Rule of Law Initiative Programs - Nepal
Legal Education Reform
Building Grassroots Support for Democratic and Legal Reform
The ABA Rule of Law Initiative, Asia Division has a civic education project in Nepal entitled “Building Grassroots Support for Democratic and Legal Reform in Nepal.” This project aims to foster the development of the rule of law in Nepal through increased public support of the reform and peace process. Under the project, the ABA assists the Nepal Bar Association (NBA): build informed citizen networks at the community level and solicit input from the citizenry on its needs and concerns to present to policymakers; engage in broad-based public awareness campaigns through public outreach and media activities; and ensure that grassroots participation is an integral component of the reform process, particularly the constitution-drafting process. This program is funded by the U.S. Department of State, Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor.
Since the commencement of the program in September 2006, a civil war in Nepal ended and major political changes took place as a result. The government of Nepal, the Seven Party Alliance, and Maoist leaders held a series of peace summits and signed a peace accord on November 21, 2006 to formally end the civil war. The peace deal proposed resolutions on a number of issues relating to the composition of the interim government, the framework for the constituent assembly (CA) elections, management of small arms and private armies, and socio-economic development in the country. The agreement provided that the Maoist rebels will join the interim government and place their weapons under the supervision of the UN. In December, the parties reached agreement on the articles of the new interim constitution that will replace the country’s current constitution. On April 1, 2007, the Maoists officially entered the interim government.
Against the backdrop of this political situation, the NBA commenced the project and selected Mr. Nir Bahadur Karki as the Project Director. In an effort to develop community support and participation, the NBA President, Secretary-General, and Treasurer made presentations in the capital, Kathmandu, and outlying districts to district bars to discuss the NBA-ABA project, specifically the expected role of local bars both as beneficiaries of and contributors to the project. Many of participants requested that their districts be included in the implementation of the project activities.
The first activity under this project, an Issues Identification Workshop, took place on March 31, 2007. The workshop attended by 55 senior lawyers. The objective of the workshop was to refine the issues and messages to be used in the public awareness campaign. The issues identified in that workshop will be the foundation for a training of trainers workshop. This workshop will train individuals from various districts in an effort to ensure a greater impact to the local communities in outlying districts.
