National People's Assembly on SDGs: Launch of CSOs’ Spotlight Report and Children Status Report
15 September: Nepal SDGs Forum and NGO Federation of Nepal hosted the National People's Assembly in Kathmandu in collaboration with Action4Sustainable Development (A4SD), the European Union (EU), Forus, Global Call for Action Against Poverty (GCAP), VSO, and World Vision International Nepal. The event marked the launch of the Civil Society Spotlight Report and the Children Status Report on SDGs, developed in partnership with key thematic groups of the Nepal SDGs Forum. Mr Arjun Bhattarai, Secretary General of NGO Federation of Nepal and the Team Leader of the Spotlight Report Team highlighted the main findings of both reports. While the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Action Days and Summit of the Future are just coming up, the launching event has been significant as UN member states prepare to convene for the Summit of the Future in New York on 22-23 September. The assembly also aimed to address the ongoing challenges in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Nepal.
The People's Assembly, featuring esteemed guests like Mr. Rojnath Pandey (Chief Guest), Secretariat Secretary of National Assembly and various CSO leaders, emphasized the importance of CSOs in shaping sustainable solutions. Mr. Pandey underscored that civil society’s research, analysis, and spotlight can be very useful, as they can complement areas where the government lacks data and focus.
The assembly was chaired by Mr. Ram Prasad Subedi, President of NFN, with esteemed guests including Mr. SP Kalaunee, Chairperson of the Association of International NGOs in Nepal (AIN), Mr. J.B. Biswokarma, President of the Dalit NGO Federation, Ms. Krishna Kumari Waiba, Chairperson of the Beyond Beijing Committee (BBC), Ms. Benu Maya Gurung from the Alliance against Trafficking in Women and Children in Nepal (AATWIN), and Ms. Meena Sharma from CZOP. The event opened with remarks from Ms. Bhawana Bhatta, Vice-President of NFN, setting the stage for seven presentations and knowledge-sharing sessions by key thematic groups. Presentations and discussions shared insights and challenges such as political instability, data collection and highlighted the need for a roadmap for the next 6 years, prioritizing inclusion, intersectionality, and marginalized groups.
In his closing remarks, Mr. Ram Prasad Subedi, President of NFN, stressed the importance of political stability and urged the government to foster an enabling environment for achieving the SDGs. He further emphasized the need to develop a robust institutional mechanism to ensure progress and encouraged CSOs to critically evaluate the progress reported by the government of Nepal.
