Chapter 4: Peace Building in Nepal and Data Analysis
4.2 Analysis
4.2.2 Capacity Building
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groups were nonetheless excluded from almost all stages of peace process negotiations….”445 An important element of the peace process is to ascertain the real needs and issues that need to be addressed. The constructive participation of all social groups in the political process itself through local forums can solve the problem properly.
During the time of conflict, the warring group effectively forwards a number of political issues like transformation of socio-political structure of the country in the legislation and other demands like rights of women, right of backward communities and indigenous communities, for example. For this, civil society organizations, NGOs, and the people themselves – in villages, towns, the capital, and areas across the country – can play a vital role in raising their voices, participating actively, transforming conflicts, stopping the
violence, building cooperation and confidence at the local and national level, and working to ensure that their needs and concerns are addressed. At present, Nepal needs to make sweeping political changes to address the problems of structural inequity, economic discrimination and to offer all civil rights to the people to integrate with welfare politics. A good process will be one in which the participation of, and the commitment to addressing the needs of, the
communities and people of Nepal is seen as central to the overall transformation of the conflict and peace building, including both the final outcome as well as the way it is carried out. The success of peace process will indicate how Nepali political leaders can transform the traditional state mechanism into a new mechanism that can make efforts to prompt economic growth and development.
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are not inclined toward any political party. Political movements that took place in different periods caused people to be the part of different political parties. However, people obtained less opportunity to get education and other basic needs, which became the causes of people’s suffering. The neglect of basic humanitarian needs such as education, health, and access to drinking water increases frustration among the youth, and they are drawn toward violent activities or seek to create conflict at the grassroots, as well as the national level. Nepal’s peace process, capacity building of marginalized people, institutionalizing of the democratic process, and inclusion of different nationals living in the country all remain at risk if the socioeconomic prospects do not improve.
Capacity building, a catchphrase in development field, is used in all economic planning of the country all over the world.446 Capacity building through education, cultural awareness, involvement of local people in the political structure, empowerment of marginal groups through economic production, and the participation of common people in local and national decision-making could bring a new stability to the nation. Capacity building of a country requires charismatic and knowledgeable people, which mean that there is a need to develop the educational system. A country like Nepal should aim for less expensive approaches to make education available to all its citizens. Strengthening collaborations with international actors in developing their educational institutions can also help the Nepalese towards capacity building. It is a fact that only capable, competent, and knowledgeable individuals can provide useful inputs in any productive field. Further, if people are capable, they can identify the situation, maintain neutrality, and retain the ability to work, even in conflict-ridden zones, and contribute to the nation. Ensuring a significant improvement in the quality of people’s lives is one of the major tasks in the capacity development of people, and it even helps in strengthening political parties’ leadership.
446 Gurung, G, “Capacity building is not an event but a process: lesson from health sector decentralization of Nepal.” Nepal Medical College journal : NMCJ, 11(3), (2009): 205–206.
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In practice, effective conflict prevention is derived from a variety of activities that address all aspects of society and all relevant actors.447 Merely defusing socioeconomic tensions and filling the ethnic gaps that exist in Nepalese society is not enough. By analyzing Nepal’s past and present conditions, it can be said that empowerment is an essential component of peace building. Peace building and conflict transformation are vital components in a post-conflict nation and can change society’s attitude towards the war. The empowerment of people at the individual, organizational, and governmental levels is fundamental to peace building.
For this, the need of addressing the problems of people is necessary and political parties have no political option except promulgating the constitution in time in order to end the peace process politically. In a new constitution, there ought to be the people’s provisions, so they can feel their ownership of the constitution. Women’s empowerment, education for the empowerment for all, quality health service, social and legal justice, end of economic disparity, consensus of foreign policy, political consent on national security, mobilization of natural resources for the development of the country, and so on, can work jointly for
developing the capacity building of people. Right now people do not want to live in fear and threat, and now it is the responsibility of the government to maintain law and order in the society in order to institutionalize all political achievements of people’s movement and armed political conflict for which people were fighting.
Table 8 shows, when applying the Gini coefficient, that inequality has increased. When looking at the living standard, the surveys indicate that inequality has grown over the years.
Also, although rural inequality appears to be slightly lower than urban inequality, in fact, inequality in income distribution in rural areas has increased faster than in urban areas from 1996 to 2004.
447 Galama and Van Tongeren, Towards Better Peace Building, 134–5.
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Table 8 Gini Coefficients of Income Distribution Patterns
Survey Rural Nepal Urban Nepal Nepal
Multipurpose Household
Budget Survey 1988/85 0.23 0.26 0.24
Nepal Living Standard
Survey1995/96 0.31 0.43 0.34
Nepal Living Standard
Survey2003/4 0.35 0.44 0.41
Compiled by author, Source; Nepal Human development Report, Nepal South Asia Center, Kathmandu, 1998, and CBS 2004.
Some measures have been taken by the United Nations, Nepal Government and Other Machineries. Although the country is filled with income inequality448, there has been no systematic approach towards capacity building for poverty and inequality eradication in Nepal. The country itself has taken few initiatives to bring change in the country. The United Nations, however, has encouraged the country to take up capacity building by focusing on devolution of central government, improving its functions and strengthening District Development Committees.449 The organizations also encouraged Nepal to concentrate on decentralizing planning and implementation and to develop systems for bringing
development through Village Development Committee.450 Thus, the aim here is to bring changes in the political ideologies that will ultimately initiate new changes in other areas, such as, for example, education, empowerment, economic production.
The UN system is also influencing Nepal on gender equality and empowerment. In fact, Nepal is now a signatory to the UN 'Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of
Discrimination against Women' (CEDAW).451 The UN has even influenced Nepal to work on the health of women to curb maternity death and to take care of pre-natal and post-natal
448 See Appendix 9, Nepal Poverty Map, 387. It provides the poverty level at the sub district for whole Nepal.
449 Maconick, Capacity-building for Poverty Eradication: Analysis Of, and Lessons From, Evaluations of UN System Support to Countries’ Efforts , 879.
450 Ibid.
451 Ibid.
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health. The government of Nepal, along with UN and other agencies, continues to work towards development and sustainability.
Poverty has become a perennial issue for developing countries like Nepal. The government should take measures in tackling these problems by eradicating hunger and malnutrition in the country. Developmental efforts in terms of improving production through scientific methods can be initiated by the government to improve the living condition, general health and life expectancy of the people. Geographically, Nepal is also in a region where flood, earthquake and glaciers are common. The vulnerability of the population to these natural disasters has made the Nepali government come up with solutions to deal with the
environment issues and which will bring development and lower the issue of inequality in environmental institution capacity at the national level, in capacity building in river
catchment planning, in capacity planning in urban land use policies, in disaster management programs, and in clinical waste management, and so on.452
Beginning with the 1990 constitution, Nepal has been trying to rebuild society. Part of the structure to support development has been the national planning commission that formulates plans and submits them to the government for consideration and possible action. Despite this, however, there has been little success in developing and implementing market-oriented and liberal economic policies.As part of the liberalized economic policies, the country is now inviting foreign investment to industrialists and entrepreneurs, which is a tool for
improvement. In the line of globalization and liberalization in contemporary days, the country pursues capacity building in industrial and trade policies through dynamic policies by
encouraging the local entrepreneurs to use foreign capital and technology and to improve their system453.
452 International Business Publication,Nepal Mining Laws and Regulations Handbook, 2008, 37.
https://books.google.com/books?id=AIqzhau2Ua4C&pgis=1. Accessed on June 13, 2015.
453 Ibid.
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Developed countries have shown how capacity building of a country can be realized through building industries, improving education and improving the economic condition of the country. Such improvements need constant changes and innovations that require the commitment of the government for its people. The government of Nepal should therefore resort to working with private sectors and with its citizens in bringing development in the country. If the governments resort to such activities as improving the investment procedure of the public and private sector, there are more chances of improving the development of the country.