In Nepal new voices speak through people's constitution

Citizens of Nepal, particularly women and indigenous and disadvantaged groups, have been given a new platform from which to promote their aspirations for their country. As part of the process of drafting Nepal’s new constitution, regional consortiums of non-governmental organizations have mobilized nearly 100 counterparts across the country to run ‘democracy dialogues,’ which are forums designed hear the needs and concerns of Nepal’s citizens.

The dialogues, which were held in rural areas and included more than 400,000 people, have helped to ensure that the constitution accurately represents a broad cross-section of Nepal’s diverse population, including the most marginalized. 

In November, 2010 the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched a 20-minute film documenting this process of democracy in action. Entitled, ‘Voices from Below: Constitution Making in Nepal,’ the documentary shows UNDP working with civil society groups to get the broadest possible range of inputs for the draft constitution, which a 601-member Constitutional Assembly has been working on since 2008.

“The film highlights the hard work that has gone into making the new constitution more inclusive and to make it a people’s constitution,” said the film’s award-winning director Tsering Rhitar during a launch broadcast that was aired to Constitutional Assembly members through the online video channel You Tube.

In the film, residents at dialogues their local commuities demonstrate enthusiasm for the constitutional process, asserting their desires for land, citizenship documents and the right to education in their mother tongue, among other provisions.

The dialogues have also served to increase citizens' confidence in, and understanding of, the constitutional drafting process. Such education is a key component to the peace process in Nepal following the end of conflict in 2006.

“By understanding the constitution-making process better, by seeing their ideas translated into words and deeds in the constitution, they will become defenders of this constitution for many generations to come,” stated UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Robert Piper, in an interview for the film.

Numerous constitutional provisions clearly reflect the outcomes of these dialogues. Such provisions include the reorganization of state boundaries along ethnic, cultural, historical and economic lines, as well as new economic, social and cultural rights, new voting systems, and affirmative action for marginalized groups. It is also expected that women will be assured 33 percent representation in the new Parliament.

These outcomes fall in line with UNDP’s democratic governance strategy, which aims, in part, to create robust, representative, responsive and democratic institutions and to promote women’s political empowerment.

To this end, UNDP has also worked to ensure the effective functioning of Nepal's Constitutional Assembly. It helped to construct the physical building that houses the Assembly's meeting halls and works to coordinate donor support for Nepal's constitution-making process.

Additionally, UNDP assisted in the training of assembly members, technical advisors and other officials. Headquarters for much of this training was the multilingual Kathmandu-based Centre for Constitutional Dialogue (CCD), where political participation and constitutional education were encouraged through a range of text and audio materials.

“The beginning of operations of the Centre under the collaboration of UNDP and the assembly secretariat marked the opening of the door to greater participation from all facets of society in the constitution-making process,” said Assembly Chair, Subash Nembang.

Such efforts have given the country essential support as it builds a positive future based on tolerance and inclusion.

“Nepal has already demonstrated that it has the capacity to make big decisions, create a national consensus around complex and risky questions peacefully and to move forward,” said Piper.  “I’m very optimistic that some of the challenges ahead will be managed in exactly the same way, and the future indeed looks very bright for Nepal.”

Nepal’s new constitution is expected to be promulgated by 28 May 2011.