View Point (Spotlight Weekly)

Farewell To Nepal

Hubertus von Welck

Friedrich-Naumann-Foundation established an office back in 1987 in Nepal. Initially the Foundation's activities were directed towards rural and community development. I vividly recall reports about alphabetisation programs, which were supported here in the country.

After the restoration of multi-party democracy in 1991, the foundation focused its attention on strengthening democracy, the rule of law, market economy and political advocacy in Nepal with the co-operation of our local partners.

In the fifteen years of co-operation with our oldest partner, the Nepal Law Society (NLS), the foundation has worked particularly in the promotion of decentralization, human rights and civic education to women leaders.

Our co-operation focussed on advocacy, dialogue and training on legal and constitutional issues and rights to target groups that included lawmakers, lawyers and judges, local body representatives, government officials, civil society stakeholders, police and related parliamentary cells and government bodies.

Our ten years of co-operation with the Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (NFEJ) played a commendable role in promoting sustainable development in Nepal. Our programs focused on creating a better living environment for everyone through promoting proper utilisation of the natural resources and efficient resource management. Dialogues and information dissemination were our major tools to sensitise the general public about their local environment, generate dialogues amongst environmental experts, watch groups, intellectuals and journalists and to provide advocacy to policy makers at the district and central level.

The post democratic era in Nepal emphasized the issue and demand for a free market economy in the country. Thus the Foundation joined hands with the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) in 1994 and established “The Industrial Relations Forum (IRF)”, to provide support in educating and bringing awareness to industrial players on their role in a market-driven economy and a healthy industrial environment.

The forum had been a resourceful platform for the industrial players, the key stakeholders, the social partners like employers, trade unions and government to learn about industrial relations, rules, regulations, related to litigation, interactions on labour laws and skills to negotiate and resolve conflicts through dialogue.

To further complement our aim to promote economic development in Nepal, the Foundation decided to support small and medium scale industries, the largest source of employment and economic dynamism in Nepal besides agriculture. To promote economic development, trade liberalization and private sector-led industrial growth, it was in our view imperative to strengthen the small and medium enterprises sector in Nepal.

So the Foundation worked with the Federation of Nepalese Cottage and Small Industries for that purpose and established a project “Small and Medium Enterprise Development Project”(SMEDP) with the co-operation of FNCCI in 1996. SMEDP focused on two major areas; firstly in supporting the creation of a conducive business environment and secondly in strengthening the internal infrastructure of the SMEs sector in Nepal.

Creating a conducive environment involved programs to advocate and facilitate dialogues for the development of a better regulatory framework and elimination of constraining systems that weaken the dynamics of private enterprises.

Strengthening of internal infrastructure of the SMEs were addressed with training programs to develop human resources, managerial and technical know-how, facilitating access to financial resources, provision of market information, and supporting the formation of linkages among enterprises.

In the year 1998, due to budget constraints, the Foundation in Nepal had to reduce its office to a liaison office with only one local staff to co-ordinate our on-going activities. At that time I happened to come to my first official visit to Nepal in March 1998 and joined the farewell of my colleague.

Due to limited financial and organizational resources we had to streamline our work in Nepal. Consequently the Foundation had to conclude its partnerships with two of our partner organisations: namely the Federation of Nepal Cottage and Small Industries in 1998 and the Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists in the year 2000.

Nevertheless, our programs continued to aim towards strengthening democracy, good governance, advocacy, market economy and industrial relations development through and with our four eminent partners; SMEDP and IRF under FNCCI, Nepal Law Society and Youth Initiative.

In addition to these programmes with our partners the Foundation has over the years provided opportunities to more than 200 existing and future leaders of Nepal to represent themselves in an international forum facilitated by our International Academy of Leadership with training institutes in various parts of Germany. Through international dialogue the Foundation contributes to the creation of a network upon which freedom can be built - also for the benefit of future generations, especially with our responsibilities towards them in mind.

These international experience sharing dialogue programs have enabled the representatives of Nepal to share and learn about political, economic and social challenges faced by the world and to work out solutions for Nepal through international co-operation. The alumni of our International Academy for Leadership have been able to organise networks of several groups and dialogue forums to continue the exchange of ideas and actions across borders.

Our latest and thus youngest partner, Youth Initiative, is one of the exemplary products of our international dialogue project. Most of the members of Youth Initiative have been trained in our IAF programs. Youth Initiative has demonstrated a good working approach through international co-operation. It is working closely with CALD, which is the Council of Asian Liberals & Democrats, and Youth Initiative is the founder member of the first Young Liberal & Democrats in Asia. The President of Youth Initiative is also an elected secretary general of YLDA.

Youth Initiative has established a resource centre in Nepal that provides young people with a vibrant and dynamic platform from where to actively initiate spaces for change – interactions and workshops, despite the contemporary social and political limits, generates a step towards greater democratic participation. A free and open space where young people and organisations that work to support them, are able to 'think' and 'act' for the good of themselves, but also of civil society.

As 50% of the population in Nepal is under the age of 35 you will understand the importance of such an organisation, the challenges ahead, but also the scope it has.

At the end of this year, i.e. at the end of this month the Foundation’s official representation in Nepal will be closed. However the Foundation’s presence in the region and its regional office in New Delhi will always be open for contact, interaction, dialogue and possible co-operation. For instance our regional program with SCCI - SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry still enable us to work with FNCCI. We will continue to share intellectual resources, ideas and expertise with our eminent partner Nepal Law Society.

(Excerpts of the farewell speech by the Regional Director, South Asia of the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung. The FNS has decided to close its official representation in Nepal this month after serving here for 17 years)