Civil Society Declaration 2021 Issued upon conclusion of National Civil Society Conference 2021, and 10thNational Convention and 27th Annual General Meeting of NGO Federation of Nepal NGO Federation of Nepal (NFN), which is a national forum of more than 6517 NGOs in Nepal, has concluded National Civil Society Conference 2021 as well as the 10th National Convention and 27th Annual General Meeting of NFN in Kathmandu on 17-18 December 2021 with the slogan "Partnership for Covid-19 response, sustainable development and prosperity: Action for governance, civic space and acknowledgement of social sector". More than 800 representatives of CSOs from throughout the country convened in Kathmandu for the conference. At the conclusion of the Conference, a 14-point Civil Society Declaration 2021 has been issued by reflecting the discussion and deliberations during the conference and thematic sessions. 1. Highlighting the fact that social organizations and civil society organizations (CSOs) in Nepal have been contributing for peace, democracy and social justice in Nepal since long before, and renewing our commitment to action for prosperity and good governance, we appeal to all the organizations and stakeholders for partnership, coordination and collaborative action. 2. We remind the concerned stakeholders that civil society and CSOs have an important role to play in awareness raising, localization, implementation, monitoring and achievement of 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We urge governments at all levels, development partners and stakeholders for participatory action, access to and mobilization of resources and localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at all levels of the government. We demand implementation and monitoring of the SDGs by being guided by the principle of 'leave no one behind', monitoring based on the disaggregated data and making sure that progress and achievements are inclusive across all sections of the society and geographical locations. 3. After the successful people's movement for democracy and human rights and promulgation of the constitution with subsequent restructuring of the state, Nepal is marching ahead for the implementation of federalism and the constitution of Nepal. In this context, we strongly demand to introduce the concrete policy measures, plans and multi-stakeholder partnership in order to realize the national aspiration of 'prosperous Nepal, happy Nepali', to graduate Nepal to the developing country status, to harness resources such as generating hydroelectricity, and to make transition from subsistence economy to employment generating economy. 4. Seriously considering the bitter fact that lack of employment opportunities in the country has forced the youth to choose foreign employment where they are constrained to menial labor with lower payments than they deserve due to lack of skills, and that youth going for foreign employment are vulnerable to fraud, labor exploitation and human trafficking, we strongly demand to provide essential skills to the youth before they go for foreign employment, to make foreign employment safe and dignified, and to encourage use of remittance in productive sector. 5. In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic affecting lives and damaging economy, we recall that civil society and CSOs have supported and collaborated with the government agencies in order to build awareness about the pandemic, control the pandemic, and provide treatments and relief to the affected. We strongly demand the government, developed nations and development partners to come up with preventive measures, ensure vaccination for all, and introduce relief and support systems in order to help recover from loss and poverty. 6. Despite the fact that an unprecedented political change has resulted in the country adopting federal democratic republic with three tiers of governments functioning, Nepali NGOs and CSOs are still governed by old and inapplicable laws. Continued demand and advocacy of NGO Federation of Nepal for the contextual and new laws have so far been ineffectual. Therefore, we hereby reiterate our demand to repeal Association Registration Act 1977, National Guidance Act 1961 and Social Welfare Act 1992 which exist in relation to the operations and governance of the NGOs and CSOs, and to introduce a new social development act appropriate to the context and enabling to CSOs and NGOs. We also demand to declare social sector as the sector of national pride. 7. We are seriously concerned that NGOs and CSOs have been forced to get registered for value added tax (VAT) and Auditor General's Office has instructed government agencies to levy tax from NGOs—this is a treatment similar to profit making organizations. We strongly demand to the government to eliminate anomalies and to facilitate social entrepreneurship and introduce policies and programs for sustainability of NGOs and CSOs. 8. Climate change has affected lives including excessive rainfalls resulting in flood, landslide and erosion causing loss of lives and property. In this context, we demand to the concerned to build disaster resilience by collaboratively working for the land use and safe settlement plans for disaster risk reduction, construction of safe road networks, and mobilization of disaster risk reduction and management institutions at all levels. 9. There have been frequent border disputes in the areas bordering India resulting in the Nepali citizens losing their lives. In the areas of border disputes, Nepali citizens are restricted to move, use the land and do construction works. In this relation, we demand the government to resolve the disputes and to regain the encroached lands in Lipu Lek and Kalapani. 10. Utmost priority is required from the local, province and federal governments to functionalize mechanisms and work in collaboration with CSOs in order to stop violence against women and girls, human trafficking, trafficking of children, exploitation and abuse of children, and caste-based discrimination. We also demand to address the effect of Covid-19 to children and their education, and the inequalities that are increasing. 11. We demand to the political parties, government and concerned stakeholders to ensure the dignity and inclusion of women, Dalits, indigenous peoples, gender minorities, people with disabilities, and marginalized communities. We also demand at least 33% representation of women in the decision-making levels of the political parties and the state. 12 We strongly demand for the guarantee of human rights, long due compensation and relief to the conflict victims, and management and delivery of transitional justice to the affected. 13. We urge all the stakeholders to contribute to the sustainability and enabling environment to NGOs / CSOs by promoting social entrepreneurship, professionalism, policy reforms, and partnership with CSOs in development and service delivery. 14. We also demand to the Nepal Government and development partners to invest a certain percentage of the foreign aid through social organizations, to increase aid and development effectiveness, to exclude international organizations from competing along with national organizations for the funds earmarked for Nepal, and to increase transparency of aid delivery. We community organizations, NGOs and CSOs are committed to contribute, fulfill roles and work in partnership in order to address the issues and implement the demands made in this declaration.
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