LocationsBuilding transformative leadership of elected local representatives in Karnali
September 11, 2024
Pabitra Nepali, born into a poor Dalit family, is no stranger to the struggles faced by her community. She has lived through the harsh realities of discrimination, limited opportunities, and lack of access to state services. Despite her poor family background, she always wanted to become a teacher and make a difference in the lives of other Dalit youth.
“Having seen a lot of my peers drop out of school, I was seized by this urge to pursue higher studies and become a teacher,” she recalls. However, her dreams were cut short when she was married off at the tender age of 16 while still in Grade 8. Now, Pabitra fully understands how child marriage robs young girls of education and their ability to shape their own future. “Knowing how child marriage destroys a girl’s life, I’m committed to ensuring that my two daughters, and other girls in my community are not deprived of education,” she adds.
As an elected representative of Dullu Municipality Ward No. 10, Nepali balances her household responsibilities with her official role. With improved advocacy skills, she advocates for actions against child marriage and other forms of discrimination. “For the first time, I have learned about the issues affecting Dalit representatives and how to advocate effectively with municipal stakeholders,” she says, referring to a transformative leadership training she attended eight months ago.
This training, supported by a UNDP project implemented in Karnali Province — European Union Support to Inclusive Federalism (EUSIF) — was designed for elected local representatives, especially women and those from marginalized communities to develop their leadership skills, break barriers and contribute to achieving inclusive and efficient governance at the local level. It covered a wide range of topics, from power structures and decision-making processes to gender-responsive budgeting and public speaking. “We were introduced to issues that we didn’t fully understand before, but that are central to our roles as Ward members,” Nepali adds.
Participants of transformative leadership training in Dullu Municipality, Dailekh.
Assuming leadership
Kopila Nepali, a member of Ward No. 8 of Panchapuri Municipality, and her colleagues, who attended the same training, identified a long-standing need for computer classes for Dalit students in their area. Their advocacy paid off, with the municipality allocating funds for 50 Dalit students to receive computer education. “We applied the skills we learned in the training to achieve something that will benefit many Dalit youth” Nepai says with a smile.
Pabitra Nepali, a member of Dullu Municipality Ward No. 10. Through her increasing advocacy skills, she advocates for efforts against child marriage and other forms of discrimination.
Another Dalit elected representative from Ward No. 1 shares how the training has changed her way of thinking and working. Rima BK was not always confident enough to speak during municipal meetings. “I wouldn’t utter a word in any meeting, not because I didn’t have thoughts, but because I didn’t have the confidence to speak,” she admits. Thanks to her newfound confidence from the leadership training, Rima now actively participates in meetings and advocates for the well-being of her community.
Recently, Rima successfully mediated a family dispute in her Ward, which could have escalated dangerously. “The situation was tense, but with the communication and negotiation skills I learned, I was able to resolve it peacefully,” she recalls.
Leadership, as some Ward members have come to realize, is not just about taking initiatives, it is also about being there for people when they need you most. “We need special listening skills , which can sometimes take hours,” says Ramesh Pariyar, a Dalit member of Ward No. 8 of Dullu Municipality who underwent the same training. “The training has helped me not only in my official meetings but also in connecting with people on a personal level.”
Ramesh recently succeeded in advocating for scholarships for Dalit students who excelled in their Secondary Education Examination (SEE). “Each of the four students from our community received Rs. 2050,” he shares. “Motivating others is crucial, and there are so many ways we can do it.”
A well-designed effort
Nepal has made significant strides in women’s representation in its governing structures with 6,620 women elected in the 2022 local elections. The Local Level Election Act 2017 mandates that 40 percent of local government seats be held by women, with at least one woman from Dalit community in each Ward. Despite this progress, challenges remain in ensuring their full participation in leadership and decision-making roles. “Although there has been a substantial increase in elected women and marginalized representatives, their leadership capacity has not reached its full potential,” says Karnali Province Chief Minister Yam Lal Kandel, emphasizing the need for tailored programmes to enhance leadership skills of elected representatives. “Transformation does not come quickly. It takes sustained and collaborative efforts by all the key stakeholders,” he adds.
Ramesh Pariyar, a Dalit member of Ward No. 8 of Dullu Municipality.
Many women were nominated by political parties to meet quota requirements, often without much prior experience in governance. As a result, they faced unique challenges and are in need of targeted capacity-building efforts to help them contribute effectively and meaningfully to decision-making processes in their local governments. To tackle this, in partnership with the Karnali Province Training Academy (KPTA) of the provincial government, EUSIF developed a comprehensive "Transformative Leadership Building Training Manual”. “The topics covered in this manual, such as self-awareness, the leadership journey, power relations, rights and accountability, self-confidence, the appreciative inquiry approach, and transformative leadership development, are crucial for fostering transformative leadership,” says Secretary at the Office of the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers in Karnali Province, Ananda Saru.
After finalizing the manual, EUSIF worked closely with KPTA and local governments to conduct leadership training sessions for elected local-level representatives, with a strong focus on women and the Dalit community. “In the context of Karnali Province's low Human Development Index, transformative leadership development is crucial for the overall advancement of women and marginalized communities," says Saru. "This manual on the leadership development of elected representatives will play a vital role in empowering women and marginalized groups.” KPTA has since mainstreamed this training, conducting seven leadership-building programs across 10 local governments. To date, 65 elected representatives, including 38 women, have been trained.
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