Dissemination meeting on Manifesto review

On August 21, CIL-Kathmandu hosted a  discussion and dissemination meeting on the review of electoral manifestos of major political parties from a disability-inclusive perspective. Under the project of the Canadain fund for Local Initiatives-CFLI, the program organized to promote the electoral candidacy of PWDs, was attended and interacted with by the disability activists affiliated with the political parties and their disability unions, to advocate for a disability-inclusive manifesto, especially in the forthcoming election.

In the dissemination meeting on the review of electoral manifestos, disability activists presented their additional views regarding the previous manifesto review program. Some of the major points of the participants are: Bikash Thapa from Raastriya Lokatantrik Aapanga Sangh– shared his thoughts regarding the disability issue which needs to be promoted by the communist party regarding PWDs affected during the Maoist insurgency period. He also added to promote the representation of PWDs in the local government. Kaladhar Bhandari from Lokatanatrik Aapanga Sangathan Nepal– said that there should not be different advocacy for the PWDs by birth and PWDs by the insurgency or war. Also, he added that such manifestos should address the significant improvement of health, education, and employment opportunities for PWDs. Maheshwar Ghimire from Rashtriya Swotantra Party- added on the involvement of NFDN in pressuring the political leaders in the disability-inclusive election and politics. Dev Kumari Parajuli from Rashtriya Prajatantra Party- said that  PWDs involved in the parties should have their effective role and impression while representing the disability issues. Ramprasad Dhungana from CPN Socialist- added on making the common understanding paper for the development of minimum criteria of inclusion in the manifesto of the political parties. 

Finally, after the discussion a common consensus was developed, finalized and disseminated for the development of the position paper, and the session was formally ended by the closing remarks of the General Secretary, Ganesh KC, and President, Tek Bahadur Gurung respectively.