1. RECOMMENDATIONS TO SAARC TO ADDRESS POLITICAL CHALLENGES AND RELIGIOUS/ETHNIC CONFLICT IN SOUTH ASIA

2. BANGLADESH  The electoral process has been a place of issue for both main political parties in the sense of legitimacy and fairness. One group will boycott the election controlled by the opposing party and even participation in government itself, then force a caretaker government to step in and host elections. Create a neutral SAARC-led group that oversees the electoral process and ensures fairness and legitimacy.  SAARC should hold a conference detailing the concept of secularism. According to many of the cases regarding political unrest and ethnic conflicts, a misconception regarding "secularism" has existed. Many political figures within this region tend to assume that secularism is equivalent to the notion of atheism. However, the initial endorsement of secularism possesses no similarities towards atheism. The inclusion of secularism was created to prevent anyone from exploiting the reverence religion for political gain. By hosting a conference in Bangladesh, where the civil unrest has taken place, participating SAARC members can become educated and find solutions towards incorporating secularist measures within their desired state.  Limit the influence of religious extremist within the region by implementing stricter policies on extremist groups. Religious extremist have possessed an overwhelming influence concerning laws in the region, violently and politically. Blasphemy laws have been implemented as a ploy to persecute religious minorities and political parties have been influenced by their motives. The limited influence religious extremist groups can alleviate the burden of division among SAARC member states.

3. INDIA  The notion of SAARC magnet schools will allow a place of discourse in which inter-faith relations will allow to ease tensions in the South Asian region. Make a global call for NGO and nation-state governmental grants to create the fund that will finance the magnet schools  More SAARC governmental leader meetings. Increase to twice a year meetings, which can help pave the way to ease bi-lateral and multi-lateral issues  Establish a regional Election Oversight Committee that will not only observe the procedures of an election, but also that of each nation-state’s policy making process, issuing levels of grading in order to (1) ensure to the investors the stability of each nation-state and (2) reward those nation- states in the region with smooth elections and policy making traits (3) the state of journalism will also be considered by the committee

4. NEPAL  ESTABLISHMENT OF TWENTY LINGUISTIC EXCHANGE PROGRAMS Nepal requests the establishment of seven linguistic exchange programs in a diverse selection of villages throughout South Asia. The intent of these programs is to educate disenfranchised ethnicities who are linguistically disadvantaged and to foster a sense of cooperation between different groups.  INVESTMENT IN PRIMARY EDUCATION WITH LOCALIZED CURRICULA FOCUSED ON RESTORATIVE JUSTICE We are seeking access to a communal pool of funding as well as scholarly knowledge from the field of primary education in order to help construct, staff, and equip schools to provide rural villages access to an adequate primary school. We seek out curriculum that is sensitive to local needs and focuses on restorative justice.  3. FORMALIZATION OF THE SOCIAL WORK SECTOR Because of a lack of formalization surrounding the work of Social Workers in Nepal as well as other South Asian nations (lack of a union or National Association) we recommend formalization at the regional level through SAARC. A National Association will determine criteria by which the title of Social Worker may be given.

5. PAKISTAN  SAARC should pressure governments to protect all religious denominations, persistently prosecute delinquents and disestablish schools where Jihadi is indoctrinated.  To terminate the conflict between India and Pakistan over the territory of Kashmir, SAARC should bring in a third party in order to pressure both Pakistan and India to step down and not only let Kashmir self-determine the future of the territory, but self-govern themselves and become and independent state.  SAARC should broker an agreement with the governments to control the militants responsible for the prohibition and repression that currently exist so that the Baloch people will change their perspective about the government and no longer continue to revolt with the aid of the Balochistan Liberation Army.

6. SRI LANKA  Promotion of overarching security sector reforms in order to create vibrant and supportive linkages between the security sector and the civil sector. This would build upon "soft skills" of security personnel in the region. The security sector reforms envisioned by Sri Lanka aims to create bi-annual training seminars that would encompass a training of trainers (ToT) model so that the knowledge gained in these meetings could be easily disseminated in each respective country by the authorized agencies.  Implementation of new conventions to be signed or ratified by SAARC members, meanwhile attempting to uphold previous agreements agreed upon by SAARC members, i.e. international human rights conventions. SAARC should establish its own conventions against human rights abuse and the oppression of ethnic and religious minorities as well as demonstrate renewed support for international conventions like the UN Declaration of Human Rights and the Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious, and Linguistic Minorities.  Formation of a Conflict Management Committee. The purpose of this committee, as expressed by its name, would be for intergovernmental collaboration on issues of conflict as they manifest themselves. We aim to view conflict in a positive light and as a means to achieve peaceful ends rather than violent outbursts. The Committee would consist of members from each nation of SAARC, thus giving them all a say in the actions of the Committee and a stake in its success.