Shanti’s Commitment for Social Transformation

Dhanusadham Municipality Social Mobiliser Ms. Shanti Lama has witnessed a noticeable social transformation within a very short span in a Musahar Community at Ward no 4, of Dhanusadham Municipality. Thanks due to her untiring efforts and dedication for facilitating regular meetings of Citizen Awareness Center (CAC), engaging herself in Open Defecation Free (ODF) campaign and involving in Annual Development Planning process of the Municipality.

Earlier almost all 36 family of Musahar Settlement used to drink too much alcohol. They had very limited awareness on sanitation and hygiene issues. Moreover, no people had been involved in local development planning process until when she appointed last year to work as Soial Mobiliser in the Municipality. Therefore, most activities in annual local development plans were for local elites. Even, no people in the Musahar Community were able to put their development demand in local development planning and budgeting process. Moreover, the community had very limited opportunities for enjoying income and employment generation activities from the Municipality.

When all Musahar families were organized into a CAC and got capacity development training supports together with income generating activities from LGCDP through the Municipality, they were empowered noticeably. In every week they attend REFLECT class that helped them to understand their rights, roles, responsibilities and information on services they can claim from local government. Further, from LGCDP they had received livelihood and infrastructure development supports that were utilized in rearing goats, purchasing a white board for REFLECT class, constructing a community building, maintaining a public toilet and carrying out saving and credit programs.

Having effective social mobilization process together with livelihood opportunities, Ms. Lama was able to convince the Musahar Community for not to drink too much alcohol. Also, she persuaded them towards undertaking environment cleanliness campaign and continue social mobilization process. With Rs.3,15,000 support of LGCDP – the CAC procured 30 goats, maintained a community building, constructed a public toilet, and adopted saving and credit schemes, started to enjoying local governments’ services such as vital registration and citizen certificates. The support, though were small helped a lot in developing confidence of Musahar Community for designing and implementing development plans. “I am pleased to see that most of their plans come out through rigorous discussion and interaction are included in the Municipality Annual Plan 2073/74” said Ms. Shanti. The CAC members for the first time had engaged in municipality annual development plan preparation process. Due to their active participation in the entire planning process, even in the terai strike in January 13, 2016, the Municipality organized the council meeting in time.

However, she cautiously said that all programs including environment friendly development activities forwarded by the CAC had not been included in the Municipal Annual Development Plans. The budget Rs.12,000 received by the CAC group from LGCDP for snacks were not well enough to hold regular meetings. Further she expected to have regular capacity development support to herself from LGCDP. As she had engaged heavily in the social mobilization and local development planning process even during the terai strike, she got life threatening message from some local elites.  She had an expectation of identity card and life insurance scheme from the program. Despite having all hardship she extended her best for completing the Municipal Council Meeting in time.

In a nut shell, effective social mobilization can be ensured only through dedicated and hardworking Social Mobilisers, frontline soldiers of development activities. LGCDP should pay further attention towards strengthening capacity of Social Mobilisers to upkeep their spirit of work that ultimately helps ensuring inclusive development at the local level.

The story was prepared based on interaction with stakeholder including Ms. Shanti Lama in Dhanusadham on April 2, 2016. 

Climate Finance Governance in Nepal

The note was presented in CBA10 (21-28 April 2016) in Bangladesh

Climate Finance in Nepal

The government of Nepal has shown commitment of bringing upto 80% climate marked budget to local climate vulnerable communities especially poor, women and dalit groups through formulating Climate Change Policy.

National Planning Commission produced Climate Public Expenditure Institutional Review (CPEIR) Report in 2013. The report was found instrumental to understand government’s commitment for addressing climate change issues particularly budget allocation as against the climate change policy, 2011 of bringing upto 80% climate change budget at local level. Moreover, the report acted as a baseline on climate change adaptation budget allocated by public sectors in Nepal.   

The CEPIR lead to produce National Climate Change Budget Code. National budget allocation to climate change related activities increased from 6.74% (Rs. 27,282,629,000 - approx. US$264m) in 2012 to 10.3% in 2013 (Rs. 3,482,516,000 - approx. US$33.7m) and 19.45 % (Rs. 159,346,729,000 – approx. US$1,533m) in 2014. In addition, in line with the CPEIR Report, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development (MoFALD) through Local Climate Change Adaptive Living (LoCAL) has implemented performance based climate change resilience grant in Dhading and Rupandehi Districts of Nepal since 2014.

Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL) in Nepal

To ease tracking the climate change budget at local level, UNCDF in collaboration with UNEP and UNDP is developing a local climate change adaptation financing mechanism, the LoCAL, for Local Bodies (LB) in Nepal. The LoCAL is part of the global LoCAL facility of UNCDF. In LoCAL Nepal has been integrated in the successful Local Governance and Community Development Programme (LGCDP) phase II and under the Poverty and Environment Initiative of UNEP/UNDP. The PEI’s main objective is to promote Nepal’s transition towards Environmental Friendly Local Governance and climate resilient development. The LoCAL has been a complementary by strengthening Local Bodies for climate change resilience through mainstreaming Climate Finance in intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers System and the local planning and budgeting process. The key characteristics of LoCAL in Nepal are as follows:

·         The Local Climate Adaptive Living Facility (LoCAL) provides a mechanism to integrate climate change adaptation into local governments’ planning and budgeting systems, increase awareness and response to climate change at the local level, and increase the amount of finance available to local governments for climate change adaptation.

·         LoCAL makes use of performance-based grants for climate resilience, providing incentives through financial top-ups, helping build stronger and more transparent government financial systems.

·         LoCAL promotes the integration of climate change adaptation into local development planning, supporting the actual implementation of national-level climate change and decentralization strategies.

·         LoCAL ensures the voices of the communities and the poorest are captured in local development plans and investments, so that climate finance reaches the ones who most need it.

·         LoCAL offers a proven mechanism for the international community to channel climate change finance to the most remote and vulnerable regions and populations of the world, ensuring traceability and performance monitoring and reporting.

LoCAL has been piloted in two districts (Dhading & Rupandehi) and 6 Village Development Committees (VDCs) – three each in Dhading and Rupandehi Nepal since April 2014. Key results delivered during the pilot include: i) increased CC awareness and citizen empowerment to employ adaptation/resilience building responses; ii) increased capacity of Local Bodies to mainstream CC resilience in local planning and to steer public climate finance to those most in need; iii) improved local public expenditure management and accountability; iv) and arrangements for tracking and reporting on CC adaptation expenditures at local level designed and tested.

Outcomes:

Dhading District Development plan has the policy of replicating LoCAL initiatives in non-piloting village development committees, Ministry of Federal Affair and Local Development has used the LoCAL financial mechanism in Environment Friendly Local Governance Program that is being implemented in 14 districts, 54 municipalities and 60 village development committees. Discussion is being evolved whether the mechanism now could help accessing Global Climate Fund.    

Issues:

Inadequate climate resilience indicators in the existing Minimum Condition and Performance Measure (MCPM) guidelines and administration of performance based climate resilient grant, inadequate capacity of local service providers particularly human resources for proper and timely reporting are the key issues for successful implementation of the LoCAL.

  

Way Forward:

·         Continuing piloting and developing the LoCAL mechanism in the selected pilot DDCs and VDCs.

·         Scaling-up of the LoCAL mechanism as the Government’s EFLG mechanism, which will over time become nationwide

·         Strengthening the EFLG system so it will be approved for accessing climate funding, including the Green Climate Fund.

·         Provides capacity development and quality assurance support.

Key Policy Issues on Climate Finance in Nepal and Way Forward

Ek Raj Sigdel

Climate Finance Management – Vision

Climate change financing issue has been evolved as one of the hot topics in Nepalese climate change policy discourse these days. The government of Nepal has shown commitment of bringing upto 80% climate marked budget to local climate vulnerable communities especially poor, women and dalit groups through Climate change policy, 2011 and Nepal Adaptation Program of Action (NAPA), 2010. In the present context when about 1/4^th of the total population are under poverty line add most of them prone to climate induced water hazards. In this context, on the one hand the climate change fund should help addressing livelihood need of the climate change vulnerable communities and on the other should contribute in to maintain sustainable healthy ecosystem. To see the “win-win” situation between poor and environment, it is needed to develop and strengthen climate change vulnerable community and environment linked finance policies, institutions and programs. Moreover, there should be a synergy among funding channeled by different stakeholders through harmonising it under a common umbrella of national and local government.  To ensure the proper use of the climate change budget, the service providers should be more effective and efficient, climate change vulnerable communities should be empowered to voice their demand at local development planning process and there should be well functional accountability and transparency mechanism at the interface of duty bearers and right holders.

Climate Finance Policy Issues

There are some issues that are hindering for effective management of climate finance in Nepal. First, policies related to Climate finance are to be compete with other issue pressing agenda of the government such as poverty reduction, infrastructure development and state restructuring. Even there is no policy distinction between environment and climate change at local level. Second, there is inadequate human and institutional capacity for accessing, consumption and disbursement of climate funds from international to local level. Third, there is a cumbersome decision making process for transferring climate budget from central government to local bodies. Fourth, standard modality of financing at local level yet to explore. Fifth, local government has inadequate capacity to administer and manage 80% climate finance due to lack of clear understanding and skills. Fifth, there is no effective, transparent and accountability mechanism in place to minimize fiduciary risks. Sixth, there is no mechanism of tracking funding, expenditure and reporting on performance of climate finance. Finally, prevailing climate finance knowledge transfer system is very ineffective in Nepal.  

Future Course of Action

To ensure 80% budgets expenditure at local level it is important to carry out the following activities in priority basis:  

1.       Introduce and strengthen result based planning and budgeting system at local level

2.       Include climate financial indicators into Minimum Condition and Performance Measures (MCPM), Local Body Resource Mobilization Guidelines (LBRMG), Procurement Regulations, National Monitoring and Evaluation Guidelines

3.       Introduce and upscale performance based climate resilient grant

4.       Create more demand for climate budget from climate vulnerable communities through better integrating LAPA into local level planning process & link climate expenditure with poverty alleviation

5.       Develop a common coordinating framework for Development Partners, Government and Private sectors 

6.       Prepare and implement fiduciary risk reduction action plan to ensure transparency, accountability, single treasury system and web based reporting

7.       Prepare and implement capacity development strategy –

·         Strengthen environment management special fund (EMSF)

·         Prepare District – CPEIR & expenditure tracking guidelines

·         Introduce climate change budget code at local level

·         Enhance capacity of MoF, Line Ministries, FCGO, DTO

·         Ensure availability of adequate staff in the field

·         Prepare and implement communication strategies to aware stakeholders 

Unrealistic Annual Work-Plan of Singha Ward Citizen Forum

By Ek Raj Sigdel & Nirmala Subba

With an information of a Beni Municipality staff member, without any pre-information, we attended ongoing meeting of a Ward Citizen Forum (WCF) at Singha, Ward No 13 of Beni Municipality on 14^th December 2015. As per the given Social Mobilization Guidelines, the 27 member WCF represents all stakeholders including citizen awareness centers, community forest user groups, women group, children clubs, and women dalit and marginalized communities among others. Out of 27 members in the WCF, 20 were discussing on their approved annual plans for the fiscal year 2072/73. Similarly, out of eight women members in the WCF, only two were in the meeting. It was noted that the meeting was to form user committees to implement recently approved annual development plan – 2072/73 for Ward Number 13 & 14 of Beni Municipality.

While reviewing the WCF meeting minutes, it was revealed that the WCF has carried out a total of five meetings over the last four months and discussed a total of 12 agenda. The agenda discussed in the meetings were related to reformation of WCF, management of senior citizen allowance, ways for making I/NGOs work more effective, dissemination of main features of constitution, formation of Tole Improvement Committees, and establishment of user committees to implement the ward activities.

Thanks due to the WCF initiatives that helped accessing social security allowance to over 90% senior citizens of ward number 13 & 14 of Beni Municipality. The WCF helped collecting data and maintaining bank account of almost all senior citizens in Agriculture Development Bank.To make WCF work more effective, they have decided bringing I / NGO work under their umbrella. As said by WCF members, most of the programs planned in last year got approved without amendment from the Municipality Council. Moreover, in the changing context particularly earthquake, some of the priority activities could have been changed if they were given chance to review the plan as did in the past years. Table 1 presents the Municipality Council approved plan for ward no 13&14 of Beni Municipality for the fiscal year 2072/73 and WCF’s perception on the approved activities.

While seeing table, it is revealed that budget allocated by the Municipality Council for almost all activities were inadequate. Further, target group focused activities were yet to be defined. Almost all WCF members expressed dissatisfaction over the approved plan for 2072/73.

                                                                                        

Table 1 Approved Annual Activities of Singha Village, Ward no 13 & 14 of Beni Municipality for 2072/73

S.No	Activity	Rs.	Remarks
1	Infrastructure and awareness program	1,00,000	No specific program
2	Motor able road construction	1,00,000	Inadequate budget
3	Lift irrigation support	50,000	Inadequate budget
4	Bridge foundation support	75,000	Inadequate budget
5	River bank protection	50,000	Inadequate Budget
6	Community building construction (Women focus program)	75,000	Adequate and specific
7	Road upgrading	1,00,000	Inadequate budget
8	School furniture support	50,000	Adequate and specific
9	Dalit capacity development program	45,000	No specific program
10	Janjati focus program	45,000	No specific program
11	Capacity development (not specific)	45,000	No specific program
12	Disable focus program	45,00	No specific program
13	Women focus program	1,00,000	No specific program

राइपुर क्षेत्रको विकास: चुनौती र संभावना

ढोरेली सेवासमाज काठमाडौँको आयोजना तथा राजपुर माध्यमिक विध्यालय राईपुर ४ तनहुँ को सह-आयोजनामा ढोर क्षेत्रका माबि स्तरीय हाजिरीजवाफ कार्यक्रम तथा गत बर्ष प्रबेशिका (SLC) परिक्षामा त्यस क्षेत्रबाट उत्कृस्ट नतिजा हासिल गर्ने एक जना छात्र तथा एक जना छात्रालाई पुरस्कृत गर्ने कार्य मिति २०७२/८/२० का दिन राजपुर माध्यमिक विध्यालय, राइपुरमा सफलताका साथ सु-सम्पन्न भयो / उक्त कार्यक्रमको योजनाको क्रममा बक्ताहरुको भनाई तथा उपलब्ध सन्दर्भ सामग्रीको आधारमा तयार पारिएको राइपुर क्षेत्रको विकास:चुनौती र संभावनाको बिश्लेषणलाई तलका अनुच्छेदमा प्रस्तुत गरिएको छ /  

कार्यक्रमका अधिकांश बक्ताहरुको जोड ढोरक्षेत्रको सैक्षिकस्तर प्रत्यक बर्ष खस्कदो अवस्थामा गुज्रिरहेकोले यसलाई सुधार्नुपर्ने, नयाँ संबिधानको मर्म अनुसार समाबेशीकरण तथा बाल अधिकारलाई ध्यानमा राखी विकास निर्माणका क्रियाकलापलाई अगाडी बढाउनुपर्ने, बिकासमा राजनीतिक सहमति र समझदारीलाई बढवा दिनुपर्ने, राईपुर क्षेत्रको समग्र विकासमा जोड दिनुपर्ने, ढोरेली सेवा समाज काठमान्डौबाट गरिआएका सृजनशील कृयाकलापहरुलाई निरन्तरता दिनुपर्ने, ढोर क्षेत्रका उत्कृस्ट प्रतिभाहरुको पहिचानगरी उनीहरुको संम्मान गर्नुपर्ने लगाएतमा रहेको थियो /

२०५८ सालमा प्रकाशित राईपुर गाबिसको पार्श्वचित्रको (Village Profile) अनुसार त्यो बेलामा राईपुर क्षेत्रमा एउटा पनि माध्यमिक बिद्यालयहरु थिएनन्, कुनैपनि भू-भागलाई पक्की मोटरबाटोले छोएको थिएन, कच्ची सडकहरू समेत थिएनन्, गाउँ भरिमा सांसद कोटाको एउटा मात्र टेलिफोन सेवा उपलब्ध थियो, भरपर्दो स्वास्थ्य सेवाहरु थिएनन्, खाने पानीको समस्या थियो, तर अहिले करिब १४ वर्षको अन्तरालमा त्यस क्षेत्रमा तीनवटा माध्यमिक विद्यालयहरु स्थापना भएका छन्, दुलेगौंडाको गाछेपानी देखी राइपुरको थुम्कीडाँडा सम्मको कुल २१ किलोमिटर मध्य ९.३ किमी ग्रावेल र २४.७ कच्ची सडक बनेको छ साथै प्रत्यक बस्तिलाई धुले सडकले छोएको छ, सुबिधा संपन्न स्वास्थ्य तथा उपस्वास्थ्य चौकीहरु स्थापना भएका छन्, ८०% भन्दा बढी मानिसको हातमा मोबाईलफोन उपलब्ध छ, अधिकांश मानिसको घरमा जैविक ग्यास तथा सौर्य उर्जामा आधारित इन्धन उपलब्ध छ र व्यवशायिक फलफुल विकाश आयोजना – सुन्ताला फलफुल विकास योजनाहरु लागु भएको छ, सल्लाघारी पर्यटन, मिलेंनियम ट्रेक, सिद्दगुफा आंप्स्वरा पर्यटन मोटर मार्ग हरु यस क्षेत्र हुदै जाने सोच राखी विकास निर्माणका कार्यहरु अगाडी बढाइएका छंन् /

यसरी छोटो समयमा भौतिक पूर्वाधारमा उल्लेख्य प्रगति भएपनी पनि यसले त्यंहाको जीबनस्तरमा तात्विक फरक ल्याएको भने सुनिएन, बरु उल्टै जुन रफ्तारमा बिद्यालय खोलिए त्यसअनुसार प्रबेशिका परिक्षामा उतिर्ण प्रतिशत उल्लेखनीय रुपमा बृधि हुन सकेन, युबाहरुले रोजगारिकोलागी गाउँ छाड्ने प्रवृत्ती बढ्नुका साथै युबतीहरु बालबच्चा सहित सहरमा बसाईसहरने प्रचलन बढेको पाइयो/ सक्रिय कामदारको अभाबमा कृषि उत्पादकत्वमा दिन प्रतिदिन ह्रास आउन थालेको रहेछ / गाउँहरुमा रहेका परम्परागत पानीका मुहान तथा पोखरीहरु सुक्ने क्रममा रहेको पाइयो / युवा छोरा छोरी संगै नहुँदा ब्रिध्ध ब्रिध्धाहरुले एक्लो महसुस गरेको पाइयो /  तसर्थ भौतिक पुर्बधार बिकासले मात्रै स्थानिय जनताको समग्र बिकास हुन नसक्ने कुरा ताहाको यथार्थस्थितिले पुस्टि भयो/  

राइपुर क्षेत्रको समग्र विकासको लागी भौतिक पुर्बधारको बिकासका साथसाथै आर्थिक, सामाजिक तथा संस्कृतिक संभावनालाई उजागार गर्दै तिनको बिकासमा प्राथमिकता दिनु बान्छनीय देखिन्छ / नयाँ सडक खोल्नु भन्दा भएका बिध्यमान सडकहरूको स्तर उन्नति गर्नु पर्ने, पर्यटकीय आकर्षणका बस्तुहरु जस्तै जन्ते ढुङ्गो, राईपुर कोट, विभिन्न गुफाहरु, त्यस क्षेत्रबाट देखिने मनोरम हिमाल तथा अन्यत्रका दृशय हरुको थप उजागार, बिकास, प्रबर्धन तथा बजारीकरण गर्नुपर्ने देखिन्छ / उक्त क्षेत्र सहश्राब्दी ट्रेकमा पनि पर्ने हुँदा समग्र सहस्राब्दी पर्यटन पथको गुरुयोजना बनाई सो योजनाले निर्दिस्ट गरे अनुसार वातावरण मैत्री पूर्वाधार बिकास लाई बढावा दिनु पर्ने, स्वोच्छ उर्जा जस्तै जैविक ग्यास, सौर्य उर्जा आदिको प्रयोगमा बढोत्तरी ल्याउनुपर्ने, हरेक बस्तीमा बृध ब्रिध्धाहरु एकैठाउँमा बसी छलफल गर्न सजिलोहुने गरि स-साना चौपारीहरु बनाउने, कृषी उत्पादन ब्रिध्धी गर्न बालि विविधिकरण गर्ने र पोखरी तथा पानिका श्रोत संरक्षणमा ध्यान दिने, स्थानिय शिप, प्रबिधी र श्रोत मा आधारित आयआर्जन तथा आम्दानीमा जोड दिने, फलफुल तथा जडिबुटीको ब्यबस्थित रुपमा उत्पादन, तथा बजारीकरणमा जोड दिएको खण्डमा अझैपनि यो क्षेत्रको समग्र विकास गर्न सकिन्छ / यी सबै कमको सुरुवात स्थानिय स्तरबाट गरिनु आबश्यक छ र यसको प्रस्थान बिन्दु स्थानीय निकायको सिघ्र चुनाब हो /