• Reforming NGO Governance NFN in its Mission
• Current Responsibilities of NGO Federation of Nepal
• Activities under the Various Departments in NFN
• A 4-days training on Good Governance and Right Based Approach
• District Convention of Ramechap
• District Convention of Sindhuli
• What are the Sources of Legitimacy of NGOs?

Reforming NGO Governance NFN in its Mission [TOP]

As the good governance issue is a major concern of Nepali organizations and individuals these days, it is equally applicable to NGO sector as well. NGOs should be accountable to a wide range of stakeholders; people whose rights they seek to protect and advance; their own members, supporter and staff, to those who contribute finance, good or services; to partner institutions, both governmental and non governmental; to regulatory bodies, to those whose polices, programmes or behavior they wish to influence and more broadly to the media and general public. In order to be accountable to the general public, the NGOs should promote transparency within their system of operations by making public their budget, activities, staff salaries, governing bodies and their donors.

NFN therefore has stood up to face the challenges against the NGOs by dismantling the barriers which stand in the way of practicing Good Governance principles. This campaign for strengthening Institutional Good Governance led by NGO Federation of Nepal aims to improve the governance score of the NFN itself and its members than before. It believes that until the NGOs are able to internalize the primary principles of governance, there is a very little possibility for them to be a part of the broader social movement. Therefore, the Institutional Good Governance movement is initiated throughout the 75 districts and 5 development regions to bring about change in the NGO Governance.

Current Responsibilities of NGO Federation of Nepal [TOP]

NGO Federation has four major projects at hand. The Institutional Good Governance Project, supported by DanidaHUGOU, is running since September 2006. Another project named "Campaign from Below for the Constituent Assembly Elections in Nepal" has been implemented from February 2007 after the approval from the Canadian Cooperation Office. Similarly, Citizens' Campaign for Democracy and Social Transformation (CCDST) [GCAP National Coalition] and "Imagine New South Asia" (INSA) are the other international level campaigns that NGO federation is facilitating.

Activities under the Various Departments in NFN [TOP]

Research and Communication Department

On air broadcasting of the radio programme 'Prabartan' (Literal meaning Refraction) on issues related to Institutional Good Governance through radio Nepal (on Friday 8.15 am) along with nine other FM stations (on Monday 9.15 pm) has been successfully completed. The nineteen episodes of Parawatan were relevant in bringing the voices of grassroot people and local organisations and in enhancing the knowledge of listeners on Institutional Governance.

Publication of the IEC materials including booklet, sticker, poster, book marker, folder, flier for the Institutional Good Governance Project as well as for the Constituent Assembly Project.

Women and Inclusion Department

Formation of Women and Inclusion Department in all the regions and in more than 50 district branches.

Regional Meeting of the Women's Department

The department successfully organized women's meeting on 20 April 2007 in Regional Resource center of the Western Region. The participants from 14 districts participated in the meeting. The major objectives of the meeting were to prepare a strategic plan for 2007 and to make the department proactive.

Advocacy and Networking Department

Establishment of National Resource Center

Considering the need of NGOs and civil society organisations, NFN has envisioned to establish a National Level Resource Center (NRN) in the land provided by the government of Nepal (Social Welfare Council) which will serve both as a learning center, and a capacity building center in Kathmandu. It is believed that NGOs, networks, federations, youth organisations, academics, research institutions and partly the government organisations will benefit from the center. Funds are being collected from various networks, donors, individuals and the organisations for the purpose.

Institutional Development Department

1. The membership profiles of the member organizations are being developed. The department is also looking forward to categorize the organisations on the basis of the issues they work for.

Governance in Priority-Activities under the Regional Resource Centers

Institutional Good Governance Policy (Draft)

A two-days workshop on drafting the Institutional Good Governance Policy has been organised in all the Regional Resource Centers of NFN. The draft policy was developed with the participation and acceptance of the NGO representatives (2 each from 75 districts) who are devoted for social development. The objective of this policy is to strengthen Institutional Good Governance capacity of NGOs through establishing definite principles, values, policies and procedures that is applicable to all the NGO community.

It is believed that the policy would help to better manage Institutional Good Governance approaches and principles. All NGOs’ representatives have committed to apply the policy gradually within their own organizations and encourage others to apply. Some member organizations have initiated the process of public hearing, amendment of their administrative policies and have started demanding for at least 33 percent of inclusion of women and proportionate representation of Dalits, Janajatis, differently able persons and other marginalized groups in their work places.

A 4-days training on Good Governance and Right Based Approach [TOP]

District NGO activists having potential for facilitating district level training workshop participated in a 4-days training workshop on Good Governance and Right Based Approach. All the workshops were orgnaised in the Regional Resource Centers where 2 participants (one male and one female each) from 75 districts participated in the programme.

The training has helped in enhancing the participants' understanding and skills in Good Governance and Right Based Approaches. After the regional level training, the participants are mobilized to facilitate district level training workshops. So far Districts like Dadeldhura, Kalikot, Bardiya, Surkhet, Bhaktapur and Kanchanpur have already organised the training for 20 participants each in the district level.

District Convention of Ramechap [TOP]

The district level convention of Ramechhap was held on 12th April 2007 in the presence of Gopal Lamsal, the Central Board Member and Regional Incharge of the Central Region, Indra Nepal, President of the Center Region Regional Committee, Hom Pathak, Secretary and Sushil Subedi, Member of the Regional Committee. 11 members are elected as a district committee members. Shayam Bhahadur Shrestha is elected as the president of the committee.

District Convention of Sindhuli [TOP]

On 13th April 2007, the district level convention of Sindhuli was held in the presence of Gopal Lamsal, Regional Incharge, Indra Nepal, President of the Center Region Regional Committee, Ram Chandra Shah, Vice Secretary, Laxman Regmi, Treasurer and Durga Dahal, Member of the Regional Committee.

What are the Sources of Legitimacy of NGOs? [TOP]

Dr. Netra Pd Timsina, Vice President, NFN

There is overwhelming agreement that if the volunteer sector is to hold governments and business sector accountable, it needs to ensure its own legitimacy, openness and transparency. Legitimacy stems from several sources: firstly from a strong moral conviction through acting on the basis of universally recognized rights and freedoms of speech, assembly and association to articulate public concerns inadequately addressed by government; secondly, a political legitimacy and credibility, through approval of the community or constituency represented by the voluntary association, asserting people’s sovereignty and community control; thirdly, competence or performance legitimacy, by delivering results through being closer to local reality than governmental institutions; fourthly, legal recognition through formal registration under the prevailing legislation and rules of the country, and most importantly, legitimacy comes from accountability and transparency.

Since NGOs have been the influencing non state actors in the country, the increasing power of NGOs have prompted scholars, government, media and ordinary citizens to raise questions on about the roles and responsibilities of the NGOs. Fundamental questions include: how many NGOs actually exist, and what are their agendas? Who runs these NGOs? Who funds them? How transparent are they? And perhaps, most significantly, to whom NGOs are accountable, and how and what influence do they actually have on Nepali society?

All the questions above fall under the broader framework of governance. Fiscal accountability is, of course vital with effective reporting and monitoring systems, and sources of funding fully divulged. Some argue against foreign funding if civil society organizations are involved in promoting political and social change; others, acknowledging the potential sensitivity of this, believe assuring a diversity of funding from public and private sources will overcome accusations of undue influence of donors.

The NGOs need to democratize both their structures and functions. Periodic democratic election process needs to be institutionalized. New leadership (inclusive) should be promoted with the basis of competencies, not on the basis of family lineage and other relationship. Good governance cannot prosper unless the NGOs are extensively linked to civic engagement, dialogue and partnership with various networks of organizations. Such networks appear to be critical to promoting the good practices as well as the quality of public information.

The evolution of codes of conduct for voluntary self-regulation is regarded as a healthy development, although, given the tremendous differences in size and scope of NGOs all can not be brought under one approach. It will, however, introduce common principles which all can use in their work. The members of NGO Federation of Nepal have been bounded by the code of conduct introduced in 2002. The code of conduct of NFN is being revised and updated.

In conclusion, unless the issues of transparency and accountability are taken seriously, the social prestige of the NGOs cannot be elevated. Learning and reflection are important to improve the governing system within the NGOs by realizing the facts that change begins from one’s inner transformation.