Ganesh KC

A two-days training was facilitated at Pension Vasana Hotel on 1st and 2nd of September, 23, for the members of disability sister-wings affiliated to different political parties. The participants were the persons with disabilities with different disability types and ethnic backgrounds. The program was organized by CIL-Kathmandu, in partnership with Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI). The training aimed to develop the competence of the participants to enable them to raise and advocate for their political rights, and hence to finally promote the participation and representation of persons with disabilities in the decision making level, both within and outside the political party.

The entire training was divided into 8 sessions, which were led by disability expert Mr. Manish Prasai. The training was presented in a learner-centered approach, where the partakers were provided with abundant opportunities to reflect, discuss, study and plan to extract the findings and knowledge through out. The participants worked in group to develop their knowledge on the idea of political rights and disability participation in politics, the existing barriers, possible responders to the issues, legal bases and to devise advocacy strategies and formulate the drafts of memorandum regarding disability inclusion and participation.

The trainer facilitated the necessary knowledge, skills and strategies to identify, raise and advocate for any issue of persons with disabilities so that they get addressed. In addition, the guest trainers, who were the members of parliament of two different political parties and from two different gender, shared their political struggle, story of attaining the success and importance of political involvement and participation for persons with disabilities spotlighting their lived experiences.

The trainees were able to explore various authentic documents to justify the legal bases of their rights and extract the needed information. The skills on advocacy, organized planning of advocacy and development of advocacy letter were also additional abilities developed by the participants in the training. Furthermore, a platform to interact with policy maker and opportunity to co-learn by reflecting on the concepts and hurdles to achieve the political inclusions were the important parts of the training acknowledged by the partakers during the feedback. Many participants recognized the importance of the training and advised the organization to launch the programs/events to a larger extents to boost the political rights of persons with disabilities, since, politics is the base for any other kinds of entitlements to obtain. The sharing and response from the participants stood as a great motivation to the organization to create the further spaces to learn, and share more on political rights and inclusive representation for persons with disabilities.

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Center for Independent Living of Persons with Disabilities (CIL-Kathmandu) organized a Discussion/Interaction program with representatives from major political parties in Baneshwor, Kathmandu, on July 31st, 2023. The primary objective of this program was to seek suggestions from persons with disabilities who actively serve as leaders within their respective political parties, to promote the political rights of individuals with disabilities in Nepal.

Mr. Manish Prasai, a Disability Rights Expert, presented the findings of his secondary qualitative research study, which examined the political parties’ constitutions, regulations, and manifestos during election periods, aiming to influence the public’s vote for their candidates. The research revealed some progress in promoting disability rights and inclusion in certain political parties’ manifestos, regulations, and constitutions. Additionally, in 2017, the country enacted the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act to safeguard the political rights and interests of persons with disabilities. However, the implementation and enforcement of the Act have posed challenges for the disability rights movement.

During the discussion, many participants expressed doubts about the attitudes of current leaders responsible for drafting political documents and manifestos for their parties. Participants shared similar opinions, likening the perception of political parties to that of the Charity-based model prevalent during the Renaissance Period. The program also addressed issues related to the fragmented disability movement and its impact on reservations, capacity building budgets, and fluctuations in social security.

One proud moment for CIL Kathmandu during the program was the active participation of individuals representing different intersectionality, such as the LGBTQI community and leprosy survivors. Two persons, have hard of hearing disability and are part of the LGBTQI community, have established the Rainbow Disability Nepal organization, which aims to raise awareness about intersectionality, gain acceptance from the community, and foster a sense of belonging within society. Their participation in the program provided valuable feedback to CIL-Kathmandu, contributing to future discourse. Similarly, the leprosy survivors emphasized the importance of inviting individuals from diverse backgrounds, providing ample learning opportunities, and fostering solidarity to achieve an independent and inclusive society.

The informal discussion program concluded with the recognition of the significance of fully emancipated political participation. It highlighted the need for solidarity among all disability rights activists, regardless of their ideologies. They must work together to sensitize political parties comprehensively, develop extensive advocacy plans, and execute them effectively, thereby promoting inclusivity within all central political parties and their wings.

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On 27th February 2023, an orientation program was conducted for the representatives of the local Government at Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City, to promote disability-inclusive and accessible service delivery mechanisms, and train them on issues and rights of disability, guiding for a supportive and accessible approach towards the people with disability. The program was organized by CIL-Kathmandu in coordination with the Disabled Women Association, Rupandehi, and with the financial support of the Australian Volunteers Impact Fund.  In the program, Mayor- Khelraj Pandey, different ward presidents of the Municipality, Australian Volunteers Program Manager- Rajendra Khadka, central board member of NFDN- Sabitra Ghimire, Persons with Disabilities, representatives from the local CSOs, NGOs, and media personnel. Around 35 persons were there in the program.

The one-day orientation comprised the presentation and the distribution of guiding booklets for the local government to serve as reference booklets to support persons with disability. General Secretary of CIL – Kathmandu Ganesh KC, and Vice-president -Jamuna Subedi presented regarding the overall issue of persons with disabilities and the work to be done at the local level. Kalpana Dhakal, president of the Disabled Women Association, Rupandehi facilitated the program.

The orientation focused on edifying the partakers and therefore was meaningful to promoting inclusive, accessible, and accountable local government and social systems as expressed by the attending participants.

Khelraj Pandey, the head of the Butwal sub-metropolitan city said that the municipality is always ready for the welfare of the disabled community. Further added there have been complaints that the newly constructed building of Butwal sub-metropolitan city is not disabled friendly and promised to modify it and make it easily accessible to disabled people. City Chief Pandey promised that he is always ready to solve the problems of persons with disabilities.

Shiv Rana, the spokesperson of Butwal sub-metropolitan city and chairman of Butwal sub-metropolitan ward number 15, promised to always help from the municipal ward level to solve the problem of disability.

Speaking at the program, Bal Bahadur Pun, Chairman of Butwal Sub-Metropolitan Ward No. 10, said that he would take initiative to get the allocated budget easily in the field of disability.

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On 31st of January 2023 CIL Kathmandu, under the support of CFLI organized Dissemination/ Sharing Meeting on Project Outcome and Learning to disseminate the outcomes achieved and learnings acquired through the 7-month-long project. The disability rights activists and Organizations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) representatives, university students, Civil Society Organizations along with journalists and representatives from different sister wings of political parties/campaigns participated in the meeting.

The general secretary of CIL-Kathmandu shared the learning and outcomes of the project and invited the attendees to share their views, comments, and experiences regarding the project. There were 36 total participants in the program, and they expressed their words of congratulations on the achievements presented and also shared their worries on the prevalent challenges to mainstream persons with disabilities in the political arena, and further gaps to integrate the doubly marginalized groups within the disability. Also, the participants advised the organizations to consider the learnings and correct/address the missing issues in future events. The discussion also acknowledged the necessity of political and civil rights-based programs to empower people with disabilities so that they can advocate and become active to engage in political involvement. Furthermore, they thanked CIL-Kathmandu and Canadian Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) for this new and fresh project in the political rights and inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in ensuring electoral Candidacy through capacity building and Advocacy.

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On 29th of January 2023, a One-day “Review/reflection, and Orientation Meeting to fortify Disability Inclusive Political and Electoral Process ahead” was conducted under the support of Canadian Funds for Local Initiatives (CFLI) to empower and educate the stakeholders within the disability movement in promoting intervening representation and dignified access in political and electoral processes/ practices and strategies were developed for future to mainstream the marginalized groups including women, Dalits, Indigenous, Madhesi, etc. within disability based on the reflection and review of the project achievements and impact. Making the event more impactful chief guest Hr. Laxmi Ghimire was present in the program to show her solidarity in promoting the inclusion of Persons with disabilities in the political arena. Also, different guests representing different sectors of Disability were present.

In the first session, the facilitator oriented the participants on prevailing barriers and challenges to political/electoral inclusion of Persons with disabilities and provided recommendations on the future role and responsibilities of the stakeholders in expanding the access not only to recommend electoral candidates but to ensure visible and rightful representation of Persons with Disabilities in parliament as a lawmaker. In the next session, a group discussion was conducted to develop strategies and action plans to promote the access and inclusion of Persons with Disabilities and marginalized sectors within it for the electoral and political practices as the political parties did not recommend experienced and deserving Persons with Disabilities candidates to be the Peoples representative.

Around 40 participants with more than 50% female were present. The participants joining the previous activities of the project like orientation, training, and advocacy have been prioritized and shared they have been, further enhanced in their understanding of prevailing barriers, and empowered with proper knowledge and skills to advocate for political and electoral inclusion of PWDs for the future, equipped with clear plans and strategies to work ahead in promoting political and electoral access of PWDs along with further disadvantaged communities within disability.

In the end, the attendees showed their solidarity in future activities to further promote the political and overall rights of Persons with Disabilities.  And the program was formally ended with thanking remarks  by the president of the CIL-Kathmandu

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