Policy of the governance brought to
critical scrutiny involving the drafters of policy; the consequence
of bad governance on the poor and its fallout were brought to
decision-makers’ notice; new definitions of security as opposed
to military security was suggested and the impacts of new technology
on the state, market, civil society, political parties, etc
were anticipated in the discourse. Participants noted that more
systematic study and seminars be conducted on the IT Governance
in the light of Nepal’s changing policy parameters and structural
needs of the nation.
Center for Studies on Democracy
and Good Governance (CSDG) organized a two-day seminar on
"A Decade of Democracy in Nepal" in Kathmandu on June
23-24. The basic idea behind the seminar was to take stock of
the strength and weakness of democratic structures, actors,
processes and practices over the last one decade of the restoration
of multi-party polity in Nepal. This is an organization established
and manned by the Secretary-Generals of major political parties,
including Speaker and Chairman of the parliament. Outcome:
Forty members of parliament took part in the workshop including
all chairman of parliamentary committees. Decision-makers of
the parties were acquainted with the lacunas in the different
branches of governance, constitution, political leaders including
public policies regarding development in Nepal; several recommendations
were furnished by the Center and submitted to concerned ministries
including the Prime Minister. The Center is preparing Governance
Act and intending to undertake to prepare Civil Society Acts
in the future.
Center for Economic and
Technical Studies (CETS) organized a two-day seminar on
"Development of Strategies for Uplifting Dalits in Nepal" in
Kathmandu on July 8-9 involving mainly Dalit representatives
from different parts of the country, major donors involved in
Dalit upliftment process and Bishwa Hindu Parisad. Outcome:
The Bishwa Hindu Parisad immediately organized a follow up seminars
involving the same participants and advocated for the abolition
of "untouchability" system in the country; recommendations of
the seminars were taken up by DANIDA, UNDP and Action Aid to
formulate project development for the welfare of Dalits. UNDP
in its 2001 Human Development Report has undertaken Dalit
as major area of policy focus.
Center for the Consolidation
of Democracy (CCD) organized a series of one-day Workshops
on "Dissemination of the Idea of Social Justice in Nepal" in
different part of country including in remote areas where such
discussions are hardly organized. Venue of the Workshops involved:
Kathmandu (June 1), Jhapa (July 15), Syangja
(September 24), Mustang (October 27), Sirha (November
1), Chitwan (December 29), Dang (December 31).
CCD is an ideological think-tank of Nepali Congress Party and
manned mostly by senior political leaders, ministers and office
bearers of Nepali Congress. Outcome: political leaders
and decision-makers came to know about different types and forms
of social democracy; the context of social justice; development
policies of Nepal in the context of social justice; economic
liberalization and social justice and how the Nepali Congress
as a "social democratic party" ought to resolve the dilemma
between social justice and free market economy, etc A book prepared
by CCD in cooperation with FES "Social Justice in Nepal’s Context"
were distributed among the participants for discussion.
Legal Aid and Consultancy
Center (LACC) organized a series of four-day workshops on
"Gender Mainstreaming for Schools Principles and Secondary Teachers"
in Kathmandu (May 15-18), Dhanagadhi/Kailali (August
13-16) and Dharan (September 9-12). This is the ongoing
advocacy and education program targeting the change agents of
society with a view that upon gender sensitization, teachers
will help re-socialization of students on democratic lines.
The partner organization is also active in helping the women
and girl child at risk and provide them immediate services.
The other purposes of the workshops were to: sensitize the school
teachers and principles about the importance of gender equality
for women’s empowerment and deconstruct the conventional practices
of keeping women as unequal partners in society; familiarize
them with the knowledge with the Nepali laws and International
Conventions signed regarding women’s rights; and lobby for why
property rights for women is essential for their rightful place
in public life, self-dignity and self-determination. Outcome:
Teachers are better educated about gender rights and equality
and schools are revising their teaching courses to include women’s
empowerment and policy-makers are revising development policies
to make them gender-sensitive.
Padma Kanya Multiple Campus
(PKMC) organized a two-day seminar on "Gender Equality and
Democracy in Nepal" in Kathmandu on May 30-31. This is
the only women’s campus for higher learning and the campus
is active in educating the elected women members of Village
development Committees and Municipalities. The additional purpose
were: to generate teaching materials for Women’s Studies Department
for the same campus; generate recommendations for lobbying for
property rights for women and provide inputs for the bill on
property rights pending in the parliament. PKMC is the only
post-graduate women’s campus in the country having the potential
to undertake effective teaching on women’s affairs. Outcome:
Tribhuvan University is considering to upgrade Womens’ Studies
Department from one year diploma to two-year degree course;
the outputs of the seminars have been shared by the Ministry
of Women and Social Affairs, all NGOs and INGOs involved in
gender issues became known about gender problems; and secretary
of law during the seminar articulated that feedback of the seminar
shall help him parade women’s case in the legislative action.
A book prepared by the campus on "Gender and Democracy in
Nepal" is going to be included into their syllabus.
Nepal Forum for Human Rights
and Development (NFHRD) organized a one-day seminar on "Enhancing
National Integrity System through the Accountability of Government"
on December 9 in Kathmandu. The influential members of Nepali
Congress Party and a few independent members man this human
right forum. The aims were to suggest ways and means to strengthen
the national integrity system of the state, accountability of
the government and increase their service delivery capacity
to the public. Outcome: Both the speaker of the House
and chairman of the Public Account Committee of the Parliament
viewed the seminar important in the context of Parliament undertaking
initiatives in strengthening Commission for the Investigation
of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Political Party Act and Civil
Society Act, the two are hotly debated in the parliament. They
while chairing the sessions suggested that similar type of activities
should be organized in other part of the country to alert the
watchdog agencies about an increase in the culture of impunity;
government not taking heed of parliament; and acting in an arbitrary
manner and thus weakening the state’s integrity system and public
purpose of the government to protect weak.
Nepal Forum for Human Rights
and Development (NFHRD) organized a one-day seminar on "Consolidation
of Multi-Party Democracy in Nepal: Inter-Party Relations," on
December 30 in Kathmandu. In view of tremendous inter-and intra-party
conflicts occurring in the country due to personalized nature
of party leadership, the topic has immense relevance to be pursued
to in order to familiarize the public about its harmful impacts
on the governance, especially in shaping political will for
policy implementation and policy legitimation as well as development.
The objective was how to effect a bottom-up approach to party
reform so that real difference in democratic process can be
made and a culture of accountability to the people can be enforced.
The seminar highlighted the lacuna in the currently passed party
act and suggested that further reforms should be initiated to
bring change in the party’s political culture, party finance,
leadership evaluation, succession and monitoring of party activities.
Central Department of Sociology
and Anthropology (CDSA) organized a two-day national seminar
on "The Government, NGOs and Civil Society in Nepal: A Critical
Examination of Their Roles and Responsibilities" in Kathmandu
on April 10-11. CDSA is the policy-making department for all
the sociology/anthropology departments in the country. The purposes
of the seminar were three-fold: to take stock of the performance
of these three actors; evaluate their roles and responsibilities
in the changed context in an interactive perspective and publish
a book to be used as a reference material for teachers and students
for B. A. and M.A. levels in the Department of Sociology/ Anthropology.
The policy context of the seminar was that Public Account Committee
of the Parliament Charged NGOs for running "parallel government"
while NGOs and civil society entered into anti-government and
anti-state discourse. Social Service Council, a government body
where all local and international NGOs are registered, is now
collecting information to reform NGO Acts. Outcome: decision-makers,
teachers, students, NGO representatives and civil society became
aware of their respective roles; and Central Department of Sociology/
Anthropology agreed to include the publication in their curriculum.
Central Department of Political
Science (CDPS) organized a two-day seminar on "How Democratization
Can Help Evolve Civic Culture?" at Bhairahawa on August
27-28. This is the policy-making department for all political
science faculties of the university. The basic purposes were
to: assess the impact of a decade of democratization on the
evolution of CIVIC political culture; to take stock of post-democratic
political awareness; the process of local political development
and educate the public of why civic political culture is fundamental
to good governance in the country. Outcome: the mico-macro
gap on the perception of people, their attitudes, behavior and
orientations towards the polity, the state and the government
came into sharper focus; the service delivery institutions of
the government were found to be suffering from the psychology
of rulers that put them above the people as a "giver" with the
people expected to lie low and act low, not actively participate
in the governance process. Webs of political power and patrimonial
decision-making were identified as the barriers to the development
of political culture conducive to democracy consolidation. Participants,
therefore, noted that clientalistic sort of governing institutions
and political parties must be changed through social mobilization
of people, political institutionalization, and constitutionalization
of societies and the state power.
Nepal Trade Union Congress
(NTUC) organized a series of two-day training programs on "Strengthening
Union Capacity Through Union Campaigning" in different parts
of the country. The Venues Include: Kathmandu (July 8-9),
Chitwan (July 27-28), Rajbiraj (September 12-13),
Bara (September 19-20), Mahendranagar-Kanchanpur
( September 21-22), Birgunj-Parsa (September 21-22),
and Kathmandu (December 30-31). The Dang training had
to be shifted to Kathmandu because Dang is politically vulnerable
to Maoist problems and Dang Valley hosts increasing victims
of Maoist violence. The training course involved, among others,
trade union movement at domestic and international levels, objectives
of trade unions and their function, including collective bargaining;
legal status of trade union, its importance, operation process,
funds and finance; trade union leadership (style, art, quality,
skills, merits and demerits); trade union communication (skills,
process and media, etc); public speaking and its practice; trade
union act/labor act and general information on labor issues,
problem analysis of carpet workers in group work and its presentation;
etc. Outcome: NTUC has improved both its organizational
structure and functions and trade union movement in Nepal became
more professional relatively independent of political parties
and cooperation with other trade unions improved.
Nepal Trade Union Congress
(NTUC) organized a series of three-day training course on "Organizing
Women Workers Through Union Campaigning". The venues include:
Kathmandu (September 23-25), Nawalparasi (17-19
October) and Kathmandu (December 19-21). Nawalparasi
venue had to be shifted to Kathmandu because of political problem
occurring there. The trainees involved the participation of
women members of NTUC. The training courses include, among others,
trade union movement at domestic and international levels, objectives
of trade unions and their function, including collective bargaining;
legal status of trade union, its importance, operation process,
funds and finance; trade union leadership (style, art, quality,
skills, merits and demerits); trade union communication (skills,
process and media, etc); public speaking and its practice; trade
union act/labor act and general information on labor issues,
problem analysis of carpet workers in group work and its presentation;
etc. Outcome: increased women’s participation in union
activities, in leadership position and knowledge. This is for
the first time so many women leaders of NTUC got opportunity
to expose themselves to trade union skills.
Democratic Confederation
of Nepalese Trade Unions (DECONT) organized a series of
four-day regional level training courses on "Leadership Training
Program" in Kathmandu (May 30-June 2), Biratnagar
(June 6-9), Parsa-Birgunj (June 18-21) and Mahendranagar
(October 14-17). As DECONT is relatively new trade unions it
required training course for its local level leaders and members.
The Course contents involved: the importance of independent
trade union movement-- domestic and international; international
cooperation, especially ITSes, FES and ILO; basic principles
of trade union rights; trade union finance, administration and
membership recruitment; labor economics and the changing nature
of global economy, trade union act and labor laws and collective
bargaining, leadership quality, communication/ motivation, public
speaking, information handling and grievance ventilation, etc.
Outcome: DECONT leadership at the local level is now
getting better equipped with modern trade union skills, becoming
stronger, better organized and professional.
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
(FES) organized a half-day talk program on "Trade Union,
Globalization and the WTO Process" on July 28 involving all
the major trade unions, all the trade unions-related national
and international organizations working Nepal. Mr. Klaus Zwickel,
Chairman, IMF and his secretary made presentations followed
by discussions from the floor. Outcome: Nepalese trade
union leaders and decision-makers became familiar with the challenges
of Globalization on International Trade Union movements and
the roles and responsibilities of unions in coping them.
General Federation of Nepalese
Trade Unions (GEFONT) organized two-day five training courses
for its members on "Training of Workers on Trade Union Education"
in different parts of the country, such as: Mahendranagar
(March 22-23), Jhapa (March 29-30), Itahari (March
31-April 1), Hetaunda (April 2-3), and Kathmandu (April
14-15). Course contents involve: moving ahead within the first
decade of 21st Century; glorious ten years of our
struggle; GEFONT Campaign in the next Millennium; Towards self-dependence;
and compatible structures for the new millennium. Outcome:
GEFONT affiliated members and local leaders received advanced
level of training on planing, budgeting, programming, informational
technology, office management and informational handling, and
Future Plan of Action; a proposal for GEFONT'’ Financial Program
and a Proposal for the amendment of GEFONt’s Constitutions.
GEFONT members are better equipped with the new informational
and technological development and their implications for Nepalese
trade union, labor market, and union movement.
Coalition for Action on
South Asian Cooperation (CASAC) organized a one-day seminar
on "Role of Private Sector in Regional Cooperation in South
Asia," on September 22. CASAC is regional network of eminent
persons, including ex-Secretary-Generals of SAARC and is active
in promoting regional cooperation in South Asia through research,
publication, meetings, advocacy, consultation and lobbying.
Other additional purposes were identify the areas where private
sectors could play roles especially in foreign direct investments,
water resources and tourism in matters of regional cooperation.
Outcome: Problems were identified on Nepal’s potential
in water resources, foreign direct investments and tourism and
suggestions were furnished on how to go ahead. The costs of
non-cooperation were brought to decision-makers notice. Findings
are used by the American Center to go into the details of tourism
sector and identify wider areas of cooperation.
Publications/ and Other
activities
- UNI-APRO/FES "Sub-Regional Training Course
for Educators" March 1-9, Kathmandu.
- NEFAS: "Preparation of book on "Contemporary
Nepali Society" (in Nepali) 1,500 copies.
- CCD: " Social Justice in Nepal’s Context"
(in Nepali) 500 Copies.
- CETS: "Strategies for Uplifting Dalits
in Nepal" (in Nepali) 1,000 Copies.
- PNPGC: "Institutionalization of Democratic
Polity in Nepal" 1,000 copies.
- GEFONT: "Training of Workers on Trade Union
Education" (in Nepali) 1,000 Copies.
- CSDG: "A Decade of Democracy in Nepal"
2000 (in Nepali) copies.
- Pro-Public: "Briefing Papers," 500 copies.
- NEFAS: CASAC: "Issues of Governance in
Nepal" 700 copies.
- CASAC: "Kathmandu Statement II: Program
of Action" (March 2000) 2000 copies.
- Preparation of a Report on "Five Years
of FES in Nepal" (October 1).
- CASAC: First "Meeting of
Citizens’ Commission in South Asia,"Kathmandu December
1-3.
- CASAC Policy Paper 111, "SAARC Vision
Beyond the Year 2000: The CASAC Perspective on the Report
of the SAARC Group of Eminent Persons", September 2000.
- Study tour of Journalist "Yub Nath Lamsal"
to Germany.
- CASAC: "Computer"
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