International IDEA's Work
Regions: Nepal

Nepal is moving with genuine commitment towards an open multi-party democratic system. But despite a basic commitment to democracy by the public and political leaders, the democratic process continues to be hampered by extreme polarization within and between political parties, the lack of civil service neutrality and a weak democratic tradition. Nepal has seen many alternations of government stemming from these factors and compounded by weak coalitions. Political stability is also undermined by the growing challenges of Maoist insurgency.

In Nepal International IDEA aims to:

• Assist in developing consensus on democratic norms and procedures among all political parties in the country;
  
• Assist with ensuring the neutrality of the civil service;
  
• Assist with the application of good governance;
  
• Encourage critical dialogue on the role of political parties including issues related to transparency, accountability, internal reform and the funding of political parties

To achieve these objectives, the Institute helped to set up the Centre for Studies on Democracy and Good Governance (CSDGG), which has the support of the five political parties and serves as a forum for discussions on governance and democratization. Several international organizations are co-operating with the CSDGG to strengthen good governance initiatives in Nepal.

International IDEA will convene a workshop on 'Democracy and Local Governance' to support additional initiatives to strengthen participatory democracy in Nepal.

For further information, contact:

Sakuntala Kadirgamar-Rajasingham, Senior Executive
E-mail: s.kadirgamar@idea.int

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