NGO Federation of Nepal (NFN) Mid-Western Regional Committee organized a two days' programme in cooperation with NFN Banke district chapter. Hundreds of people from different sectors, particularly from poor and marginalized section of society, and representatives of civil society organizations including leaders of local political parties participated in the programme. Hon. Purna Kumari Subedi, Vice Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly, participated as the chief guest of the programme.

On the first day (14th Feb), participants from different sectors were divided into 10 different groups to discuss on the trends and progress in the constitution making process. They have analyzed on the constitutional provisions included in the draft of different CA committees with a focus on the draft of Fundamental Rights Committee.  They have identified the positive elements in the drafts and the gaps from their perspectives. The groups came up with some suggestions to be included in the constitution in order to ensure their fundamental rights in the new constitution.

On the second day (15th Feb 2010), a broader overview of the constitution making from the perspectives of civil society organizations was presented by Dr. Netra Prasad Timsina, President of NGO Federation of Nepal, to the leaders of political parties, civil society leaders, Vice Chairperson of the Constituent Assembly and the representatives from the marginalized sections of society.  It was followed by 10 presentations by different groups which prepared their findings on the first day. After the group presentations, floor was open to provide feedbacks to the leaders of political parties and CA Vice Chairperson.  About 50 participants provided feedbacks and suggestions from the floor.

Leaders of local political parties and CA Vice Chairperson responded that all the concerns and issues raised by the participants seem to be very relevant and some of them are quite important that even the CA members have not given thought yet (for example- one group came up with the suggestion that all the agricultural land should come under state jurisdiction except the lands for housing- that would resolve the present level of economic disparities and conflict in land rights).

Participants of the programme mooted that political parties uphold the commitments for inclusive and democratic constitution (with the framework of economic, social and cultural transformation) to promulgate in the stipulated time, i.e., 28 May 2010. The participants also cautioned the CA vice chair and leader of political parties that if the CA does not meet the deadline for the constitution making, uncertainties will prevail and the regressive forces will take the opportunities to create anarchy in the country.

Vice Chairperson of the CA said that if political parties focus on constitution making leaving all partisan interests aside, still new constitution will be possible within the given time frame. She also urged that the political parties uphold the politics of consensus to take Nepal’s peace process to a logical end. She further said that the focus of the constitution is to empower the poor and marginalized who are in deprivation since the origin of the modern Nepali state.