NEPAL: Implementing Locally – Inspiring Globally: 1325 Localization in Nepal

Date: 
Friday, August 24, 2012
Source: 
The Global Network of Women Peacebuilders
Countries: 
Asia
Southern Asia
Nepal
PeaceWomen Consolidated Themes: 
General Women, Peace and Security
Participation
Peacekeeping

GNWP is back in Nepal for part two of its Localization and United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820 program, first instigated here in Nepal, in June 2011

GNWP's Localization program brings together local authorities, such as provincial governors, mayors, district councilors, traditional and religious leaders, the security sector, women leaders, civil society, and other key local actors to analyze UNSCRs 1325 and 1820 and National Action Plans (NAPs). Collectively they identify provisions of the resolutions and the NAPs that are most relevant to their respective communities. What we, as GNWP, hope to achieve, is formulation of the most relevant provisions into local legislation (by-laws), and subsequently integration into community development plans.

In 2011, the first series of workshops on localization of the Nepal NAP and UNSCRs 1325 and 1820 were carried out in Pokhara and Nepalgunj, with the objective of raising awareness and enhancing the capacity of the local actors to integrate the NAP into district development and district administration plans. At the time, participants from Banke, Dang, Kanchanpur, Baglung, Syangja and Kaski districts participated in the workshops. The trainings were carried out in partnership with GNWP member Saathi-Nepal and the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction (MoPR).

Following the workshops in Pokhara and Neplagunj, we (GNWP coordinating team, Saathi and the resource team) recognized that in order for the localization process to be sustainable, simple and accessible guidelines on NAP integration needed to be developed. Additionally, it was suggested that the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD) should be brought into the process. The MoLD is the ministry in charge of local planning and as such, key in guaranteeing ownership of any localization process.

The resource team, consisting of Joint Secretary of MoPR, Sadhuram Sapkota, Kiran Dhungel, and Former Secretary Ganga Dutta Awasthi were commissioned to draft the guidelines.

GNWP has now returned Nepal to facilitate a Training of Trainers (ToT), organized in partnership with Saathi-Nepal and in collaboration with the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (formerly the Ministry of Local Development), and the MoPR. The ToT will equip trainers with skills to guide the above mentioned local authorities at district and village level, district coordination committees, local peace committees, and other stakeholders on integrating Nepal's NAP into the District Development Committees (DDC) and Village Development Committees (VDC) plans. During the ToT the draft guidelines are also pre-tested in order to receive feedback and input from the participants. The ToT sessions include training techniques; an overview of UNSCR 1325 and the NAP process in Nepal; overview of the guidelines; group work and facilitation and presentation exercises.

We were very pleased to have Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, Chief of Planning and Foreign Aid Coordination Division, Dinesh Thapaliya, join us for the opening of the ToT. In his opening statement the Joint Secretary emphasized the importance of internalizing the NAP at local level. “Women's empowerment is likewise essential in order to achieve development at the local level,” he said. “Currently the participation of women in different activities, such as service delivery, social mobilization is very poor. Women do not feel ownership of the projects targeted toward them. This type of project [localization] goes to the grassroots and should be internalized in the local level planning. In my opinion we have to align the NAP to local level action plans because the situation in the different communities is not the same.”

Pinky Singh Rana of GNWP member Samanata, believes that the ToT is a crucial step in localizing the NAP. “The participants for this ToT have been selected because they are known at the district level and they will be listened to,” she says. “They are influential in their own field, and when they undertake trainings they will be taken note of by government officials and CSOs alike. Because of the diversity of participants (MoPR; MoLD; women's development officers; media; conflict affected women's initiatives; CSOs) the training will complement the MoPR's programs and promote ownership at the community level and among government agencies. The NAP implementation will not succeed without this kind of localization.”

“The potential trainers will be an asset at the local level,” adds Ganga Awasthi. “We expect them to follow up on activities – monitor what is being done. The trainers will also be central in supporting orientations and trainings on the NAP at local level. It will sustain the activities in the long run, and it will reduce the cost.”

The ToT will be followed by six Localization workshops at the district and village level on integrating the Nepal NAP in DDC and VDC planning. The idea is that the district and village level training will be conducted by the trainers from the ToT.

The Nepal National Action Planning process and the current localization process is a best practice example that should be replicated by the rest of the UN members states who are ALL obligated to implement UNSCRs 1325 and 1820!

“Implement locally – inspire globally,” encourages Mavic Cabrera-Balleza, GNWP International Coordinator.