August 8, 2017 Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal
National Alliance for Human Rights and Social Justice (Human Rights Alliance) organized interaction program on “Parliamentarian-CSO Dialogue” on August 8, 2017 at ALFA House, New Baneshwor, Kathmandu. This program was organized in the prospect of determining role of parliament members in policies drafting process, especially, regarding CSOs’ mobilization. The program aimed to make parliament members familiarize about challenges faced by CSOs due to the hurdles in existing acts, regulations and directives. Along with this, the program was intended to provide suggestions to the parliament members about expectations of CSOs’ representatives on the potential ideas or issues to be incorporated in upcoming laws to be formulated for mobilizing the CSOs.
This interaction program was organized with the collaboration of CWIN Nepal. Participants in the program were Parliament Members, Members Representing from CSOs of Nepal. Some notable guests in the program were Rabindra Adhikari, Chairperson, Development Committee; Member of Parliament; Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Member of Parliament, Former Minister of Home Affairs; Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, Member of Parliament; Former Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation; Hari Sharma, Executive Director, Alliance for Social Dialogue (ASD); President, Netra Timilsina, Former President, NGO Federation of Nepal, Coordinator of South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE); Sharmila Karki, Immediate Past President, NGO Federation Nepal; Subodh Raj Pyakurel, Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC); Dr. Guari Shankar Lal Das, Former Commissioner of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). And, the program was facilitated by Min Bahadur Shahi, Chairperson, Human Rights Alliance and conducted by Dr. Padma Prasad Khatiwada, General Secretary, the Alliance.
During the interaction program, key note presentation was delivered by Hari Sharma, Executive Director, Alliance for Social Dialogue (ASD) on the topic emphasizing role of CSOs in changing scenario and need of supportive policies for mobilizing them in the future. Meanwhile, guests of the program, Rabindra Adhikari, Chairperson, Development Committee; Member of Parliament; Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Member of Parliament, Former Minister of Home Affairs; Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, Member of Parliament; Former Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation asserted in the necessity of CSOs in the future; hence, while making new policies space and participation will be ensured at each level.
Key Issues Raised in the Program:
Recognition of the past contribution of CSOs in political, socio-economic transformations in the country and their need in the future with the prospect of changed context of the country.
Current, shrinking space of CSOs due to imposed supervision and regulation by the concerned authorities.
Need of replacing existing outdated policies for mobilizing CSOs so that they could be made more effective in the future.
Guests from the parliament assured to CSOs for their meaningful participation in law making process and space to be provided in the future. So, they comforted CSOs not to be skeptical with the government.
Need of meaningful and effective coordination and partnership between CSOs and the government in the future for progress and prosperity of the country.