Consultations with Stakeholders in Federal, Madhesh and Lumbini

Pro Public conducted consultations with stakeholders, intermediaries, and beneficiaries at federal, provincial, and local levels in June 2024. The immediate purpose of these consultations was to gather and present data on key issues identified by collaborating with CECI Canada. The ultimate goal was to design activities, strategies, outputs, and outcomes for the project "Strengthening Civil Societies for Democratic Space and Human Rights," informed by ground realities at various levels of government.

The consultations were held across Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, two provinces (Lumbini and Madhes), and six districts: Dhanusha, Mahottari, Saptari, Nawal Parasi, Rupandehi, and Kapilvastu. Additionally, the provincial headquarters of Lumbini Province, Deukhuri, was visited for consultations with the provincial government. The six municipalities covered in the consultation were Pratap Pur (Nawal Parasi), Butwal sub-metropolis (Rupandehi), Buddha Bhoomi municipality (Kapilvastu), Raj Gadh municipality (Saptari), Balawa municipality (Mahottari), and Bateswor municipality (Dhanusha).

During the consultations, which included interactions, focus group discussions (FGDs), and key informant interviews (KIIs) across six districts in Lumbini and Madhes provinces, as well as at the federal level, a total of 464 participants were engaged. The participants included 322 females (69.4%), 141 males (30.4%), and 1 individual from a sexual minority (0.2%). Among the participants, 128 were from civil society organizations (CSOs), comprising 90 females (70.3%), 37 males (28.9%), and 1 individual from a sexual minority (0.8%).

Additionally, 116 elected women representatives and some staff members from local government units were engaged in discussions. This group included 84 females (72.4%) and 32 males (27.6%). Community members accounted for 202 participants, with 133 females (65.9%) and 69 males (34.1%). At the federal and provincial levels, KIIs were conducted with 11 individuals, including ministers, government officers, and commissioners. The participants included 8 females (72.8%) and 3 males (27.2%). Similarly, consultations were held with 8 key individuals from INGOs, USAID, ADB, and the World Bank, consisting of 7 females (87.5%) and 1 male (12.5%).