Overview
With federalism as a key feature of the Constitution promulgated in September 2015, the country has been involved looking at a unique opportunity to usher in a new era of governance—transforming existing institutions while overcoming their deficits in democratic governance and service and people centered civil service as well as public administration. It is in this context that UNDP’s governance programmes are functioning at three levels: process, referring to quality of participation in political, social and economic decision-making; mechanism, referring to setting up transparent, democratic institutions; and outcome, striving to create peaceful, stable and resilient societies.
Our goals
UNDP ensures inclusive and effective democratic governance by advocating, advising, fostering impartial spaces for dialogue, achieving consensus and building institutions with the ultimate goal of bringing effective and equitable delivery of service to citizens, reinforcing the rule of law and citizen security, and establishing a inclusive, peaceful and cohesive society. To this end, we are committed to create an enabling environment for all social partners, including civil societies, to grow in strength and contribute towards national development.
How does UNDP ensure its programmes and projects promote gender & social inclusion?
Under the governance portfolio, UNDP supports the people and the Government of Nepal to advance gender equality and social inclusion through the following measures in line with the Country Programme Document 2023-2027:
Gender & Social Inclusion
- Ensuring and promoting rights of women, socially excluded and disadvantaged groups in the existing laws and their implementation.
- Expanding access to legal and basic services to women and excluded and disadvantaged groups.
- Providing technical assistance to establish and strengthen mechanisms to advance gender equality and inclusion in governance processes at subnational level.
- Building capacity of the locally elected, provincial and federal women and marginalized groups representatives.
- Ensuring strong and effective voices of the civil society ensuring the participation of women, excluded and disadvantaged groups, including persons with disabilities, gender and sexual minorities etc in national and subnational governance and decision-making processes.
- Creating a conducive environment to benefit women, socially excluded and disadvantaged groups including persons with disabilities and gender and sexual minorities etc through effective implementation of integrated legal aid services.
- Transforming traditional gender norms and reducing/or eliminating barriers to women and socially excluded groups for their economic empowerment.
- Empowering women and marginalized groups to claim their rights and participate in judicial governance / civic life.
- Support GESI-friendly laws, policies and relevant instruments at all three tiers of the government.
- Promoting GESI through various research and advocacy under the governance portfolio.
- Building capacity for gender and disability inclusive budgets at the sub-national level.
- Preventing and responding to gender-based violence.
- Promoting women’s participation and leadership in all forms of decision-making processes.
- Promoting gender-inclusion through e-governance
Our Achievements
(2018-2022)
- Supported drafting and formulation of 50 policy documents related to federal and provincial governments, including on Inclusive and Gender-friendly Budgeting, Fiscal Transfers System in a Federal Nepal, Case Management by Judicial Committees, Pro Bono Legal Aid Service, Reducing Fiduciary Risks and Civic Engagement & Voter Education
- Enhanced capacities of elected representatives and official of federal, provincial and local governments related to implementation of federalism, ensuring due adherence to principles of inclusion.
- Provincial Centers for Good Governance came into operation in all seven provinces.
- 250,000 vulnerable women and men gained access to free legal aid services including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Over 15,000 civil servants and elected people’s representatives enhanced their capacities to deliver inclusive governance and advance SDGs.
- Key institutions, including Election Commission and National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), developed and adopted gender and social inclusion policies. NHRC also finalized a national framework on “Leaving No One behind.
- The parliamentary system was strengthened, including through support to drafting and review of laws and parliamentary oversights to monitor the work of the government.
Locations
