CSOs' serious concern over mechanism of implementing sustainable development agenda

Freedom Forum and four dozen other CSOs have urged the government to duly follow the international commitments in term of the steps the National Planning Commission (NPC) has taken recently on implementing the Sustainable Development Agenda. A joint statement issued by these CSOs have urged the NPC to rectify the decision it made in the context of implementing Sustainable Development Agenda; and to ensure representation of civil society and non-government sector in the High-Level Committees. According to them, the Government of Nepal has come up with the decision to form unilateral kinds of High-Level Committees consisting of Government Officials, and having institutional representation of the private sector alone. "Such a decision has made us feel that the Government has intended to put aside the entire non-government sector and civil society outside of national development process," they argued. The NPC, through a press release issued on 23 March 2017, had announced the formation of two High Level Committees – one, the National Steering Committee, and the second, the Implementation Coordination and Monitoring Committee, including nine Thematic Working Groups to rollout and implement the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. "Despite aforesaid attempt per se being an encouraging initiative, both the High-Level Official Committees do not contain any provision for ensuring institutional representation of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). Our serious attention has been drawn towards the intent of the Government of Nepal not demonstrating any reliable basis for inclusion of diverse social groups such as Dalit, poor, differently-able persons, immigrants, women, young people, HIV affected persons, and indigenous people who remained outside of the development mainstream for long; among the leading CSOs of other class and communities, in line with the spirit of "leave no one behind" as enshrined in the Sustainable Development Agenda," they stated in the press release. The CSOs reminded that the success of the agenda is possible only when there is ownership, collaboration, support and contribution of all concerned stakeholders. They have reminded the preamble section of the Sustainable Development Agenda- "As we embark on this collective journey, we pledge that no one will be left behind". The CSOs to express solidarity are- Freedom Forum, NGO Federation of Nepal Alliance against Trafficking of Women and Children in Nepal (AATWIN) Beyond Beijing Committee Nepal National Association of Community Electricity Users Nepal (NACEUN) Human Right Alliance Dalit NGO Federation (DNF) Federation of Drinking Water and Sanitation Users Nepal Federation of Community Forestry Users Nepal (FECOFUN) National Federation of Disabled Nepal (NFDN) NGO Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Nationalities (NGO FONIN) Collective Campaign for Peace (COCAP) CONSORTIUM Nepal National Senior Citizens Federation of Nepal National Federation of Irrigation Water Users' Association Nepal Association of Youth Organizations Nepal (AYON) Justice and Rights Institute Nepal (JuRI-Nepal) CAHURAST Nepal Lumanti Nepal South Asia Partnership Nepal (SAP Nepal) Jagaran Nepal Digo Bikas Institute Nepal Disabled Women Association (NDWA) Srijanshil Mahila Samuha Climate Change Network Nepal Saathi Karnali Integrated Rural Development and Research Center (KIRDARC) Women’s Rehabilitation Center (WOREC Nepal), and others.