1. Child Friendly Local Governanceby
Somlal Subedi
Joint Secretary
Ministry of Local Development
Nepal
(Presented at the High Level Meeting on Cooperation for Child Rights in the Asia Pacific Region
Beijing, China
November 4-6, 2010)

2. Presentation Structure
What is Child Friendly Local Governance
Experiences and Achievements
Best Practices and lessons learned
Challenges still faced
Country views on
the potential benefits from, and opportunities for, greater South-South cooperation to advance child rights; and
how they are placed to contribute to this cooperation

3. 1. What is Child Friendly Local Governance
A strategic frame that
“Provides overall guidance to the government in realizing and mainstreaming the rights of children (Survival, Development, Protection and Participation) into the local government system, structure, policies and process”
It facilitates and coordinates the realization of child rights at and between national and sub-national level

4. Expected outputs from Child Friendly Local Governance
Building on south-south learning from Philippines, where the CFLG outputs are called “the gifts” for children:
Preparation, analysis and publication of “child profile” at local level
Local development plan for children
Local investment plan for children
Preparation and publication of “state of children” report
Defining minimum indicators on survival, development, protection and participation in coordination with all the line agencies and central government offices
Meaningful participation of children in the entire process

5. 2. Experiences and Achievements
a) Policy level
b) Budgetary provision
c) Local Level

6. a) Policy Level
Child Friendly Local Governance (CFLG) reflected in the GON’s Three Year Interim Plan
CFLG included the National Program on Decentralization, “Local Governance and Community Development Program” (LGCDP), a multi-stakeholder (“pre-SWAp”) governance programme between Government of Nepal and 13 Development Partners.

7. b) Budgetary Provision
Mandatory provision of 10% for women, 10% for children and 15% for CFLG initiative specified in the VDC and DDC block grant guidelines endorsed by the Cabinet
CFLG National framework includes a provision for 15% of the overall local body resources to be allocated for CFLG initiatives

8. CFLG implemented to date in 11 of Nepal’s 75 Districts
c) Local Level
CFLG implemented to date in 11 of Nepal’s 75 Districts
Example: Biratnagar Municipality
A partnership with the Biratnagar child club (which involves some 2,100 working children boys and 1,295 girls) ensured their voices were reflected in key local level policy documents and programme interventions
Municipal authorities have committed NRs 233 million (US$ 3.1 million) for CFLG initiatives over the next five years

9. 3. Best Practices and lessons learned
South–South cooperation – originally with Philippines and recently with Brazil - has inspired relevant actors and built confidence that change is achievable
Important to ensure a clear policy environment - adopting the national framework within government planning and later tools such as minimum indicators, national guidelines
MLD role has been strategic as it has the mandate to develop policy guidelines for local bodies and facilitate implementation at the local level - partnership with local bodies who are responsible for the delivery of basic services and coordination at the lowest unit of governance has been strategically important to the success of CFLG
The special partnership with Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare has been essential

10. 3. Best Practices and Lessons learned
CFLG has facilitated enhanced coordination and collaboration among sectoral line agencies, local body associations, civil society organizations and development partners on child-rights issues
Individual commitment and ownership by decision makers within MLD, strategic support from UNICEF and engagement of child rights organizations
The value of participation of children and young people in the entire process has become appreciated by both local authorities and national level

11. 4. Ongoing Challenges
More systematic incorporation of CFLG and child rights as part of responsive, good governance; localizing services and financial resources
Ownership and mainstreaming of child rights issues within sectoral programs at national and local level
Linking the demand side of local needs for basic services for children and the supply side
The demand side needs strengthening in terms of parental awareness of child rights, especially in disadvantaged communities
Strengthening capacity of local bodies
Developing effective , participatory monitoring tools
Evolving context - role of local government under federalism

12. 5. Country views
Opportunities for greater South-South cooperation to advance child rights
  Other countries may wish to adopt CFLG approach; Nepal is looking to learning about participatory assessment and monitoring tools
How is the GON placed to contribute to this cooperation
Sharing experiences about how Nepal has influenced polices and budget allocations and mainstreamed child rights into local planning processes