The Issue
With the transition from centralised unitary government to federalism, significant power has been devolved from the federal government (FG) to local government (LG). This has provided LGs the opportunity to formulate and implement laws and policies independently focusing on the larger interests of citizens, especially women, Dalits, poor, elderly, etc.
While a federal Nepal is expected to make the country’s governance processes more inclusive, many citizens’ in Sudurpaschim Province know very little about the functions and processes of their own local government and their rights to participate in local governance process.
Consequently, citizens cannot and do not participate in a meaningful way and decision-making therefore happens without involvement from citizens.
The Project
The project, PARIWARTAN, seeks to empower citizens and organizations that represent them, to effectively engage with the sub-national (state, province, municipal) governments in promoting transparency and accountability in the governance process in Sudurpaschim Province.
PARIWARTAN (Participation, Inclusion And Wider CSOs’ Actions For Responsive Transparent And Accountable Local Governance In Nepal)(PARIWARTAN means CHANGE in Nepalese)
It aims to achieve this by empowering citizens through knowledge and capacity building support to engage with and hold local governments accountable; promoting participatory and inclusive decision making and planning processes; promoting e-governance at the local level for improved service delivery and monitoring and strengthening muti-stakeholders engagement for well-coordinated and need based development policies, plans and programmes.
Implementing partners
Malika Development Organisation, Nepal (MDO Achham)
MDO is a non-profit, non-governmental, and social organisation based in Achham district of Nepal. It works for the benefit of vulnerable groups such as women, children, and disadvantaged people. MDO promotes education, work to reduce poverty, promotes safe drinking water and sanitation, enhances agro-livestock, and builds capacity of community-based organisations (CBOs) and resource poor people in the Achham district.
In the PARIWARTAN project MDO supports and implements activities at the Municipal (Palika) level.
Equality Development Centre (EDC Doti)
EDC is a non-governmental organisation in Doti, Nepal. The organisation is committed to raise awareness about the status and rights of Dalits and disadvantaged groups; uplift the socio-economic, cultural, and educational level of right holders; identify the challenges of vulnerable groups and contribute to the transition of greater equality between women and men and enable them to become able citizens.
In the PARIWARTAN project EDC supports and implements activities at the Municipal (Palika) level.
Institute of Local Governance Studies (INLOGOS Nepal)
INLOGOS provides technical and facilitation services that promote local governance systems. It works to accelerate local development activities by strengthening capacity of local bodies and partner organisations in planning, policies, management, services, and implementation of development activities.
In the PARIWARTAN project INLOGOS provides technical support in the areas of evidence-based advocacy and lobbying, facilitation, community engagement, and media mobilisation in the context of a new federal structure.
Steps towards change
The project employed different strategies including increasing awareness, knowledge, and capacity of civil society organisations and their members on the roles, responsibilities, and accountability of local governments as well as civil society organisations’ role in promoting good governance.
Civil society organisations were made aware of the importance of citizens engaging in the work of their-local governments, the need for e-governance for improved service, and the barriers that deny them a say in the governance process through the so-called Good Governance School (GGS).
The civil society organisations were also supported to develop and submit community action plans (CAPs) as a direct contribution to the promotion of a bottom up and need-based planning process.
Parallelly, the project oriented and supported officials and thematic committees in local government to develop plans and policies that are responsive to the needs of their citizens and improved governance system and service delivery.
It promoted multi-stakeholder platforms and regularised social audits and public hearings and improved public finance management and public expenditure.
Finally, the project facilitated increased coordination between the provincial and local governments thereby creating better understanding of shared mandates and creating synergies, while avoiding duplication in projects, functions, and resources.
The Results
The project conducted 906 Good Governance School (GGS) sessions for 2,095 CSO members including women, Dalit, and marginalised community members.
Through the GGS, Dalit, women and marginalised citizens were made aware on the federal structures, functions of the local governments and role of three tiers of government.
60.85 percent of the citizens were able to recall at least three roles of local government representatives.Mid Term Evaluation Report
Of the total members, 69.5 percent poor and marginalised citizens were able to access government services such as vital registration. Further, 56 gender sensitive Community Action Plans (CAPs) were developed by 53 civil society organisations and submitted to the local government for funding – 26 of them have been funded.
Our work in Nepal
DCA Nepal facilitates linkages between CSOs and issue-based organisations at various levels, so that the local issues are taken up by the national actors and evidence-based advocacy takes place at the national level.
As part of this, DCA establishes knowledge sharing mechanisms, including documentation and implementation of joint research initiatives, among partners, ACT Alliance members, and Association of International NGOs in Nepal (AIN) members, so that DCA Nepal and partners are able to build a common knowledge base to be shared internally and among like-minded organisations.
About the project
Title: PARIWARTAN (Participation, Inclusion and Wider CSOs’ Actions for Responsive Transparent and Accountable Local governance in Nepal)
Partners:
– Malika Development Organisation, Nepal (MDO Achham),
– Equality Development Centre (EDC Doti),
– Institute of Local Governance Studies (INLOGOS Nepal)
Sustainable Development Goals:
5. Gender Equality
10. Reduced Inequalities
Period: 1st February 2019 – 31st January 2023
Amount: 7,452,365 DKK
Donor: European Union (EU)
