Strengthen CSO’s Role in the Law Making Process

GoGo Foundation, under Civil Society: Mutual Accountability Project (CS-MAP), with financial support from FHI360/USAID organized interaction program on ‘Engagement of CSOs in law making process on 31 August 2017 in Kathmandu.

Ram K. Acharya, Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Minister and Chief of Administrative Court Kashiraj Dahal presented papers on the role of CSOs in the law making process. Former Chief Secretary of the government of Nepal Dr Bimal Koirala and former justice of the Appellate Court Kedar Poudel commented on the papers.

Joint secretary of Nepal Law Commission Indira Dahal, Joint Secretary Hari P. Pandey, Joint Secretary Suman Dahal, Local Development Officer Gopal K. Adhikari, Assistant Chief District Officer Prem Luitel including several representatives from government agencies, CSOs and media were present in the program.

Presenting a paper, Kashiraj Dhal said that civil society is a precondition to democracy. ‘Since civil society compliments to the government’, Dahal said, adding, ‘Their participation in the law making process must be ensured by the government.’

Similarly, Ram K. Achary said that ‘laws should be formulated in a participatory way’. ‘Participation and consultation with civil society in law making process is very important,’ Acharya said.

Commenting on the paper, Dr Bimal Koirala said ‘civil society and people should be agenda setter in the public policy making in a democratic system’. ‘Interest groups and mafia have been influencing public policy formulation in Nepal’, Koirala added. Majority of the participants highlighted the need for civil society’s participation in the law making process. They articulated that government has not been effectively engaging civil society in the law making process.