NDI - Nepal

More Attention Needed for Parliamentary Reporting | April 16, 2012

fgalleto — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:51:21 +0000

Speakers at a talk programme pointed out the need for extra caution and attention while reporting and disseminating news on parliamentary affairs.

At the workshop organised by Parliamentary Journalists' Society with the help of National Democratic Institute (NDI) here on Monday, the media experts and government officials admitted that although only experienced journalists do reporting on parliamentary affairs in the developed countries, the newcomers are doing the same work of reporting on such affairs in Nepal. Therefore, the news about parliament business has been falsely reported here, they added.

Link to story »

NDI E-news: North Africa, Liberia, Ecuador | May 2011

fgalleto — Thu, 26 May 2011 20:27:35 +0000

May 2011

Across North Africa, Citizens Find Their Voice

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On one wall of Tahrir Square in Benghazi, Libya, people leave pictures of those who died during the reign of Muammar Gaddafi, including during the uprising that began in February. Photo by Maroun Sfeir.

With the major changes taking place across North Africa, NDI is expanding its activities in Egypt and Tunisia, where citizen uprisings led to the overthrow of authoritarian rulers and events are unfolding quickly as citizens work to organize new democratic systems.

In Libya, where citizens are fighting for freedom, NDI sent a team to Benghazi earlier this month to assess what Libyans will need for a democratic transition. Les Campbell, NDI director of Middle East and North Africa programs, writes about his experiences in this first-person account. "There is such a hunger for information ... The isolation of this part of Libya was profound and what is going on now is a genuine awakening."

NDI has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Transitional National Council (TNC), outlining ways the Institute can support Libya's transition by working with both the TNC and civil society.

Young people protest against regional discrimination in Le Kef, a city in northwestern Tunisia.

In Tunisia, NDI is beginning a second round of focus group research to learn how political parties are viewed and what issues citizens are most concerned about. As Tunisia prepares for its first democratic elections in more than 20 years, set for July 24, the Institute will share the findings with political parties to help them draft platforms and campaign strategies that address the needs of Tunisians.

In April, NDI brought Polish Solidarity leader and former defense minister Janusz Onyszkiewicz and retired Indonesian general Agus Widjojo to Cairo for a series of consultations with Egyptian political leaders and civic activists on political transitions. Discussions focused on how opposition groups can prepare for elections on an accelerated timetable, overcome internal divisions and navigate a transition to democracy that is being directed by the military with limited public input. Most Egyptian political parties are focused on September's parliamentary elections. NDI has been helping them develop campaign strategies and skills, and work on new campaign techniques, such as door-to-door campaigning, that have traditionally been resisted by Egyptian activists. NDI has also been working with parties to organize candidate debates and with civic groups to discuss electoral reform.

Meanwhile, NDI and the government of Bulgaria signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at sharing that nation's experience in democratic transitions with countries in the Middle East and North Africa. "As a country that has spent the past two decades undergoing a massive and often difficult transformation from dictatorship to democracy, Bulgaria has much to share with those who are now struggling to instill those same changes in their societies," said Nikolay Mladenov, Bulgaria's foreign minister, at a signing ceremony at NDI. Already, Bulgarian political leaders have visited with new political parties in Tunisia to share lessons learned.

Arabic language publications

NDI offers a number of manuals and handbooks designed to help civil society organizations, political parties and governments through democratic transitions. The Institute's most recent manual,
Political Process Monitoring: Activist Tools and Techniques, helps citizen groups monitor electoral campaign conduct as well as scrutinize government performance. The Institute also offers 75 Arabic language publications on topics such as advocacy, women's participation, democratic governance and using technology for more effective communications.

'Small Small' Improvements to Liberian Bill Tracking Improve Transparency

Reporting from Monrovia, Liberia, Program Manager Brittany Danisch explains how small improvements to the legislature's bill tracking system have had a big impact. Listen to the audio or read the transcript»

Sudanese Civic Group Gives Mostly Positive Marks to South Kordofan Polling Process

Elections held in the Sudanese state of Southern Kordofan were generally well conducted despite a number of deficiencies, according to the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE), an NDI partner. SuGDE deployed 90 citizen observers for the gubernatorial and state legislative elections. Read more»

Serbia Debates Electoral Reform as Precursor to EU Membership

Serbia's election system — particularly the manner in which citizens vote for representatives in parliament — is seen as one factor keeping the country from membership in the European Union. NDI brought 80 members of academia, government and civil society together to create recommendations on amending the electoral law. Read more»

Former Congresswoman Emphasizes the Value of Oversight to Russian Duma

Constance Morella, former U.S. representative from Maryland, recently appeared before the Russian Duma to testify on behalf of a bill that would increase congressional oversight in Russia — an important legislative branch check on executive authority. Morella was invited to testify by Just Russia, a party NDI has been working with on issues of democratic governance. Read more»

Democracy is...Tolerance

"Voices from the Middle East: Democracy is Tolerance" is a new video using material submitted online through Democracy is..., a public-private partnership in which NDI is a partner. The program asks young people around the world to complete the phrase "Democracy is..." through videos, tweets and photos submitted online. The video combines entries from across the region with common themes of equality, diversity and tolerance.
Watch»

Join the conversation»

Parliamentarians, Business Leaders Work Together in Mauritania to Improve Economy

In Mauritania, parliamentarians joined forces openly with representatives of the business community for the first time in the country's history this month. The two groups agreed to submit an official report to the Mauritanian National Assembly detailing issues and recommendations, and to establish a commission promoting ongoing collaboration between government and the private sector. Read more»

Cleaner Hospitals is Subject for Legislator Training in Ecuador

The poor hospital hygiene that may have been responsible for a recent string of infant deaths in Ecuador became a case study for a legislative training program organized by NDI. The program simulated ways to seek and incorporate citizen input into legislation that would improve regulation of hospital conditions. Read more»

Macedonian Code of Conduct Asks 'What Mark Will We Leave?'

Macedonian political parties signed a code of conduct ahead of snap parliamentary elections, calling on parties to respect the electoral law and foster a tolerant campaign atmosphere free of violent or intimidating rhetoric, fraud, bribery and proxy voting. The code is the eighth NDI has sponsored, and adherence to the codes has increased over the last eight elections. Read more»

Electoral Fairs Bring Politics Out of the Box in Peru

In the weeks leading up to last month's Peruvian elections, NDI partnered with Transparencia, a leading civic group, to organize a series of candidate debates and electoral fairs that gave citizens from outside the capital the opportunity to interact personally with candidates. Read more»

Marching Ahead: A Profile Book of Women Constituent Assembly Members

The April 2008 elections in Nepal marked a historic and unprecedented step forward for that nation's women, who won one-third of the seats in the Constituent Assembly, the body tasked with drafting the new Nepali constitution. A new book, Marching Ahead: A Profile Book on Women Constituent Assembly Members, profiles 24 of these women, sharing their stories as inspirations and role models for the next generation of women leaders. Read more»

Marching Ahead: A Profile Book of Women Constituent Assembly Members (Nepal)

Mon, 16 May 2011 18:30:37 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

05/16/2011

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English, Nepali

Media Type:

PDF

English

Nepalese

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Read the report in English	2.52 MB
Read the report in Nepali	2.63 MB

Final Report on Community Dialogue/Public Hearing & Round Table Program For Women Constituent Assembly/Parliament Members

rrunyan — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 17:06:00 +0000

Author:

Pro Public

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

08/01/2010

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Media Type:

PDF

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	300.5 KB

NDI E-news: Sudan, Nepal, Liberia | April 2010

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 21:17:18 +0000

April 2010

Citizens Become Involved in Sudan Political Process

Members of SuGDE prepare to submit

accreditation forms for 2,500
election day observers.

Large numbers of Sudanese citizens took part in generally peaceful but deeply flawed elections this month, the nation's first polls in 24 years.

NDI supported the work of two civic networks, the Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections (SuGDE) and the Sudanese Network for Democratic Elections (SuNDE), that joined forces to create the only coordinated Sudan-wide domestic nonpartisan election monitoring effort. With SuGDE covering the north and SuNDE the south, they received more than 13,500 reports from over 4,300 trained and accredited election observers who were deployed to over 2,000 polling stations across all of Sudan’s 25 states. Read more»

The observers found many failings in the election process and the five days of voting. "...the elections did not fulfill the Interim Constitution’s and Comprehensive Peace Agreement's aspirations for democratic transition and did not adequately meet the requirements of the National Elections Commission rules and regulations," the groups said in a joint statement. Particular problems included poor election administration, incidents of violence, harassment and intimidation, and lack of understanding of their roles by some parties, candidates and supporters.

The elections were an important milestone for Sudan and were required by the country's Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), signed in 2005, that ended the country's civil war. NDI has worked extensively in Sudan since 2002 with the goal of helping Sudanese citizens develop the tools needed to build a more democratic society.

In the runup to the election, the Institute worked closely with SuGDE, a coalition of eight nonpartisan civil society groups, and SuNDE, a coalition of over 75 community groups. Both networks were created for election observation and SuNDE was also engaged in voter education. Read more about the two groups' preparations for the elections»

SuNDE conducted a two-week voter education campaign in October, holding 375 events in 37 counties in all 10 states of southern Sudan. Events ranged from election briefings for key community leaders to presentations at town markets and community events. Topics included the importance of participating in the elections, what offices were up for election and voter registration procedures. Read more»

A major part of NDI's work in Sudan has been focus group research on problems Sudanese people face in their communities, their understanding of the political process and their vision of the future. Imagining the Election explores what citizens in southern Sudan and the Three Areas knew of and expected from the 2010 elections. Losing Hope looks at citizen perceptions about progress toward peace since the signing of the CPA. Read more»

NDI also produces and broadcasts an ongoing radio program, Let's Talk, an engaging radio drama that explores issues of good governance, civic participation and women's political participation.
Sudanese listen to the broadcasts on 265,000 wind-up, solar-powered radios distributed by the Institute, and take part in listening groups throughout Southern Sudan that bring people together to talk about the lessons in the programs. NDI collaborated with Betsy Levy Paluck, a Princeton University researcher, to conduct a field experiment that demonstrated that the Sudan program’s
design could increase listeners’ interest in politics and improve their civic participation. Learn about the results»

Get Your Tickets!

It's not too late to get your tickets for NDI's 25th anniversary dinner celebration on May 10. NDI will honor Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe, above, with the W. Averell Harriman Democracy Award. The Network of Chocó Women of Colombia will receive the Madeleine K. Albright Grant.

Purchase a table or tickets»

Young Women Leaders Collaborate at North African Regional Conference

With women becoming increasingly prominent in North African politics, NDI brought together women leaders from across the region to discuss the importance of strengthening the role of women in political life. The group met in Casablanca, Morocco, to collaborate on strategies for shaping and strengthening women's political and civic engagement.

Liberian Legislature Building Budget Analysis Capability

The Liberian legislature, seeking to strengthen its oversight of the executive branch, is working to improve its budget analysis skills. The country’s democratic transition — following nearly two decades of conflict and civil war — is dependent on good governance, and a strong legislature is one key component. NDI is working with legislators to help them improve policymaking in a number of areas, including the national budget, anti-corruption efforts and human rights.

"Truth-O-Meter" Encourages Accountability in Serbia

Since the ouster of the Milosevic regime nearly 10 years ago, Serbians are standing up for the notion that government is there for the public good, not private gain. But until recently, there was still no public way to hold government officials and public servants accountable. Recently, a Serbian NGO, LiNet, launched the Truth-O-Meter, a website that analyzes politicians' statements based on truthfulness, consistency and whether they fulfill campaign promises or policy pledges. The effort was spearheaded by Vuka Crnjanski, who has worked with NDI as a political party and civil society trainer.

World Movement for Democracy Explores Political Parties, Technology

The unprecedented opportunities for citizen activism presented by new communications technologies, such as cell phones and social networks, was the subject of an NDI panel at the recent World Movement for Democracy (WMD) assembly in Jakarta, Indonesia. The WMD was initiated by the National Endowment for Democracy and exists to "strengthen democracy where it is weak, to reform and invigorate democracy even where it is longstanding, and to bolster pro-democracy groups in countries that have not yet entered into a process of democratic transition."

The Jakarta meeting, April 11 – 14, brought together over 600 participants from more than 100 countries. NDI also hosted a panel at the assembly on the role of party internationals in fostering democratic parties.

NDI Nepal Staff Member Looks for Lessons in DC to Benefit Women at Home

Ten years ago, Sushmita Subba Manandhar began working as an office assistant for NDI in her native Nepal. As she assisted with logistics at NDI events, she also listened to the discussions among ministers, politicians and activists, and the topics piqued her interest. Now, Manandhar is visiting Washington, D.C., as an Andi Parhamovitch fellow to study how women in the U.S. Congress get their voices heard and will take back what she learns to the Inter Party Women's Alliance in Nepal.

The fellowship honors Andi Parhamovich, an NDI employee who was killed in 2007 in Baghdad. The fellowship is awarded each year to a young woman who is deeply involved in building and consolidating democracy in her own country. It is designed to enhance the skills of young women so they can better organize for full political participation in their societies. Recipients come to NDI in Washington, D.C., for training and research.

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Become a fan of NDI on Facebook and follow the Institute on Twitter for the latest updates on our work, our partners' work and democratic ideas from around the world. Join the conversation!

The National Democratic Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.

NDI Nepal Staff Member Looks for Lessons for Women’s Caucus in DC Fellowship

rrunyan — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 15:24:33 +0000

Working at NDI wasn’t the most natural fit at first for Sushmita Subba Manandhar. When she began working as an office assistant at 26 for NDI in her native Nepal in 1999, she had little interest in the Institute’s programs with political parties or civic organizations.

But as she attended NDI events in Nepal to assist with logistics, she also listened to the discussions among high-level ministers, politicians and active citizens, and the topics piqued her interest.

“I still remember our first director asked me if I was interested in politics,” Manandhar recalled. “I said, ‘No, that is the last thing that I will do in my life.’”

But as she attended NDI events in Nepal to assist with logistics, she also listened to the discussions among high-level ministers, politicians and active citizens, and the topics piqued her interest.

“I saw these people from my country that had changed everything, so somehow I got very much interested in politics,” Manandhar said. “I talked to the NDI Nepal director and told him that if it was possible I would like to work with the programs also. I had learned so much about the politics in my country, so I wanted to change my career and go to work with civil society.”

Manandhar began working with NDI Nepal’s political programming in 2005. She quickly contributed to innovative programming for the Institute, including the establishment of the Civil Society Alliance for Political Reform, an organization of five leading nongovernmental organizations that worked to assess, advocate for and report on political and electoral reform initiatives conducted by political parties and government. Since 2009, Manandhar has managed NDI’s programming with the Inter Party Women's Alliance (IPWA).

It is her work with the IPWA – a group of women political leaders who advocate for equal representation for women in the government and political parties – that has now brought her to Washington, D.C. Manandhar earned the Andi Parhamovich Fellowship and for three months she will research NDI’s work around the world with women’s caucuses and the U.S. Congressional Caucus for Women’s Issues.

NDI Resident Deputy Director Discusses Women's New Political Roles in Nepal

NDI has worked in Nepal since 1994 to strengthen citizen engagement in the political process. The Institute has pursued this goal through civic education programs, opinion polling, assistance to domestic election monitoring organizations and training political party leaders on organization and leadership skills.

More recently, NDI has been working with political party activists and women parliamentarians to enhance their political skills and their ability to deliver services. Constituent assembly elections held in Nepal in 2008 ushered in a new era for the country and especially for women politicians. The constituent assembly, which is charged with drafting a new constitution and serves as the country's legislative body until a new constitution is ratified, has one-third of its seats reserved for women.

Jay Nishaant, NDI Nepal's resident deputy director, discusses the Institute's work in Nepal, particularly its Women's Leadership Academy that trains women MPs and a new television talk show for women and by women.

Read the full interview »

Manandhar is the second recipient of the Andi Parhamovich Fellowship, an award created by NDI in 2008 to honor Andi Parhamovich, an NDI staff member who was killed in Iraq in 2007. The Fellowship is awarded annually to a woman from one of NDI’s country offices or partner organizations who is deeply involved in strengthening democracy and is committed to increasing women’s political participation. The Andi Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Andi’s family and friends, helps in the selection process. The Fellowship recognizes that women, who are often working in challenging and sometimes dangerous environments, are struggling against tremendous odds to end conflict and offer alternatives to political extremes.

During the Fellowship, the recipient has the opportunity to complete an individual project and attend training and conferences related to her professional and personal goals. Manandhar is spending the first month of the three-month fellowship researching at NDI before she transitions to the U.S. Congress in the second month and then in the final month to creating research materials and manuals for use in NDI Nepal programs.

Manandhar said she wants to learn how different caucuses are structured and how their roles and responsibilities are assigned. But she also looks forward to talking to caucus members about how they have overcome challenges common to all women. Many women are pursuing political careers while managing their households as primary caretakers, a balancing act Manandhar knows well with a husband and daughter of her own. She said the biggest struggle for members of the IPWA is to get their voices heard, and she thinks lessons learned in the United States and elsewhere can help them.

For example, Manandhar met with a member of NDI Iraq’s field staff, who was also temporarily working out of the Washington office, about the Institute’s work with The National Platform for Women in Iraq.

“The two countries differ,” Manandhar said of Iraq and Nepal, “but there are some elements there I could adopt in my own country also.” She said the IPWA has had great successes, such as advocating for a law banning domestic violence against women that was passed by the Constituent Assembly – the body elected in 2008 to draft a new constitution and serve as the interim parliament. But Nepal has a ways to go in implementing the law. The IPWA plans to help by strengthening women’s voices and numbers in the parliament.

Pictured Above: Sushmita Subba Manandhar (left) meets with Katie Croake, a member of NDI’s Middle East and North Africa team.

Published March 29, 2010

Resident Deputy Director Discusses Women's New Political Roles in Nepal

fgalleto — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 20:43:55 +0000

NDI has been working with political party activists and women parliamentarians in Nepal to enhance their political skills and their ability to deliver services. Jay Nishaant, NDI Nepal's resident deputy director, discusses the Institute's work in Nepal, particularly its Women's Leadership Academy that trains women MPs and a new television talk show for women and by women.

What prompted the idea for the Women's Leadership Academy?

Right now, Nepal is going through a very historic yet very anxious moment in its political life. In April 2006, a coalition of political parties organized protests against the monarch. Millions of people took to the streets all across the country. That put pressure on the king and finally he gave up. The parliament was reinstated and Nepal was declared a republic.

Never before have the Nepalese drafted a constitution with democratically elected representatives. The previous constitutions were written either by a committee or by decree of the king.

"Never before in the history of Nepal have there been so many women in a position of power."

When parliament was reinstated, the interim parliamentarians made some important and revolutionary decisions. One of them was that at least one-third of the seats of the constituent assembly be reserved for women. In the previous parliament in 1990, women made up less than 5 percent of parliamentarians. Never before in the history of Nepal have there been so many women in a position of power.

NDI's Nepal office saw that there was a need for a program for the new women constituent assembly members/parliamentarians. The majority, if not all, of the women were so new to politics; they wanted to know more about how to debate, how to contribute to meetings, how to form caucuses or how to communicate politically. We wanted to give them an orientation on all these subjects, so we designed and organized the Women's Leadership Academy (WLA). We also formed a steering committee consisting of senior party representatives from each party who helped us create a bridge between NDI and the political parties.

Who was invited to take part?

It was open to all women MPs, regardless of party. Members of nearly all the political parties — except a few that didn't have women members or were not in town — attended the WLA.

What topics were covered at the WLA?

The objectives of the WLA were to give the participants knowledge, information and skills. So we developed a curriculum that covered practical topics: rights of women, children and minorities; political communication; negotiation and lobbying; how to work with media; and more. On the one hand, we aimed to give them information and knowledge; on the other hand, we tried to give them practical skills, because when you’re in the parliament you need both: the information and how to use

"When you’re in the parliament you need both: the information and how to use the information."

the information. We designed follow up activities with input from the participants. They wanted to have something on the judiciary process so we had a workshop on judiciary reform. Then they wanted a workshop on the budget process because there was a new budget around the corner. So we had a workshop on the budget process. Then they wanted something on public hearings and committees, so we did a workshop on effective parliamentary practices for those. We received suggestions, developed the module, and then brought in different national and international experts, and we conducted the workshops that way.

What challenges did you face when the WLA began?

The biggest challenge was that of scheduling. Members of parliament must conduct parliamentary business, as well as sit on the constituent assembly. So both of these things already kept them very busy. On top of that there were at least 14 committees within the constituent assembly that met separately. One thing they didn't have at all was extra time. So for this program, we started at 7:00 a.m. We arrived at 7:00, had some tea, and went straight into the workshops. The sessions finished at 10:30. The women would have a quick lunch and then go to parliament.

It was taxing for them, because as Nepalese women, they are the moms, the wives, the mothers-in law with a lot of domestic responsibilities. They're expected to cook, clean, do the washing, look after the children and prepare them for school. But despite all these responsibilities, the women took the academy very seriously. They believed that attending the sessions would help them to be better parliamentarians and constituent assembly members. We had 102 participants who met for 24 workshops over 22 days and attendance was always more than 90 percent.

Has there been a change in the women's legislative skills since participating in the WLA?

Yes, there are some visible differences. They have started speaking more in meetings and in parliament. Earlier, they rarely spoke up. Also many of these women have been given the responsibility to chair committees in the constituent assembly, which is a good sign of their political abilities.

What do you hope the WLA will accomplish in the long term?

The goal is to empower the women to build successful political lives. We don't know what provision for women legislators there will be in the new constitution, and we want to see them be successful even if there is a smaller quota or no quota at all.

"The goal is to empower women to build successful political lives."

To help with this goal, we wanted to include the chance for the women to interact with their constituents. That's why we developed two additional program components: public hearings and constituent services. We went to the 10 districts with about 30 women parliamentarians. There, they held public meetings where they interacted with their constituents and had productive discussions. We encouraged them to listen to what the people want from them and try to find solutions in parliament or with government agencies or outside. When their constituents see results, thanks to the efforts of these MPs, we hope they will gain more support in their districts, making their political futures brighter.

To help serve their constituencies on a regular basis, we encouraged them to open a small office in their district where they can meet with constituents and address whatever concerns or problems or challenges are expressed. This will help them build a credible political presence with their constituencies so they are not viewed as just filling the quota but as performing well, which will help them win reelection.

How have the men in parliament reacted to the WLA?

Men in Nepal, especially the men in politics, played important roles bringing women up to this level where they are about one-third of the parliament. This achievement did not happen overnight or unexpectedly. For over a decade, men and women fought for the rights of women in Nepal, and I think the men in parliament are happy for the women and understand the value of their participation. But as far as the WLA is concerned, sometimes the male MPs ask us, "You work only with women. What about us?"

"When their constituents see results, thanks to the efforts of these MPs, we hope they will gain more support in their districts, making their political futures brighter."

Still, Nepal remains a patriarchal society. The women MPs are accountable to their respective political parties, which are headed by men. So the agenda in the parliament is put forth by the parties and guided by the male politicians. The women MPs still do not have equal opportunities to express themselves either in the constituent assembly or in the parliament.

NDI-Nepal is working to create an alternate medium for them. We've planned to do a television show that will have a primetime slot on one of the leading television channels. It will be a show run by women and aimed at women. It will be a place where they can express their views and give their opinions on the issues, whether national issues or women's issues. We're hoping the show will build awareness and consensus among a larger cross-section of women in Nepalese society and that women will have a greater voice in the drafting of the new constitution.

On the show, we will have some of the women parliamentarians, some independent experts and some other prominent women from society. Together they will discuss women's issues, challenges women face in the country and how they can create solutions.

When is that set to start?

The first show is set to broadcast on March 25. It will be broadcast once a week for 14 weeks.

Pictured above: Jay Nishaant

Read about a member of NDI Nepal’s staff who is doing a fellowship in Washington, D.C. to aid her work with a women’s caucus in Nepal »

Published on March 24, 2010

Nepal: Training Women to Engage in the Constitution-Drafting Process through the Nepali Women’s Leadership Academy

ggreene — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:38:00 +0000

NDI has recently launched the Women’s Leadership Academy (WLA), a series of trainings to increase the capacity of these newly elected women CA members, members of parliament (MPs), government agency staff, and political party and civil society leaders to fully engage in the constitution-drafting process.

As Nepal strives to move beyond years of armed conflict and political turmoil and build a stable and peaceful democracy, the foundation of such a democracy will depend largely on ensuring that the drafting process for the country’s new constitution is inclusive and representative. Women in Nepal face severe discrimination and have historically been marginalized and underrepresented in government. With training and support from NDI, the April 2008 elections ushered in a new wave of women leaders, with the election of 197 women (out of 601 total members) to the Constituent Assembly (CA), the constitutional drafting body.

NDI recently launched the Women’s Leadership Academy (WLA), a series of trainings to increase the capacity of these newly elected women CA members, members of parliament (MPs), government agency staff, and political party and civil society leaders to fully engage in the constitutional drafting process.

The Women’s Leadership Academy is targeted to women CA members, many of whom have little prior political experience and often lack confidence in their ability to effectively participate in the CA process. 102 women CA members, as well as 21 leaders from political parties, 22 government agencies and officials and 28 civil society members, participated in the initial workshops, which covered issues such as parliamentary culture, political communication, the constitution-making process, human rights , gender and social inclusion, and federalism.

Twenty-one women were selected to participate in the second set of trainings, which will focus on targeted skills building based on the participants’ interests, expressed needs and committee membership. In the first specialized workshop, “Judiciary and the Rule of Law,” female and male judges and legal experts from the United States and Nepal shared their experiences on judicial independence, rule of law and social inclusion. The experts and workshop participants then discussed how to incorporate these concepts into the constitutional drafting process.

The workshops have already yielded positive results. Several CA members are pursuing establishing women’s subcommittees on each CA committee, a technique learned from the WLA workshops. Another CA member reported using the technical skills she learned in NDI trainings to analyze the budget in committee hearings.

Participation in the WLA workshops also facilitated communication and networking and has helped to establish an increased sense of solidarity among the women. At the Academy graduation ceremony, women from different parties, civil society groups and government agencies pledged to support each other in the constitution-drafting process.

Pictured above: Nepalese women participate in a Women’s Leadership Academy workshop.

Also in This Issue of the Win With Women Newsletter

Subscribe to the Win With Women Newsletter | Sign up today »

–

Published on March 16, 2009

Nepal: NDI, USAID Host Women's Film Festival

ggreene — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 16:49:50 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

01/31/2009

Resource Type:

Press Release

Language:

English

KATHMANDU – The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is pleased to announce the “Women’s Film Festival: In Concert for Change,” a forum to raise awareness on issues facing women across the globe, especially in Nepal, and celebrate women coming together to meet these challenges. The festival, co-sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will be held at the Hotel Soaltee Crowne Plaza, Tahachal, Kathmandu, on Jan. 31, from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

English

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New NDI Publication Evaluates Strategies for Women's Participation in Political Parties

jbowen — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:15:34 +0000

Advancement within political parties – which are the gateway to political leadership – remains both essential to women’s political success and the most difficult political door for women to enter. In an effort to better understand effective approaches to women’s political party programs and to measure the impact of such programs, a new NDI publication -- Assessing Women’s Political Party Programs: Best Practices and Recommendations -- identifies specific effective elements and approaches that encourage women’s participation and leadership in political parties.

Assessing Women’s Political Party Programs is a blueprint for effective women’s political party programs. While drawn from NDI programs, the information gathered in this assessment is intended for use by individuals and organizations to help facilitate women’s political leadership worldwide.

The publication features four geographically representative countries where NDI has longstanding, continuously operating programs that offer comprehensive perspectives on program impacts and experiences. More than eighty interviews were conducted in Morocco, Indonesia, Serbia and Nepal, providing narratives that capture the context in each country while revealing how women across regions face common challenges to political leadership and can share strategies to overcome those barriers.

Read Assessing Women’s Political Party Programs | Download the report »

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Published on Dec. 10, 2008

DEAN overview of the April 10 Constituent Assembly Elections Conduct

jbowen — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:20:04 +0000

The Democracy and Elections Alliance Nepal (DEAN) deployed 9393 observers in all 75 districts of Nepal to monitor the historic April 10 Constituent Assembly elections.

Subhadayak Shah
Chief of Operations
DEAN Secretariat

The Democracy and Elections Alliance Nepal (DEAN) deployed 9393 observers in all 75 districts of Nepal to monitor the historic April 10 Constituent Assembly elections.

The rate of voter turnout in the DEAN observed poll centers that reported today was 59.39 percent. The highest turnout was 90 percent, in Rukum, and the lowest was 43 percent in Baitadi. In the 1991, 1994, 1999 elections the average turnout was 62, 65, and 68 percent.

Of reports received, DEAN observers report that thirty six districts were free of reported incidents, thirteen experienced minor incidents that can be classed as normal, and twenty two experienced serious incidents. Polling was canceled in at least thirty three polling centers due to irregularities including killings, the capturing of poll centers by political parties, explosions, gun shots, and the destruction of ballot boxes and other polling material.

Four deaths have been reported by DEAN volunteers, in Sarlahi, Sunsari and Mahottari districts. Thirty one people were reported wounded, including two DEAN volunteers, who were hurt in separate incidents in Jumla and Mahottari.

Despite the incidents detailed above, most DEAN observers reported the overall security situation they observed was relatively normal.

DEAN will continue to monitor the elections through to the conclusion of the counting process, and to track incidents of political and election related violence. A more complete assessment of the quality of the election process will be released once full reports are received from observers in the coming days.

Background

The Democracy and Election Alliance Nepal (DEAN) was established in June 2007 with to safeguard the political rights of the people and to advocate for free and fair election. DEAN is dedicated to the support of political reforms and to engage marginalized people in the mainstream of politics. DEAN has a nationwide network of 12,000 volunteers, a secretariat in Kathmandu, three regional offices, and 480 focal points working as long term Constituent Assembly election observers since September 2007. DEAN receives technical support from the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and IFES, and financial support from USAID.

DEAN is a non-partisan, volunteer based alliance of the Nepal Law Society (NLS), the Federation of Community Forestry User Groups (FECOFUN), and the Nepal International Electoral Forum (NIEFO). NLS has observed elections in Nepal in 1991, 1994 and 1999. FECOFUN is the largest Nepali community based organization, with hundreds of thousands of members across the country. NIEFO has expertise in international election planning, design, implementation, and observation; its members have conducted elections with the United Nations in Cambodia, East Timor, and Iraq.

–

Released 10 April

Preliminary Election Observation Report: Constituent Assembly Election, April 10, 2008

jbowen — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:06:29 +0000

Author:

Democracy and Election Alliance Nepal (DEAN)

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

05/01/2008

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	471.38 KB

Mark Wallem

ggreene — Thu, 15 May 2008 13:17:12 +0000

Mark Wallem has over 25 years experience in law, politics and international development. Mr. Wallem has served 12 years with NDI, directing the Institute’s offices and programs in the Philippines, Cambodia, Ukraine and Nepal, where he currently serves as senior country director. NDI's programs in Nepal focus on political parties, elections and parliamentary strengthening.

In 2009 and 2010, Mr. Wallem served as the deputy regional program director, East and Southeast Asia, for the United Nations Development Fund for Women (now U.N. Women), based in Bangkok, Thailand. U.N. Women conducts regional programs on migration, the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women and HIV/AIDS.

Prior to his career in international development, Mr. Wallem worked for 10 years with the majority caucus in the Minnesota State Senate, assisting the president of the senate and managing senate committees, including judiciary and crime prevention. In addition to his legislative work, Mr. Wallem has long been active in the Democratic Party of the United States and has served in various party offices, including national delegate.

He earned an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Minnesota and a law degree from William Mitchell College of Law.

Nepal

ggreene — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:34:34 +0000

NDI has been working in Nepal since 1994 to strengthen the country’s democratic processes. In recent years, the Institute has conducted voter and civic education programs to promote citizen understanding of and involvement in the political sphere, supported anti-corruption efforts, carried out nationwide public opinion polling, and conducted programs to increase the political participation and effectiveness of local women leaders and activists. The Institute has initiated programs to promote consensus building between parties, strengthen political party leadership and governance, and encourage civil society and media oversight of the political process.

Currently, NDI works to strengthen political parties and the electoral and legislative process in Nepal through political party development assistance, promoting citizen oversight of the electoral process, and supporting efforts to strengthen the constituent assembly. The program builds on NDI’s institutional knowledge in democratic development and on long-standing working relationships with Nepali political and civic leaders.

Subscribe to updates about Nepal

Political Situation

Nepal’s 10-year civil war came to a close with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) by the government and the Maoists in November 2006. For the first time in nine years, Nepal held elections in April 2008 for the constituent assembly, which was charged with drafting a new constitution by May 2010. All major parties contested, including the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists (UCPN-Maoist) and new parties from the restive Terai region. Defying predictions, the UCPN-M emerged as the largest party in the constituent assembly with 38 percent of the seats, and party leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal was elected prime minister in August 2008. The Assembly abolished the 240-year-old Hindu monarchy and declared Nepal a secular republic.

The constituent assembly, which also functions as an interim parliament, faces several challenges: severe unrest in the southern plains of the Terai; high expectations for political inclusion by historically marginalized groups; and the need to negotiate new political arrangements after a socially and politically destabilizing civil war. Tensions came to a head in early May 2009 when orders to integrate the Maoist People’s Liberation Army with the Nepal Army, as called for in the CPA, were ignored by then army chief of staff, General Rookmangud Katawal. On May 3, 2009, Prime Minister Dahal’s order to fire Katawal was overruled by President Ram Baran Yadav, who instructed the general to remain in place. Prime Minister Dahal resigned the next day. Following this development, the second and third largest parties in the Assembly, the Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), formed a coalition government with 19 other smaller parties. On May 23, 2009, CPN-UML senior leader Madav Nepal was elected prime minister. However, changes in the government leadership failed to lead to a breakthrough in the constitution drafting process and the parliament failed to approve a new constitution by the May 31, 2010, deadline. Instead, the ruling parties and the UCPN-M agreed to extend the constitution drafting process for one year until May 2011. Bowing to pressure from the opposition and as a result of continued political stalemate, Prime Minister Nepal agreed to step down from his position in June 2010. This was followed by seven months of deadlock, during which the parliament, and in particular the three major parties, failed to elect a new prime minister. A compromise was finally reached between the CPN-UML and the UCPN-M in February 2011 when the two parties agreed to elect the CPN-UML’s Jhalal Nath Khanal as the new prime minister.

Current Activities

NDI is currently working to strengthen political parties and support the electoral and legislative process in Nepal. This is achieved through political party development assistance, strengthening the capacity of citizen oversight of the electoral process, supporting the institutional strengthening of the constituent assembly (CA), and improving the capacity of CA members to address constituent needs.

As part of this process, the Institute is consulting with political party activists on the local and national level to assist them in their citizen outreach, party-strengthening and coalition-building efforts. NDI has reached out to members of all major parties, including the Maoists, CPN-UML and Nepali Congress, as well as regional parties representing Madhesi and other marginalized groups. NDI is also building on its previous work in Nepal to strengthen the capacity of the constituent assembly and the successor parliament. Program activities are designed to enhance the technical capacity of the legislature and begin to broaden and deepen public participation in legislative processes, during and beyond the current interim parliament. The Institute will work with legislative and government bodies to provide technical assistance toward effective committee work, a parliamentary internship program, and – following the elections – a new member orientation program for the successor parliament. Meanwhile, NDI is continuing its support of the Inter Party Women’s Alliance to strengthen the ability of women parliamentarians to more successfully represent their districts and deliver constituent services. Among other projects, the Institute is assisting in the creation and implementation of district-level, multi-party constituent service offices for women CA members.

Past Programs

NDI has worked in Nepal since 1994 to strengthen citizen engagement in the political process. In recent years, the Institute has conducted voter and civic education programs to promote citizen understanding of and involvement in the political sphere, supported anti-corruption efforts, carried out nationwide public opinion polling, and conducted programs to increase the political participation and effectiveness of local women leaders and activists. The Institute has implemented programs to promote consensus building between parties, strengthen political party leadership and governance, and encourage civil society and media oversight of the political process.

The Institute has pursued this goal through pioneering civic education programs, conducting public opinion polling, supporting the election commission and other groups to master election law, and training political party leaders on organization and leadership skills. From 1997 to 1999, NDI helped parties train more than 4,000 female candidates to run and serve as local elected officials.

From 2001 to 2004, NDI assisted parties to develop women leadership training seminars, with almost 11,000 candidates participating. And in 2006, NDI facilitated the creation of the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus (later called the Inter Party Women’s Alliance) to campaign for women’s issues within political parties and across Nepal.

For the constituent assembly elections held on April 10, 2008, NDI assisted Democracy and Election Alliance Nepal (DEAN) to train and deploy more than 9,000 non-partisan pollwatchers. NDI also trained some 1,000 master trainers from political parties, who in turn trained local party workers to serve as party polling agents. In the remote Karnali region, NDI ran civic education programs to provide information about democracy and the electoral system, working through thousands of village-level programs organized by local political party, media and civil society activists.

In 2009, NDI completed a program with the World Food Program to conduct civic education in 28 districts. The program worked with a local civil society organization to increase the capacity of food aid recipients to participate in the political process. With funding from the Canadian International Development Agency, NDI also completed a program to strengthen the Inter Party Women’s Alliance’s (IPWA) ability to advocate for increased rights and participation in the political process as well as open district offices.

Funding

NDI programs in Nepal have been funded by the National Endowment for Democracy, the United States Agency for International Development, the United States Department of State, the Department for International Development of the United Kingdom, the Canadian International Development Agency and the World Food Program.

Selected Publications

Report on Community Dialogue For Women Constituent Assembly Members, August 2010
Report on Focus Group and Survey Research, Oct. 2006
“The Need for Reconciliation is Immediate,” Statement by Senator Thomas Daschle, July 27, 2005
Testimony before Congressional Human Rights on Recent Development in Nepal, May 25, 2005

Contact Information

For more information about these programs, use our contact form or contact:

Kathmandu
Mark Wallem, Senior Resident Director
+977 1 4442 079

Washington, D.C.
Marjan Ehsassi, Program Manager
(202) 728-5405

Subscribe to updates about Nepal

NDI 2005 Annual Report

vrao — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 05:00:00 +0000

Author:

National Democratic Institute

Publisher:

National Democratic Institute

Published Date:

12/01/2005

Resource Type:

Report

Language:

English

Attachment	Size
Read the report	6.23 MB

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Background

Preliminary Election Observation Report: Constituent Assembly Election, April 10, 2008

Mark Wallem

Nepal

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Political Situation

Current Activities

Past Programs

Funding

Selected Publications

Contact Information

NDI 2005 Annual Report