Inclusive Governance and GESI

Coverage Inclusive Governance Key components of IG Why IG? Exploring gender discrimination in Nepal (Video) Dimensions of Exclusion GESI as an approach and Why GESI Issues and challenges GESI in Institutions Efforts taken by GON Way Forward

Inclusive Governance System and practices of government that brings marginalized groups into the mainstream of wider framework of the governance policies, programs, systems and practices IG is not only about structural change, policy etc. - it is what we as civil servants do, how we act, how we interact with others

Contd.. Improve two different parts of the service delivery viz. efficient delivery of public services and empower marginalized group to demand services WPEs friendly attitude and behaviours of service providers

Contd..

Key Components of IG Accountability:- Being answerable for decisions, actions and behaviours towards people Integrity:- Being honest and fair Responsiveness:- Responding with empathy, courtesy and pro-activeness to people and their needs Gender equality and social inclusion

IG Why IG ? Engaging citizen Efficient public service delivery Good governance Engaging citizen Efficient public service delivery IG Empowering Ensuring the right Redistribution Justice Recognition, representation and meaningful participation

Some questions Women are the weaker and need to be protected, is it true? If male works in kitchen, does it create equality? If male doesn’t encourage female, will they be empowered themselves? What do you think ? Mother herself prefers son. Should women be provided with opportunities or should their capacities be developed? What do you think ?........ Women are the primary users of public services Female professionals at the front line reduce access barriers to service delivery Women are more trustworthy and less corrupt than men Women also may be making or accepting bribes but using their male relatives as the mediators.

Exploring Gender Discrimination in Nepal Video Case Discussion

Exercise Being a public service provider, what do you think are your responsibilities for the realization of existence of inclusive governance/GESI by the service receiver?

Dimension of Inclusion/Exclusion Gender Caste/Ethnicity Economically Disability Geographically and so on Geographically

GESI GESI is an approach that brings women and men from all social groups (ethnicity, caste, economy, age, disability, geographic locations) in all political, economic and social spheres It aims to promote gender equality and social inclusion by addressing existing disparities and gaps in access and control over resources, services, information and opportunities and the distribution of power and decision making

Why GESI An overwhelming number of citizens are systematically deprived of their fundamental human rights and their rights to development Undertaken as new development intervention to overcome the obstacles of gender inequality and social exclusion Focused on key issues that hinder women, poor and socially excluded group in the participation and benefit sharing

Issues GESI Issues Women equity, equality, empowerment, Mainstreaming, participation and so on. Janjatis/ Adiwashi Culture, Language, Recognition and so on. Madheshi Identity, Mainstreaming and so on Muslim Religion, Minority, Poverty and so on. Dalits Poverty, Untouchability and so on. Remote and marginalized areas Economic and Infrastructural Development and so on. Senior Citizen, children, endangered nationalities Social protection

Challenges The effective implementation of GESI provisions in policies, programmes and guidelines Multi-sectorial coordination to address issues of women, poor and excluded people Identifying the income poor Regular opportunities to strengthen service providers’ skills to meet their duties and strength capacity of service receiver to claim their right

GESI in Institutions Institutions GESI responsive policy, strategy, programme, rule, regulation and budget GESI disaggregated (quantitative and qualitative) database system GESI sensitive organization culture (code of conduct) Institutions GESI responsive HR policy Affirmative action on recognition and subsidy for the targeted population Knowledge and skill of duty bearers to deliver GESI responsive services effectively

Underlying Socio-cultural Institutions, Values & Codes of Behavior Inequality Underlying Socio-cultural Institutions, Values & Codes of Behavior Assets & Capabilities Civil Society, Private Sector & Public Sector INSTITUTIONS Inequitable distributional rules Weak Influence Lots of assets & capabilities ELITES MIDDLE POOR & SOCIALLY EXCLUDED Strong Influence Now to the process of social change. We start with a hypothetical country named Inequistan which has highly exclusionary institutions. Beneath everything are the “deep structure”, underlying socio-cultural institutions, values and codes of behavior. The “taken for granted” or tacit institutions have a huge impact on the more formal and visible institutions and how they actually work. It is presented here in green -- like the water that fish swim in. Just as fish are totally dependent on the water, but unaware of it, so with people and their deep structure institutions like kinship, religion or even language itself. Then we have our three elements: the institutions, the people and the assets and capabilities. The elites have a lot of influence on the institutions so not surprisingly the distributional rules favor them and they get the lion’s share of the countries assets. Those at the bottom have little influence and they have to make do with a thin trickle of assets and capabilities that come their way. This is a picture of what we could call a “closed access” or feudal system where only a few groups have access to the main sources of wealth and power in the country. It may remind you a lot of the Shah/Rana era Nepal. Few assets or capabilities

Equality Social Inclusion: Middle POOR Assets & Capabilities Elites “Removal of institutional barriers and enhancement of incentives to increase access of diverse individuals and groups to development.” Social Inclusion: Assets & Capabilities More equitable distribution rules INSTITUTIONS Elites But as I said empowerment alone is not enough. There must also social inclusion which brings changes at the system level. Usually this happens not from below, but from within the power structure – by a small group of “champions” in government or civil society who also want social change and greater equity in their country. They are form part of the coalition for change between different strata of society that finally forces change. So now we have come to Equistan! Now the pyramid is flatter. Though there are still poor in Equistan, there are many fewer. They have basic livelihood security and greater social mobility. Equistan has gone from a closed access system where only a few control all the wealth and power, to an open access system where many more people can compete for wealth and power. Business transactions are now made and access to jobs determined on the basis of transparent rules which are the same for everyone, rather than on the basis of personal networks and insider deals among the elite. Middle Partnership for Change POOR

Efforts taken by Government The concern on women was first surfaced in the sixth plan(1981-85) Ninth plan (1997-2002) adopted three pronged strategies to empower women namely mainstreaming, eliminating gender inequality and empowerment Tenth Five-Year Plan (2002– 2006) – also known as the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) – which declared ‘social inclusion’ to be one of the four pillars on which to focus. Chapter 26 of this plan outlines the need for gender equality to achieve the goal of poverty alleviation

Contd.. The Three-Year Interim Plan (2007–2010) has a separate section for women’s fundamental rights and more inclusive toward Dalits, Madhesis, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities The 1990 Constitution accepted the notion of Inclusive Governance and made special provisions for ensuring inclusive participation of women, Dalits, marginalised and oppressed communities in national governance processes

Contd.. Interim Constitution of Nepal (2007) included provisions to support gender equality and social inclusion Under Article 13 relating to the Right to Equality states that: “No discrimination shall be made against any citizen in the application of general laws on grounds of religion, race, sex, caste, tribe, origin, language or ideological conviction or any of these.” Article 20 guarantees right of women Article 21 assurances right to social justice

2072 constitution of Nepal Preamble "Embracing multi-caste, multi-lingual, multi-cultural and diverse geographical specificities, by ending discriminations relating to class, caste, region, language, religion and gender discrimination including all forms of racial untouchability, in order to protect and promote unity in diversity, social and cultural solidarity, tolerance and harmonious attitudes, we also express our determination to create an egalitarian society on the basis of the principles of proportional inclusion and participation, to ensure equitable economy, prosperity and social justice,"

Contd.. Right to equality: Article 18 Right against untouchability and discrimination: Article 24 Right to language and culture: Article 32 Right of women: Article 38 Right of Dalits: Article 40 Right to social justice: Article 42 Right to social security: Article 43

Institutional Developments In 1995, the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare was established In 1997, the National Committee for the Development of Nationalities and the Committee for Upliftment of Downtrodden, Oppressed and Dalit Classes were established In 2002, the National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities was institutionalized with necessary reforms

Contd.. The National Women Commission and the National Dalit Commission was established in 2002 to integrate social inclusion into national governance agenda and strengthen capacity In 2004, formed high-level Committee on Reservation to recommend appropriate policy, mechanism and procedures for effective enforcement of reservation system, as part of affirmative action, for inclusive representation of women, Dalits and indigenous nationalities in the public service of Nepal

Way forward Affirmative action and positive discrimination to the targeted groups Coordinate and collaborate with local bodies, line agencies, social leaders and media GESI capacity building of the stakeholders and partners at all levels and create platform for GESI Adopt right based approach to reach poor women and men, and women belonging to janjati, dalit, madhesi, muslim and other backward communities Revising and planning from the lessons learned and up- scaling of the good practices.

Changing MY OWN positive ATTITUDE on GESI is key way to achieve harmony & prosperity in Society

Thank you