DevelopmentMARCH 2021

Advocate NEPAL

COVID RECOVERY 2 / Development Advocate Nepal

ADVISORS

Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labé, UNDP Resident Representative

Bernardo Cocco, UNDP Deputy Country Director (Programme)

EDITORS

Binda Magar

Dharma Swarnakar

Kalpana Sarkar

Kamal Raj Sigdel

Pragyajan Yalambar Rai

Richa Ranjitkar

Tek Tamata

Vijaya Singh

© UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP) UN HOUSE, PULCHOWK, LALITPUR G.P.O. BOX 107, KATHMANDU, NEPAL TEL: (977-1) 5523200 FAX: (977-1) 5523991, 5523986 www.np.undp.org Development Advocate Nepal / 3 4 / Development Advocate Nepal

PHOTO CREDITS: LAXMI PD NGAKHUSI, PRAKASH CHANDRA TIMILSENA, PURNIMA SHRESTHA, ABHUSHAN GAUTAM, KAMAL RAJ SIGDEL, BINITA KARKI, SATISH PANDEY. CONTENTS

06 16 34 44

GOVERNANCE GREEN RECOVERY SOCIAL PROTECTION DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

The measures taken to A climate cure for the Going local and A digital transformation control the pandemic COVID crisis sustainable led by COVID-19 were good but By Simon Lucas, a Team By Saurav Dhakal 34 By Neelesh Man Singh inadequate Leader for Resilience Pradhan, Chief Executive By Bimala Rai Paudyal, and Inclusion Team A Smart City is only Officer of Nepal Clearing Member of the National of the UK Department possible with smart House Ltd. The views Assembly 06 for International citizens, smart expressed here are Development (DFID). 16 governance, smart personal. 44 A country can do economy, and smart anything it wants to Biodiversity conservation infrastructure The government aims to when it is economically and the impacts of Interview with Mr. Dilip turn all public services prosperous nature-based tourism Pratap Khand, mayor tech-friendly to help An interview with Krishna in the Annapurna of Waling Municipality, citizens Prasad Oli, Member Conservation Area Syangja 37 An interview with of National Planning By Dr. Siddhartha B. Asgar Ali, Information Commission (NPC) 11 Bajracharya, executive Towards a more technology consultant director of the National sustainable and resilient to the Prime Minister of Information Matters Trust for Nature society: COVID-19 should Nepal 49 By Yashoda Timilsina, a Conservation and Dr. serve as an alarm and former commissioner of Dhanjaya Regmi , chief herald our transition to a Opportunity Created by the National Information executive officer of the sustainable society that Covid-19 Information is Commission 14 Nepal Tourism Board. 20 takes climate action into power: Improving access account to critical information to A green post-pandemic By Shail Shrestha, CEO help improve lives recovery and resilience Digo Bikas Institute 38 By Aradhana Gurung, plan for Nepal 26 Country Manager for Building bridges, surviv- Viamo in Nepal, Emma Post-COVID Tourism ing the pandemic and Leering, Director of Recovery: Can nature- emerging stronger 40 Programs for Viamo in based tourism power Nepal and Shruti Jha, Nepal’s green recovery? Inclusive eLearning: Product Manager for Dr. Dhananjay Regmi Leaving no one behind Viamo in Nepal. 52 & Dr. Siddhartha By Sagar Prasai, Director, B. Bajracharya 30 Diverse Patterns 42 6 / Development Advocate Nepal

GOVERNANCE

THE MEASURES TAKEN TO CONTROL THE PANDEMIC WERE GOOD BUT INADEQUATE Bimala Rai Paudyal, a member of the National Assembly, speaks about the Nepal government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its shortcomings in her own words. Development Advocate Nepal / 7

The biggest challenge to the Covid-19 Our health system is itself also a was the biggest opportunity for all of pandemic that I saw was a lack of challenge. This pandemic exposed us, but we failed to cash in. Migrant preparedness, especially for the how vulnerable our health system workers have now started returning most pervasive pandemic we have is. Forget basic health protocols to their labour destinations. ever faced. We dealt with a similar like quarantine facilities and challenge during 2015’s devastating isolation centres, there was not We need a clear delineation of earthquakes. This pandemic wasn’t even adequate space to admit the jurisdiction of the three levels predicted but we should have started patients to the hospital. There of government. For example, the to prepare after the emergence of the virus in China. But, we were lost on that was no preparedness in handling federal government should have set front. non-Covid-19 patients, particularly a broader policy framework, such those suffering from pressure, as isolation and quarantine centres, We are dealing with the pandemic sugar, cancer, and other health human resource ratio, finances and based on an outdated law. As the complications. Several pregnant supplies, and dealing with non- country has already been transformed women died on their way to the Covid-19 complications. All these into a federal set up, there should hospital or at home due to a lack of acts should’ve then been executed have been a new law with a clear timely treatment. We lack sufficient by the local governments with the mandate, especially for coordination health infrastructures and human provincial government coordinating. among intergovernmental agencies, resources. During the Covid-19 crisis, we health mechanisms, provisions of saw that some local governments relief and rescue for the needy, and The government should also have ways to strengthen financial and human resources. An integrated legal defined a broader framework before framework is still necessary to tackle enforcing a lockdown. We didn’t the pandemic effectively. allot enough time for workers living in big cities like Kathmandu to go Some countries drafted new laws home. That’s why we witnessed as soon as Covid-19 cases emerged heartbreaking stories of people in their countries. The move cleared struggling to reach their homes. legal hurdles, defined the roles and Arrangements should have been responsibilities of state bodies, and put in place to ferry people to their eased the procurement process. But respective destinations before we faced great difficulties in large- enforcing the lockdown. scale medical procurement and in maintaining transparency owing to Nevertheless, thousands of migrant the lack of a pandemic law. workers from India and the Gulf countries managed to return As of now, the government is home with skills and a little bit of working under a law promulgated seed money. They have returned some 57 years ago. with a desire to stay home. If we had tracked all returning migrant Second, we failed to formulate a workers, analysed their skills and broad framework on how to tackle needs, and provided them with job Covid-19 in time. Clear roles and opportunities, we could’ve easily responsibilities for all three tiers replaced the 800,000 Indian and of governments would’ve helped Bangladeshi people working in in responding to the crisis in a Nepal. They could’ve been mobilized coordinated manner. to complete our megaprojects and resume agricultural farming. That 8 / Development Advocate Nepal

were very innovative in handling the pandemic, although there were challenges related to capacity building. The way the local leadership, especially women deputy mayors, dealt with migrant workers arriving through the porous border with India deserves appreciation. The relevance of local government was proved during this pandemic.

Local governments can work effectively when they believe that the federal and provincial governments will support them whenever problems arise. Some local governments introduced the concept of agricultural ambulance to assist farmers in selling their products during the lockdown. Other local governments ensured reproductive services for people at their doorsteps. Provinces actually should have applied such good practices in other local governments as well.

Sadly, we couldn’t empower local governments as necessary. There’s always a problem in maintaining a delicate balance between the authority and capacity of local governments. In other words, some local governments have the authority but lack capacity whereas others have done little despite having enough working capacity. has not been functioning effectively. and execute their suggestions. A crisis response team should Its activities are limited to organizing There’s the same problem at the have been formed at the federal meetings and providing updates. local government level. Elected and provincial governments so It tried to ease the procurement mayors don’t respect public health that problems at the local level process, but failed. experts. So, there’s a mismatch could be resolved immediately. between authority and expertise. The government formed the CCMC Mere bureaucratic decisions can’t Vulnerable communities, namely (Coronavirus Crisis Management contain a pandemic. Therefore, the women, children, people with Committee) to bridge the gap but it government should listen to experts disabilities, and marginalised Development Advocate Nepal / 9

Despite all these shortcomings, the Cases of suicide also surged. These federal government announced a problems were not foreseen in relief package for vulnerable groups the initial days. Later, we started a few weeks after announcing the counseling and relief packages lockdown. Local governments were were announced, but we couldn’t do mandated to provide relief. This was better because of bureaucratic red actually a good step, although there tape. were some legal complications in receiving relief. But locals did not Having said that, the measures we trust the government. They went to took in response to the Covid-19 Khula Manch or temple premises to crisis were good but inadequate. claim free food distributed by NGOs, In order to do better, multilateral but didn’t go to their ward offices and regional organisations asking for help. On the other hand, like SAARC and BIMSTEC can local governments too failed to assist with relief, immediate reach out. health support, and economic recovery. Institutions like the ILO During the pandemic, women were can support the strengthening overworked at home while violence of social protection schemes against women also increased while multilateral organisations significantly due to unemployment of can support the Government of males and rising frustration. Children Nepal in reviving the economy. too became victims as schools have They can share experiences remained closed for the last eight of other countries in reviving months. Disabled persons needed tourism, public transportation, and special care during the crisis but reopening academic institutions, they continued to face problems. and also support us technically and So did senior citizens. Women’s financially. I/NGOs can also support access to reproductive health local governments in expanding was also compromised. We raised health care, building infrastructure, these issues in Parliament and the public health, and awareness. government introduced a guideline, especially aimed at airlifting The Nepal government has the pregnant women and new mothers pandemic under more control than to hospitals. The government has other developing countries and even categorized reproductive health as some developed countries like the an essential service, but the service US and UK where the situation is out delivery is not satisfactory. of control. Our government has been groups, suffer the most during the successful in stopping major health crisis. Daily wage earners, small Social protection schemes were hazards so far. This is good for all of entrepreneurs, beauty parlor compromised too. The government us. uuu operators and those working in announced an allowance for senior service sector have been deprived citizens and the disabled but they of their incomes. Hotel owners might weren’t able to go to the banks to have faced economic losses but collect their money. those working in the hotels were deprived of food. 10 / Development Advocate Nepal Development Advocate Nepal / 11

A COUNTRY CAN DO ANYTHING IT WANTS TO WHEN IT IS ECONOMICALLY PROSPEROUS KRISHNA PRASAD OLI

An interview with Krishna Prasad Oli, the revenue will be phenomenal. With of COVID-19. Even many students member of the National Planning the use of more modern technology in urban areas were traumatized Commission (NPC) and skilled human resource, there is due to financial issues. All of this will tremendous scope. have psychological impacts. The The Government of Nepal (GoN) has government is considering ways to heavily invested in post-COVID-19 Likewise, our plan envisions deal these problems in the future. recovery efforts. Some countries have establishing forest-based industries Virtual education has its limitations. taken this as an opportunity for a in all seven provinces. This can be Many of our mountainous districts and ‘green recovery’ to ensure a cleaner, accelerated in the post-pandemic even some Terai areas still lack access healthier, and more sustainable recovery plan. Under the ‘forest to the internet. These issues should be society. Where do we stand in that for prosperity’ campaign, we have prioritized in the post-recovery period. respect? prioritized both timber and non- timber products. As a mountainous Further, we are discussing how to The government has given due country, we also have great potential revive other COVID-19-affected attention to COVID-19 recovery and to produce medicinal and herbal sectors like tourism and industries. the results will be seen in the future. products. Unlike the 2015 earthquakes, it’s a Pandemics like this have taken place in bit difficult to respond to crises like the past and have often resulted in new Energy is also a major sector for the Covid-19. For example, we prepared ways of doing things. Some countries development of a green economy a post-earthquake recovery plan and have thus seen this as an opportunity and the government has accorded it worked. But applying the same to develop the health sector while high priority to hydro and solar energy, approach in the case of COVID-19 is others have given emphasis to green which will be the engines of future difficult as we still do not know how recovery. Nepal’s 15th periodic plan too economic growth. long this pandemic will last and its full has clearly spelled out ways to achieve impacts on society and the national prosperity through forests -- timber As the pandemic is not over yet, we economy. production, medicinal and aromatic need to prioritize health, education, plants, and forests-based industries. and the social sector. People’s health We have the potential to produce 130 and quality of education are indicators million cubic feet of timber annually. of development. During the height of Even if we are able to achieve half of the pandemic, students weren’t able that figure with the current technology, to go to schools for months because 12 / Development Advocate Nepal

Periodic plans and annual plans protocols. They seem to have realized development and preserving the are the tools that all three tiers of that they can stay safe when they take environment. Otherwise, we will governments employ to usher in precautions. remain underdeveloped forever. If development. Noting the high risk you look at China, they have now that Nepal faces from both climatic As far as growth is concerned, when the allocated 62 billion Yuan for ecosystem and non-climatic hazards, how coronavirus emerged in Nepal in March, restoration in Tibet while also pursuing important is to ‘risk inform’ these we were in line to meet seven percent development there. A country can development plans? How is the NPC economic growth as projected. But do anything it wants to when it is supporting this process? COVID-19 disrupted economic activities economically prosperous. and the supply chain, which in turn As an apex planning body, the NPC hampered our economy. Despite all In order to pursue nature-based is working on a recovery plan to odds, the construction of mega projects solutions at the local level, we need address these climatic and non- continues, even if their pace has been a to encourage community forestry climatic hazards. It’s stated that bit slow due to the pandemic. where community user groups have the temperature of the oceans has been expanding forest coverage, increased by two degrees due to Talking about sustainability, the 15th generating employment, and helping global climate change, but if you talk periodic plan has incorporated all of the people’s livelihoods. Similarly, we about the impact of climate change the UN’s Sustainable Development have also given major emphasis to on the mountains, one third of glaciers Goals (SDGs) and indicators. We the conservation and protection of will melt by the end of this century, have been consistently monitoring the Chure region. Local solutions are even if the target of maintaining 1.5 the progress made so far in meeting emerging from both local communities degree centigrade is achieved. The the targets. As per the most recent and local governments. temperature of the Bay of Bengal monitoring report, we are close to increasing by another two percent meeting SDG No. 6, which relates to The GoN recently revised its National will ultimately cause flash floods energy. We are also close to goals in Determined Contributions that and untimely rainfall, impacting the environment and forest sector. outlines Nepal’s ambition towards cropping patterns in countries like net-zero greenhouse gas emissions ours. Evidence also suggests that The SDGs are not a separate goal. by 2050. This commitment is in-line the nutrient content of the food They are part of a holistic development with the 15th plan. Do you think crops will also be altered. Thus, our approach that prioritizes the green COVID-19 will overshadow other preparedness should focus on climate economy and natural sectors. Thus, we important agenda such as climate change-related disasters. are focusing on clean energy and have change and disaster risk reduction? already generated 1,400-1,500 MW of Economic growth, if not sustainable, electricity. More hydropower plants will This should be viewed from three has environmental costs. In Nepal’s soon be producing about 3,000 MW of perspectives—global, national, and context, how can we move forward electricity. We are also making good local. If you look at things on a global by balancing economic prosperity as progress in solar energy. There are scale, climate change is related to well as environmental sustainability? some issues related to land acquisition greenhouse gas emissions by the The global discourse is currently and the building of transmission lines burning of fossil fuels. But Nepal only centered on ‘local solutions’ to but as we are a democratic country, contributes 0.027 percent to global resolve this dilemma - what can people’s concerns need to be settled carbon emissions, which is almost Nepal’s local solutions be? amicably. That’s why the completion of insignificant. However, we can’t shy some projects is behind schedule. away from our responsibility as we are Local solutions are related to nature. Nature-based solutions are also also party to the Paris Agreement and During the pandemic, we enforced related to development. People morally responsible to be a part of the a nationwide lockdown when cases might say that the government is solution. That’s why we are working on of coronavirus were reported. Many only constructing roads and building national strategies that are formulated people were likely protected because airports by destroying forests. But based on the agreement. At the local of the lockdown. People are now the present government is very level, we have taken initiatives to walking about and doing their work environmentally sensitive. We need mitigate the risk of climate change. by adopting precautions and health to maintain a fine balance between To reduce carbon emissions, we have Development Advocate Nepal / 13

maintained almost 45 percent forest deficiencies, i.e., human resource and more efficiently, or push for more coverage—the second highest in knowledge, which they have been Official Development Assistance? South Asia, after Bhutan, which has 75 doing. percent forest coverage. We should focus on enhancing Multilateral donors like the World production in every sector – green, These are our climate adaptation Bank, Asian Development Bank and energy, industry, food, and others. Our measures. Apart from this, we want International Monetary Fund support forest and grassland coverage should to promote massive agroforestry us by providing grants and loans as be utilized in an optimal fashion. programs that will support our well as sharing experiences. These Tourism is another area of income economy and development works. types of support should continue for generation. More importantly, we countries like us that are progressing should move towards human capital But going back to your question, to graduate from LDC status. And formation, which means we should COVID-19 has definitely disrupted the given COVID-19, that support will be enhance the knowledge and skills of economy and has largely affected even more important. Additionally, we our people. National revenue should revenue generation. We may have to are formulating a recovery plan and we also be increased. suffer for at least a couple of years anticipate support for certain funding because of this, even if the virus is requirements. Existing industries should run at full contained. capacity and new industries should be What measures are being put in place established at the local level. Mines What kind of support can multilateral to strengthen social protection systems should come into operation. Some agencies, including the UN, provide for vulnerable and marginalized groups transformative projects envisioned in to complement the government’s to protect them from future shocks? the 15th five-year plan should be our green recovery efforts? What is priority. As we are an LDC, we must your impression of the on-going On social protection, health insurance continue to negotiate support from cooperation? is important. The government will bilateral and multilateral agencies. come up with new policies with a The UN is also our agency. That’s why special focus on health, education, In order to graduate from LDC status, they should not be treated as different and nutrition. New policies will be we have managed to meet the criteria stakeholders. They are doing their introduced based on the recovery plan. for human wealth index and the best to support us. We have been threshold of economic vulnerability. partnering with them in preparing As official development assistance However, we have to still work hard on our recovery plans. They are also has been declining for Nepal (and per capita national income. We also supporting the NPC in localizing SDGs, other developing countries headed have to think seriously about preparing guidelines, and providing towards LDC graduation), what is sustaining that graduation in the technical assistance, as and when Nepal’s strategy for self-sufficiency? longer term. uuu necessary. UNDP especially can Is Nepal going to focus on enhancing support us technically where we have public revenue, allocate the budget

THE GOVERNMENT WILL COME UP WITH NEW POLICIES WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND NUTRITION. NEW POLICIES WILL BE INTRODUCED BASED ON THE RECOVERY PLAN. 14 / Development Advocate Nepal

INFORMATION MATTERS

RIGHT INFORMATION CAN PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY, RULE OF LAW, AND ACCOUNTABILITY, ESPECIALLY DURING A CRISIS YASHODA TIMSINA

People’s access to Right to the coronavirus. Since then, people during the pandemic. For them, this is Information (RTI) becomes all the have sought details of the expenditure. a challenge as well as an opportunity. more essential during a crisis. Some have even argued that the RTI law clearly states that key people would benefit the most if that information should be disseminated This is what we experienced during money had been divided and directly every three months, so both federal 2015’s devastating earthquakes. At distributed to every household. and local governments should that time, people from 31 quake- Legally, every citizen has the right to make their expenses public. People affected districts, particularly those question the government and seek should know what the government from the severely affected 14 districts, information. is doing with their money. But since demanded all kinds of information, as governments don’t disclose their was their right. But there were lapses Following this criticism, the prime expenditure details, they face facing in disseminating right information minister stated the funds had been criticism despite their good work. about relief materials. The government dispatched to 753 local governments, was accused of embezzling material who could provide the expenditure The importance of RTI has thus and funds in the name of relief. That’s details. But the local governments increased more than ever, but sadly, why we at the National Information weren’t transparent and we did not citizens’ pursuit of information has Commission asked the Ministry of fulfill our responsibility by asking them gone the opposite way. Home Affairs to disclose all details of to be transparent to the citizens. relief materials like lentils, rice, oil, and Our team was the second in office at tents and money, both in cash and Going back to the COVID-19 crisis, the the National Information Commission pledges, every day at 4 pm. We asked government has done some good since its founding. The first team them to disseminate right information jobs. For example, the Health Ministry’s was more focused on institutional so that the people themselves spokesperson presents a national development but during our five-year can evaluate how much relief the COVID-19 update every day. But the tenure, we tried our best to expand to government is getting from various way the spokesperson presents the all 77 districts and spread awareness sources. The ministry, however, never details raises questions about whether to local bodies about constitutionally publicized the information. he is disseminating information or guaranteed rights like the right to terrorising the people. information. We made it mandatory A similar situation has now emerged to appoint an information officer with the COVID-19 pandemic. A month Second, key offices of all offices, at all government offices. Except ago, the prime minister informed the mainly those involved in preventing for a few exceptions, most offices nation that Rs 18 billion had been pandemics, are able to publicise followed our instructions. However, spent so far to contain the spread of the details of all expenses incurred the tendency to guard information that Development Advocate Nepal / 15

might potentially harm public officials governments and make women comes to promulgating laws but poor continues. aware about their legal rights. We also in implementation. published a book about the changes Not many citizens are seeking made possible because of the right to There are also institutional information, either. I think about information. We had high expectations problems. For example, bureaucrats 10 percent of the total population from the media, but the media simultaneously take an oath of understands that RTI is their fraternity made little effort in exercising office and secrecy and an oath to fundamental right while only two or RTI. Although right to information is implement the constitution and the three percent exercise this right. Thus, every citizen’s law, media persons country’s laws. But once they take it is difficult to implement the law could effectively exercise it in practice. charge, they seem to forget their oath until people are aware and apply it in taken to implement the law and only practice. When we analysed reasons behind the focus on maintaining secrecy. Based low participation of journalists in using on conversations with information During my time at the commission, I RTI tool to get information, we learned officers, I can say that they feel more wanted to do three things: promulgate that there’s a tendency to collecting comfortable hiding information instead an RTI law in all seven provinces, information from backdoor channels or of assisting RTI applicants. More conduct research about our work through personal relations instead of importantly, politicians who want to performance during our five year filing a petition as per the law. hide information during their time in stay in office, and begin a massive power seek the same information once campaign to disseminate information Nevertheless, we have made some they are not in power anymore. For RTI, regarding state-provided facilities for progress in the field of right to this is a tragedy. women. Sadly, I was unable to do it all. information. But in our context, law We are already a federal country but implementation is weak. This applies But this is not to say that we shouldn’t only Kathmandu has an information to all sectors, not just in the field of stop questioning the authorities commission. This isn’t the way to RTI. When we held discussions with and asking for information. Right expand people’s access to information. RTI commissioners and experts from information will promote transparency, countries like Australian, Japan, the rule of law, and accountability. As part of making women more USA, and Canada, they told us that aware about women-specific facilities their law had a more limited mandate Yashoda Timsina is a former provided by the state, we prepared a than ours. Still, they said there commissioner of the National booklet in seven different languages were few problems in information Information Commission. uuu and disseminated it. But it wasn’t dissemination while we have many. possible to reach out to all local This shows that we are smart when it 16 / Development Advocate Nepal

GREEN RECOVERY

A CLIMATE CURE FOR THE COVID CRISIS Green recovery plans are being developed to help Nepal bounce back greener– but are they the best path for Nepal?

By Simon Lucas overflowing. At that time, 55 percent Last year, Nepal faced a complex of people in Nepal had lost incomes set of challenges as the pandemic from the lockdown and 28 percent took hold. Hundreds of thousands of households were facing food of migrants walked home from shortages. Economic growth slipped India and quarantine centres were from 7 percent to 1.5 percent and up Development Advocate Nepal / 17

to 30 percent of the population is still analysis has shown four areas of Nepal has the opportunity to drive at risk of slipping back into poverty. In particular potential. sustainable and resilient economic stark terms, Nepal’s development has growth as it urbanizes at over 3 been set back a decade and for those The first is sustainable, natural percent per year. Urban mayors can affected by shocks such as the 2015 resource-based job creation in provide incentives for clean electric earthquakes or the 2017 floods, their agriculture, forestry, and eco-tourism. vehicles, cooking and heating, as recovery has once again been halted. These new jobs can generate well as generate energy from waste immediate employment and raise projects that reduce air pollution. At the height of the pandemic, incomes in rural areas. For example, Finally, it is critical to build resilience recovery seemed a long way off with Nepal has committed to planting not just to COVID-19 but any future the priority on a direct COVID-19 health 50 million trees and achieving 45 climate shocks by using new response. But with vaccines being percent forest cover in its Nationally technologies to track new diseases, rolled out in Nepal from the end of Determined Contribution. These improve early warning systems, and January 2021 we are, at last, at the forests can generate over 100,000 jobs enable vulnerable people to diversify beginning of the end. in sustainable forestry and forest- their incomes away from climate- We know that the impacts of the based enterprises and reduce erosion sensitive agriculture. Research has pandemic cannot be magicked and landslide risks whilst absorbing shown that early warning systems can away with the wave of a wand, but greenhouse gases and protecting reduce the impact of future shocks by we must remember how resilient ecosystems. Similarly, investing in $4 to $7 for every $1 invested. and resourceful Nepalis are. The sustainable, nature-based tourism recent example of the first winter can create 2 million jobs by 2025 and New risk financing instruments, such ascent of K2 by Nepali climbers is increase revenues from tourism to as ‘catastrophe bonds’ can help an inspiration in this respect. A team over $3.5 billion per year, if managed reduce the burden of future shocks of highly experienced climbers had sustainably in collaboration with on government budgets and invest lost their normal guiding season to Nepal’s conservation agencies and in shock-responsive social protection the pandemic and so, used their time local governments. systems to protect up to 10 million instead to plan and then conquer the people who are vulnerable to slide last, great, unclaimed winter mountain Second is more investment in clean back into poverty due to COVID-19. ascent. The team lived up to their power, which can create another The green recovery package set out slogan of ‘Action is Possible’. 100,000 jobs and meet domestic and above can help Nepal get back on But should COVID-19 recovery be regional demands for clean energy. track to Middle Income Status and the catalyst for climate action? Hydropower alone can generate achieve the Sustainable Development Reinvigorating remittances, rebuilding revenues of up to 1 trillion rupees Goals by 2030. The areas identified the decimated tourism industry, (US$ 9 billion) per year. This sector are firmly based on the Nepal and attracting investment will not can also attract investment from the government’s 15th Development be easy. On the other hand, the private sector and lead to equitable, Plan, its sector strategies, and climate pandemic has given us time to rethink clean power trading in the region. In commitments. how to make the most of Nepal’s the short term, public works schemes peoples, mountains, water, nature, on slope protection, water resource How do we do what and neighbours to make its recovery management and river training can needs to be done greener and more sustainable. provide over 200,000 immediate Investment, both public and private, jobs for those that have lost theirs is required to support a green and What needs to be done due to COVID-19 while also reducing resilient recovery. Nepal’s Nationally Initial analysis suggests that there is landslide and flood risks. Determined Contribution to climate the potential to create over 3 million change estimates that the country new jobs in Nepal by focusing on Third, green and resilient cities will needs $25 billion dollars to achieve natural resources, infrastructure, urban be drivers of Nepal’s growth. Over 70 its green growth targets. In the development, and private sector percent of future carbon emissions in short-term, relief efforts will rely growth based on innovation and the Nepal will be from cities if they follow heavily on public funds but in the adoption of new, green technology the high carbon ‘dirty development’ medium and long term, there are that is resilient to future shocks. Initial route of the 20th century. But increasing amounts of private green 18 / Development Advocate Nepal

CLIMATE POLICY IN THE HINDU KUSH HIMALAYAN COUNTRIES 57 33 20 19 14 13 11 10 7 6 9 9 7 5 6 6 6 6 4 4 5 4 4 3 4 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan China India Myanmar NepalPakistan

Laws Policies Litigation Climate Targets

finance available. For example, the there is much to build on. More can be access to weather data, satellite global green bond market reached done to make investment in forestry, landslide risk management, and $1 trillion at the end of 2020, despite solar electric vehicles, and sustainable e-access to relief funds. the pandemic. Nepal needs to attract tourism easier and more secure. more of these resources to invest in In many areas, we must recognise green industries and public-private Innovations and new technology are the need to provide skills to enable partnerships in urban, energy, industry, essential to making the shift to green those affected by COVID-19 to take and transport to ease the burden on recovery and promote green growth advantage of Nepal’s green recovery. government finances. in Nepal. The World Bank estimates Climate-smart agriculture, solar that a 10 percent increase in access parks, low carbon industries, green Well implemented policies also to broadband can accelerate GDP IT hubs, and sustainable tourism all need to complement the investment growth by up to 1.3 percent. So, require different skills. So, the recovery required to support a green recovery access to digital technologies that package will need to be tailored in Nepal. Climate policies in Nepal can help Nepal cope with COVID-19 to ensure that those affected by provide a strong foundation to support and develop a greener and more COVID-19 have the skills to respond to green recovery, with ambitious resilient economy will be critical. local needs and the requirements of targets related to energy, transport, Digital innovations can improve the private sector. agriculture, and forestry. Nepal is natural resource use efficiency, enable already seen as leader in the Hindu business innovations, and support job The opportunities available make Kush Himalaya in its efforts to support creation. Digital innovations can also a compelling case for Nepal to green and resilient development, so improve resilience to shocks through prioritize a green recovery – but is

INNOVATIONS AND NEW TECHNOLOGY ARE ESSENTIAL TO MAKING THE SHIFT TO GREEN RECOVERY AND PROMOTE GREEN GROWTH IN NEPAL. THE WORLD BANK ESTIMATES THAT A 10 PERCENT INCREASE IN ACCESS TO BROADBAND CAN ACCELERATE GDP GROWTH BY UP TO 1.3 PERCENT. Development Advocate Nepal / 19

it the very best option for Nepal? In parallel, Nepal’s development carbon, climate-resilient, and green Unsustainable forestry can generate partners have used the framework recovery possible, but it is affordable, incomes now. Diesel pumps can water above to estimate the current and achievable, and advisable. A message fields and new roads can open up future investment pipeline to identify that will be increasingly important for tourist destinations quickly. Nepal’s resources of up to $7.4 billion for green the world to listen to in the run-up to development partners are working recovery and in December 2020, COP 26. It will not be easy, but if we together to test this ‘ambitious’ green agreed to a joint statement with the accept the challenge, prepare well and growth against the business-as-usual Government of Nepal to work together work together -- as the Nepali team on of dirty development. These will allow on Nepal’s green recovery. K2 proved -- action is possible. the National Planning Commission, the Ministry of Forests and Environment, A final thought Simon Lucas is Resilience and and the Ministry of Finance to weigh Nepal is uniquely placed to leap-frog Inclusion Team of the of the UK the costs, benefits, and viability of from the fossil-fueled growth of the Department for International these scenarios. The work will also past and benefit from new technology Development (DFID). uuu inform the development of Nepal’s and green finance. In doing so, Nepal long-term strategy for climate change. can demonstrate that not only is a low 20 / Development Advocate Nepal

BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND THE IMPACTS OF NATURE-BASED TOURISM IN THE ANNAPURNA CONSERVATION AREA DR. SIDDHARTHA B. BAJRACHARYA AND DR. DHANANJAY REGMI Development Advocate Nepal / 21

A majority of tourists arriving in Nepal However, the recent COVID-19 visit its 20 protected areas (Pas) pandemic has had a dramatic impact -- national park, wildlife reserve, on socioeconomic activities, including conservation area, and hunting reserve. tourism. The number of international PAs and their surroundings receive visitors collapsed from March 2020 as about 60 percent of all international a result of the outbreak, resulting in visitors to the country with areas such a sharp decline in visitors and losses as the Annapurna Conservation Area, of about $460 billion, according to Chitwan National Park, and Sagarmatha UNWTO. Neither tourism operators nor National Park playing important roles in visitors have since developed enough development of nature-based tourism confidence to resume travel. in the country. But despite Nepal’s rich natural and cultural endowments, Nature-based tourism tourist spending is very low -- an in the Annapurna average of only $44 per day in 2018, Conservation Area compared to a regional average of (ACA) $100-150. The Annapurna Conservation Area (ACA) is Nepal’s largest protected area,

Tourist expenditure on the way to the covering 7,629 square kilometres. It Figure : Annapurna Conservation Area elevation zones park and in communities adjacent to is located in the hills and mountains or within the area can be significant, of west-central Nepal, covering five leading to increased incomes, poverty districts, bounded to the north by the international visitors in 2018. Tourism reduction, and opportunities for vertical dry alpine deserts of Dolpo and Tibet, development and management in advancement. Tourism also assists to the west by the Dhaulagiri Himal ACA are considered good examples in protecting the resources on which and the Kaligandaki Valley, to the east of ecotourism. Two major types it is based through the generation of by the Marshyangdi Valley, and to of trekkers, organised groups and revenue. This provides a powerful the south by the valleys and foothills independent trekkers, visit the area, economic justification for conserving surrounding Pokhara. as well as mountaineering groups. biological resources, particularly in Tourism data indicates an increasing protected areas. However, there are ACA is well known both nationally and trend in the annual number of visitors to other roles that tourism plays, which internationally for its scenic beauty, ACA. However, there has been a sharp are often overshadowed by its obvious unique ecology, and rich cultural decline in the number of visitors since economic role, including social and heritage. Some of the world’s highest the COVID-19 pandemic. environmental impacts – some of mountains including Annapurna which are considered negative, others Himalaya range and the deepest river ACA was created partly in order to positive, and some neutral. valley the Kaligandaki Valley in the alleviate environmental degradation world lie within ACA. Rich in freshwater linked to trekking tourism by managing Visitor use of PAs can threaten their resources, home to a great variety conservation and development. The conservation values. Therefore, a of flora and fauna, a living museum sustainable development of tourism balanced interaction between visitors, for the blend of culture as well as a is one of the principal goals of ACA parks, and local communities – or number of biodiversity hot spots, ACA management. Tourism management between biophysical resources and offers unique nature-based tourism in ACA is globally considered a good people – is essential to provide mutual opportunities for the development example of community involvement. benefits to all. Such a balance is also of the area itself, as well as for Moreover, the revenue from tourism in considered important to strengthen surrounding lowland areas. the area has helped restore degraded the conservation capacity of the park features of the ACA’s natural and authority, while at the same time ACA is the most popular trekking cultural environment. influencing local attitudes toward destination in the Nepali Himalayas, conservation. receiving more than 180,000 22 / Development Advocate Nepal

Accommodation facilities, food quality and variety, sanitation and hygiene, waste management, spoken English, hospitality, and so forth are addressed. Various workshops are conducted at the local level to generate awareness about the impacts of tourism, garbage management, nature conservation, clean energy use, etc. Exchange visits are also organised to expose and share experiences with other community groups within ACA, and elsewhere in the country.

Responsible travel to the fragile mountain area of ACA is promoted among visitors and other stakeholders. The national and international visitors to ACA are informed to minimise negative economic, environmental and social impacts; support in the generation of greater economic benefits for local people and enhance the well-being of host communities; and make positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage.

Access infrastructure (roads, trails, bridges, signage, etc.), safe drinking water stations, information centres, Tourism management Management sub-Committees (TMsCs) environmental management, and activities in Annapurna and mothers’ group. TMsCs develop other tourism-related infrastructure Conservation Area local policies regarding tourism, are gradually being upgraded to Nature-based tourism in ACA is directly including a policy to reduce firewood enhance the quality of the experience contributing to effective conservation use. Moreover, TMsCs are responsible of tourists. New destinations and routes and sustainable rural development. for improving the quality and standard within ACA are continuously being More than 1,000 local teashops, lodges, of their facilities and services, explored and developed in order to and hotels in the area directly benefit standardising and monitoring their reduce crowds in certain sites and from tourism. However, there are rates, and preparing menus. TMsCs provide unique natural experiences. challenges in the development and and mothers’ group also look after the An example is the Mardi Himal Trek, management of nature-based tourism security and safety of tourists in their identified in the early 2000s. in ACA. The growing aspirations of area. At present, TMsCs are seeking local communities for infrastructure, guidance and support to maintain Tourism development in ACA is often particularly roads, might significantly health and safety standards in the considered a benchmark for the transform the modality of nature-based present COVID-19 situation. development of tourism in other areas tourism in the region. of Nepal. Nevertheless, there are Capacity enhancement of local lodge certain constraints that might hinder Meaningful participation of local operators and tourism entrepreneurs tourism development in ACA in the communities in the tourism value-chain through various training and future. The growing desire of local has long been encouraged through workshop is regularly provided in communities and elected leaders to local-level institutions such as Tourism order to enhance the service quality. connect each and every settlement Development Advocate Nepal / 23

by a motor road, and possible structure and composition of the the conservation of wildlife because development of megaprojects such as forests because various conservation tourists are sympathetic to the cause hydropower plants in the ACA might activities, including the provision of environmental protection and put decades of conservation and of alternative forms of energy, no conservation. However, some negative development efforts at risk. campfire policy, and afforestation impacts on wildlife behaviour were have been successful. This is observed in ACA such as frequent Impacts of tourism primarily because of the successful sightings of the common langur and in Annapurna development of community and private birds scavenging on discarded food Conservation Area woodlots through the establishment and litter. Some wildlife species have All forms of tourism produce negative of tree plantations, together with an also become habituated to humans as impacts on the natural environment increase in conservation awareness a source of food in tourism areas. and the ACA is not exempt. Nature- and the introduction of alternative Another visible impact of tourism has based tourism, which is generally energy sources, such as fuel-efficient is on the physical environment. The considered to contribute to biodiversity stoves, kerosene, liquid petroleum gas, construction of new tourist lodges, conservation, can also cause the solar technology, and electricity. or the expansion of existing ones, degradation of natural areas if Wildlife populations in ACA have has increased. New lodges are often unregulated. These impacts may increased after the introduction of modern in design, undermining the include the crushing or clearing of conservation initiatives. Although traditional local style and creating vegetation, soil modification, the there is occasional hunting in ACA, visual impacts. introduction of weeds and pathogens, evidence suggests that tourism has water pollution, visual impacts, and made a positive social contribution to disturbance to wildlife.

ACA receives around 180,000 tourists annually. Each tourist brings with them an average of at least one support staff as a guide, porter, or cook, which makes the total number of outside visitors to the area about 360,000 per annum. However, the number of trekkers alone does not indicate the intensity of the impact. For instance, tourism impact is reported to be higher in the Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park than in the Annapurna Conservation Area, although the former receives fewer tourists. This indicates that, although the impacts of tourism are inevitable, they can be reduced by the meaningful engagement of the local community.

The environmental impacts of mountain tourism have been noted in numerous publications, particularly deforestation and forest degradation caused by the demand for fuelwood. Most tourist lodges still use fuelwood for cooking and room heating. However, tourism in ACA has so far not had a significant impact on the 24 / Development Advocate Nepal

Tourism is a driving force for integrated committee of this village has banned the conservation and development in ACA. use of plastic water bottles and glass beer Significant investment has been made in bottles, and instead encourages the use infrastructure schemes such as micro-hydro of boiled water, electric water filters, and schemes, health centres, and bridges. canned beer. Tourism has helped generate resources for these schemes and also increased But tourism also brings inflation. The the capacity of local communities to majority of foodstuffs, fuel, and household contribute. Income generation and creation items come from outside the ACA region. of employment opportunities are the major Therefore, tourism causes economic economic benefits of tourism in the area. leakage and local inflation by driving prices More than 5,000 locals are employed by up. Local communities have also expressed lodges in the Annapurna area. However, their growing concern about the shortage tourist spending is very low. Tourists spend of labour, which is deflected to tourism, for an average of only $39 per day, making it a agriculture. low-cost destination. UNWTO market research suggests that Nature-based tourism has brought better people will seek out adventure travel, economic opportunities to remote mountain natural spaces, and safe and quality areas, such access to better housing, experiences post-COVID-19. Protected education, and healthcare. However, areas in Nepal such as ACA can offer visitors tourism also generates biodegradable and this opportunity. Therefore, it is imperative non-biodegradable waste. Disposal of solid that protected areas are prepared to waste is a serious concern as decomposition attract this surge. Nature-based tourism in is an extremely slow process in the high protected areas must ‘built back better’ after mountains. Its effects and significance COVID-19, by not returning to business as depend on the volume produced, the usual but by seriously taking into account application of recycling, waste prevention of the quality of service and tourism strategies, and the nature of the receiving infrastructure. environment . Dr. Siddhartha B. Bajracharya is executive Some villages, such as Chhomrong, have director of the National Trust for Nature been very successful in preventing the Conservation and Dr. Regmi is chief accumulation of plastic water bottles and executive officer of the Nepal Tourism Board. glass beer bottles. The lodge management uuu

MORE THAN 5,000 LOCALS ARE EMPLOYED BY LODGES IN THE ANNAPURNA AREA. HOWEVER, TOURIST SPENDING IS VERY LOW. TOURISTS SPEND AN AVERAGE OF ONLY $39 PER DAY, MAKING IT A LOW-COST DESTINATION. Development Advocate Nepal / 25 26 / Development Advocate Nepal

A GREEN POST- PANDEMIC RECOVERY AND RESILIENCE PLAN FOR NEPAL NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS WILL NOT ONLY HELP IMMEDIATE RECOVERY BUT ALSO STRENGTHEN KEY SECTORS THAT HELP BUILD RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE-RELATED RISKS AND DISASTERS.

Sunita Chaudhary For Nepal, the pandemic comes on the Over the past years, we have witnessed back of the devastating 2015 earthquakes. progress across the world when it comes Environmental policies have taken to recognising and responding to the a backseat to growth targets in the shared threats of climate change. From country’s road to recovery. The post- the Paris Agreement to various national earthquake “build back better” mantra and regional green new deals, countries has focused on infrastructure rebuilding have prioritised climate action in their and cash transfers, overlooking existing political agendas and developmental inequalities, ineffective public sector programmes. These plans and targets services, ailing economic sectors, and can be scrutinised and criticised for their climate change impacts, all of which leave potential to deliver substantive climate us vulnerable to an array of disasters and action, but the discourse and public setbacks. Worryingly, the same growth- consciousness are undoubtedly headed in oriented recovery seems to be on the the right direction. However, the COVID-19 cards for dealing with the disruptions pandemic – with its deep and cascading caused by the pandemic. We need to impacts rippling across the global shift tracks to address longstanding economy – could upend such progress as issues with our economy and approach countries seek to recover by any means to development. And as climate change possible. remains at the heart of our problems, now and into the future, any path to recovery needs to be a green one. Development Advocate Nepal / 27

Impacts on people and nature The 2015 earthquakes were a major shock for Nepal, but the country’s history is replete with climate-induced disasters. Nepal is ranked among the top five for climate-change related hazards and is the 20th most multi- hazard prone country. As glaciers melt, temperatures rise, and ecosystems degrade, the frequency and magnitude of climate-induced disasters increase, impacting the environment, economy, and society. The 2017 floods, for instance, caused the deaths of 160 people, affected around 1.7 million, and led to an estimated Rs 7.2 billion in losses in the agriculture sector.

The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded this constant stress on the economy and ecology. Agriculture, tourism, and remittances – the major sources of economic growth accounting for 24 percent (2019), 8 percent (2018), and 26 percent (2019) of the country’s GDP, respectively – have been hit the hardest. Farming, especially commercial and semi- commercial farming, also took a big hit due to transportation restrictions and marketing issues. As of August 2020, about 23 percent of households were found to be food insecure, and about 9 percent of households had lost their livelihoods. An estimated 800,000 people working in the tourism industry have been impacted, while remittances dropped sharply by 12 percent in 2020. As such, economic growth is projected to decline by 2.3 percent compared with the previous fiscal year, and around 31.2 percent of the population is at risk of falling into extreme poverty. To make matters worse, floods and landslides during the 2020 monsoon took 348 lives and impacted 23,478 households across the country.

The lockdown imposed to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Nepal has also 28 / Development Advocate Nepal

exerted pressures on the environment. Human intrusion into protected areas has increased significantly since the start of the lockdown in March 2020. There have been increased incidences of animal poaching inside and outside of protected areas, possibly linked to financial insecurity during the pandemic. The illegal logging and harvesting of natural resources has been alarmingly increasing. The impacts on both nature and people have increased inequities and further marginalised already-vulnerable communities. A green recovery The country has responded to the COVID-19 crisis through fiscal and monetary measures focusing on immediate health and safety measures, food distribution to reduce livelihood impacts, and economic support to severely affected firms. However, these measures are temporary fixes and do not aid long-term recovery. Moreover, they do not address underlying climate- and environment-related issues and associated disasters and vulnerabilities. The environment must be central to the post-COVID recovery plan. A green recovery is the need and opportunity of the hour in Nepal.

A green recovery plan should integrate nature, climate, and development to ensure sustainable growth. A recovery plan that pushes nature-based solutions will not only help immediate recovery but also strengthen key sectors – such as organic agriculture, nature-based tourism, niche mountain products, green entrepreneurship, renewable energy, and ecosystem- based adaptation. This will help build resilience to climate change-related risks and disasters.

A green recovery would entail a holistic, inclusive, environment-friendly approach encompassing key sectors. Development Advocate Nepal / 29

We need concerted policy attention cooking, would decrease the country’s on organic agriculture and smallholder dependency on fossil-fuels and farming in Nepal. Smallholder farming fuelwood. We can revise the increased needs to be supported and its products tax on electric vehicles and invest in diversified by supplying subsidised related infrastructure and services agricultural inputs, ensuring greater to promote cleaner transportation, access to markets and finance, and such as the construction of charging guaranteeing insurance for climate shocks stations. We can also invest in green and and other disruptions like the COVID-19 blue infrastructure and proper waste pandemic. It is particularly interesting that management systems, especially in urban family farms proved to be more resilient areas. Investment in blue infrastructure at than commercial farming systems during different scales would help address the the 2015 earthquake and the pandemic. water scarcity that plagues the country. Such farms also ensure the use of For example, restoring and conserving abandoned land, youth engagement natural springs can help rural households (particularly migrant returnees), and the become resilient and open up different promotion and conservation of indigenous livelihood possibilities. Likewise, an seeds and local food systems. For enabling policy environment is needed example, ‘jholmal’ – a bio-pesticide and for green infrastructure such as parks nutrient supplement – contributes to and urban forests. This would increase improving plant health and productivity, green spaces and clean air and increase and also promotes the use of traditional infiltration and water-holding capacity of knowledge and practices in maintaining urban areas. soil and plant health. Ecosystem-based adaptation could We can also promote nature-based also be promoted to increase flood and tourism at the community level through landslides resilience in both rural and avenues such as homestays and bird urban areas. Nature-based solutions ecotourism at the transboundary scale – such as bio-engineering measures and supporting livelihoods while conserving springshed restoration and management nature. We can also restore and conserve should be promoted. We could help ecosystems by investing in protected communities at risk of annual flooding area management and building on our by widening the implementation of the success in community forestry. This could Community-Based Flood Early Warning halt illegal harvesting and poaching and System (CBFEWS) and strengthening build resilience by creating green jobs communication networks between and generating income at the community upstream communities and downstream scale. Similarly, we can promote green receivers of flood early warning enterprises and their niche mountain information. products, from high-value non-timber forest products to medical and aromatic In this green path to recovery, it is plants and other agro-commodities of utmost importance to ensure the such as tea and large cardamom. These meaningful participation of youth, women, enterprises need policy support – capacity and marginalised groups for sustainable building, improving market linkages, and growth and equitable outcomes. A fair introducing digital services – to ensure and inclusive green recovery would not sustainable and equitable socioeconomic only help conserve important ecosystems and ecological benefits. and biodiversity, securing Nepal’s future, but also make communities – urban and Likewise, subsidies to renewable rural – more resilient to challenges like the energy, especially in transportation and COVID-19 pandemic. uuu 30 / Development Advocate Nepal

POST-COVID TOURISM RECOVERY: CAN NATURE-BASED TOURISM POWER NEPAL’S GREEN RECOVERY? DR. DHANANJAY REGMI & DR. SIDDHARTHA B. BAJRACHARYA

Dr. Regmi is chief executive Tourism is a mainstay of Nepalese Tourism in Nepal remains the top-notch officer of the Nepal Tourism economy and one of the priority sectors development option for the government Board and Dr. Siddhartha for the Government of Nepal. While the and the private sector. It hinges mainly on B. Bajracharya is executive prospects of growth of Nepal’s tourism two pillars: preservation and conservation director of the National Trust sector is huge, the sector is already facing of biodiversity and improving the for Nature Conservation. several challenges, such as adverse living conditions of rural communities, impact on the environment, growing eventually bringing in equal distribution demand for world-class infrastructure, of tourism benefits to all levels of society waste management, imparting and that is paramount for sustainable tourism maintaining proper sanitation and development. adequate tourism linkages with rural areas to ensure equitable distribution Tourism is one of the most thriving of tourism dividend for the economic industries in Nepal. The snow-capped benefits for the host communities. mountains, a rich diversity of cultures, Development Advocate Nepal / 31

scenic places, rivers, lakes, flora and for sustainable revival approach. program called Tourism for Rural fauna, historical monuments, bilingual Different components of sustainable Poverty Alleviation Program (TRPAP) and hospitable people are the main recovery such as Sustainable was launched in six districts of attractions for the foreign visitors. Nepal Transportation, Renewable energy Nepal with the goal of reducing rural has immense diversity in natural and use and energy efficiency, use of poverty through the development, socio-cultural aspects. Endowed with local foods and resources should be promotion and marketing of new such pristine natural treasures, Nepal implemented in destination level well tourism models in the program district; has both comparative and competitive facilitated through policy endorsement. and institutionalizing tourism in local advantages to attract tourists in search Still Nepal lacks a policy guideline for self-governance systems through of authentic new experiences and ecotourism and this can be an absolute developing appropriate institution those seeking to escape to nature, opportunity to endorse ecotourism and policy. TRPAP worked in both which significantly is more pronounced policy of Nepal. top-down and bottom-up approach: during the time of COVID-19. policy, plan and budgets were Policy, plans and designed by a steering committee Nature-based tourism programmes while programmes were devised at Although it is very early to predict the Policy and plan level intervention in community level and executed by direction of tourism in post-COVID era, the tourism sector can be traced back local level. The institutional modality health and hygiene protocol and safety in 1972, after the development of the was unique in its approach that clearly would be the prime concern of the First Tourism Master Plan which had lived to the spirit of inclusion where visitors. Several tourism experts and recommended the concept of foreign community was fully empowered. destination managers have pointed currency earning through employment This way, by venturing into rural areas, out that the nature-based destination and income generation through the programme was able to connect would be the first and comparatively development of tourism activities. with and encourage local people to resilient to recover. Although nature- Likewise, Tourism Act 2035 was contribute to their own community in based tourism has been prioritizing promulgated in 1978, immediately after particular and the country in general. the community, conservation and establishment of the Tourism Ministry Local communities were empowered knowledge sharing as the major form of in 1976, as the major recommendation in decision making. TRPAP encouraged the ecotourism principle, nature-based of the Tourism Master plan. Hereinafter, community-based tourism. Today, tourism on new normal needs to be several policy development milestones Nepal’s empowered communities have streamlined by a green and sustainable were initiated in Nepal. Development of transformed the traditional community- recovery approach. Global Guidelines Tourism Policy 2052 in 1995 prioritized based tourism to community-driven developed by UNWTO to Restart the role of the private sector together tourism. Having economically benefited Tourism has prioritized the vision of with highlighting the concept of Rural through tourism, rural communities development and implementation of Tourism.Green recovery strategies have taken priority over resource recovery plans which contribute to are more effective only when we first conservation, eventually benefitting the Sustainable Development Goals address community development environment. Moreover, there are (SDGs) which recommends lines of issues. The involvement of local numerous examples of the community- action to guide a responsible tourism stakeholders has been emphasized as led tourism projects having multiplier recovery for people, planet and one of the significant aspects towards effects. Tourism has acted as an prosperity, namely public health, social sustainable tourism development. impetus to large transformations. The inclusion, biodiversity conservation, Nepal has rich experiences in various stakeholders have set examples of climate action, circular economy and community development programmes. leading in conservation as well. For governance and finance. Nepal being instance: the communities of different a pioneer in ecotourism and majority Nepal has a solid experience of buffer zones of Bardiya National of visitors approaching nature-based promoting tourism as a means for Park and Chitwan National Park have destinations, the green recovery poverty alleviation in the mainstream not only made the areas favorite concept seems relevant and applicable development policy. In 2001 a pilot destinations but have also made the 32 / Development Advocate Nepal

country the only country in the world was developed highlighting the for the Tourism Industry to minimize to nearly double the tiger counts. With community participation, expansion risk for both consumers and providers environment friendly tourism, our and diversification of rural tourism, of tourism services. Further, NTB in different destinations and programs destination development and collaboration with concerned tourism have proved that such projects have diversification, and so on prioritizing organizations conducted online training benefited the community financially, the engagement of the private sector for tourism entrepreneurs focusing on country economically and the whole in tourism. Meanwhile on 1999, Nepal imparting safety, security and hygiene globe environmentally. Tourism Board was established as per of Nepal as a destination. the Nepal Tourism Board Act, which Lots of work has been done in shaping carries the spirit of public-private Way forward: Green tourism planning and development for partnership modality and serves as tourism strategies responsible and meaningful tourism a strategic think-tank Evaluating the In the post COVID-19 scenario, the development in Nepal. Carefully progress and impacts of Strategic very survival of the tourism industry designed and well-planned strategies document such as Tourism Vision 2020 had become the biggest challenge, are essential for overall tourism and Nepal Tourism Strategic Plan 2016- particularly because there was no development. The notion of community 2025, streamlined implementation specific preparedness strategy in case involvement in tourism is fraught with uniformity has been realized. Given the of any crisis of this scale. This gap is difficulties in developing countries changed socio-political and economic something that we need to pay heed such as Nepal, as it requires strong context, the policy directives reflected to. Secondly, the concept of Restart, institutional and socio-economic set by the Constitution of Nepal, our own Revive and Rethink can be streamlined up. There was a paradigm shift in the commitment under the Sustainable for sustaining and streaming tourism Eighth Plan (1992-97) and the Ninth Development Goals and several natural in new normal. Development of Plan (1997-2002) as rural tourism and anthropogenic situations faced by health and hygiene protocol and got emphasis in the Five-Year plan. the industry, a new contextual policy strong monitoring together with Finally, rural tourism development has been realized by the entire tourism effective tourism guidelines can was featured in Tourism Policy 2065 fraternity. give immediate direction to restart. (2008) to provide the impetus for the Similarly, a public private collaborative development. Homestay tourism took Health and approach for tourism resilient building its shape and was finally recognized hygiene protocol and preparedness for future possible by the Government of Nepal with Consumer behaviors have changed crisis management should be the promulgation of Homestay Operating since the outbreak of COVID-19 and prime concern of the sensitive tourism Procedure 2010. With the advent of the are preferring from short haul to long industry. Accordingly, investment Procedure in 2010, Nepal saw profusion haul and are preferring destinations on nature-based solutions can have of homestays across the country with which are away from the hustle potentials to drive innovation in tourism Ghale Gaon Homestay (Lamjung), bustle of cities, offering off-beat mitigating the environmental impact Amaltari Homestay (Nawalparasi, travel delivering a safe and hygienic in tourism activities and development Chitwan National Park), Lwang Ghalel experience to visitors giving overall interventions, which ultimately results Homestay (Kaski), Khata Jaibik Marga immersive experience of people, into sustainable natural resource Homestay Dalla (Bardiya) etc. place and culture. In this regard, NTB management and conservation. Also, along with the Ministry of Culture, contribution of the value of revenue Further in 2009, maximizing the Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) generated as an ecotourism service priority in the tourism sector, released ‘Operational Guideline with at destination level could enable the a new rectified tourism policy Health Protocol for Tourism Sector’ tourism sector to capitalize ultimately Development Advocate Nepal / 33

to enable sustainable recovery. will also help to provide immersive tourism attractions. Himalayas as the Moreover, a transformational stage experiences that are based on nature- water tower of Asia, matters to be the can be envisioned in the post Covid-19 based tourism engaging with locals lifetime experiences for the global era, where destination management and taking in new experiences. tourism enthusiast, with world-class organizations and policy makers can trekking trails, mountaineering options lead this crisis as an opportunity to Nepal is focusing on betterment of and numerous hard and soft adventure rethink the future course of sustainable local people as well. Local ecology, activities. tourism. culture, creating linkages between vocational skills training and tourism A critical point concerning the social Covid-19 has forced people all over has been the prime focus since the last sustainability is the induced effects the world to escape and reconnect two decades. A fine balance between of tourism Induced effects reflect with nature. They are more attracted guest and host have well-taken care of the trickle-down benefits to local to green ways of living, which can giving prominence to local ecology and community, and people whose offset their carbon footprint. It is highly culture. Local bodies and authorities livelihoods are related with incomes recommended to enact a green are not unnecessary catering to tourist from the informal sector. Efforts are recovery policy based on “tested demands. Overall, tourism must made to take care of induced effects as experiments” or “proven approaches” enhance local life instead of hampering it is an essential factor to be considered as Nepal has rich experiences in it. In post-COVID-19 tourism, travelers for green recovery in tourism. Mid-Hills sustainable tourism development. will embark on a journey to an exotic in Nepal have potential to generate There are tremendous windows of location; will seek out the less crowded induced effects that can boost opportunity to implement strong places. Visitors will be preferring livelihoods of local people. measures ensuring the green recovery destinations which are away from the activities both at local and regional hustle bustle of cities. With bountiful magical beauty, level. mid-hills in Nepal offer tremendous Unique geographical and geological potentialities. Mid-Hills in Nepal Nepal – Reason for All positioning of Nepal has been a boon are culturally rich and feasible for Seasons for Nepal’s natural and socio-cultural all seasons both for domestic and Travellers will be looking for secluded diversity. Terai, the lower plains in international tourists. Climate and places of incredible natural beauty. the southern parts has immense accessibility wise Mid-Hill regions in In this regard, Nepal has initiated to potentiality in cultural and nature- Nepal are well-suited for travelling develop Hill-Stations. This has two- based tourism with maximum market and livelihoods as this falls under 2000 fold approaches. Firstly, it will add on potential for cross-border Indian m. In most of the years, the regions to new products and will showcase tourist specially for religious purpose, are mostly sunny, with breathtaking to travelers. Secondly, it will address entertainments, VFR (Visiting Friends landscapes, views and greenery in the the major issue that Nepal is currently and Relatives) and Terai based surrounding areas. Yoga, meditation, facing – a destination for a limited protected Areas like Sukhlaphanta organic foods, agro-tourism, period. Nepal needs to change itself NP, Bardiya, Chitwan and Koshi Tappu wilderness, local people and culture from a destination for a limited season Wildlife Conservation Area. Similarly, are some of the potential activities that to a destination that is Reason for mid-hills have absolute potentiality can be introduced in mid-hills regions. All Seasons. This will not only help with numerous hill stations and cultural to change the brand image of Nepal trails connected with socio-cultural and that is perceived as a country for landscape diversity, Integrated Farming mountaineering and trekking, but System and Terraces with all season 34 / Development Advocate Nepal

SOCIAL PROTECTION

GOING LOCAL AND SUSTAINABLE With the right economic and environmental policies, it is possible to create an economy that thrives, both culturally and economically, co-evolving with nature itself.

Saurav Dhakal stories of remote communities, the In 2012, I travelled for 99 days on the trip led to me realise that I needed Great Himalayan Trail. As someone to organise StoryCamps in remote who’d always been interested in locations. Walking for 1,555 kilometres environmental issues and the unheard in the hills and mountains of Nepal Development Advocate Nepal / 35

led me to realise the needs -- food, health, education, seeds were capable of producing higher yields, they needed accessibility and connectivity -- of many of the country’s to be purchase every year. Traditionally, farmers get seeds peoples. for the next season from their current harvest. Many farmers prefer to stick with the local seeds, which have a long history When I came back to Kathmandu, I decided to go back to of use. the community and explore their stories in more detail, as part of StoryCamp, a local initiative of my storytelling group, StoryCycle has impressed upon me how our economy StoryCycle. depends on nature for its survival. The economy is part of the living environment, and it can only thrive if nature Through StoryCamp, I learned that many of our communities and humanity both thrive. With the right economic and have been working together on renewable energy. In environmental policies, it is possible to create an economy recent years, there has been a flurry of activity by NGOs, that thrives, both culturally and economically, co-evolving the government and others to introduce renewable energy with nature itself. Such an economy will ideally be sources such as water mills, solar and biogas at the local decentralised, democratic, culturally rich, and circular. level. In order to achieve this kind of economy, there are a few steps that we can take, both on an individual level and a I also learned that there were initiatives to prioritise and broader scale. protect local seeds. New types of seeds were being promoted and distributed in the villages. While these new

Individual Political Economy Maximum Circular lifestyle change mobilisation democracy utilisation economy A lifestyle that is When a green The forces allied All natural resources The new predicated on a lifestyle is combined against sustainability need to be utilised restructured plant-based diet, with political -- the corporate in the most efficient economy needs biking or walking activism, such as capitalist system and ecological way to be rooted to work, recycling, forming transition and its economic possible. We need in ecological eating organic, towns, practicing machinery of to create affluence wisdom and fair-trade food, and permaculture, production and from effluence. practices. It need other green choices buying from finance -- are And we need to be a cradle-to- has an important local farmers, formidable, and humanity to proceed cradle, circular role to play in being industries and until they are with caution and economy where sustainable. If our business, protesting dismantled and respect for life all its by-products values are not unsustainable democratically, we when introducing circle back into reflected in our business practices, cannot expect to see new technology. production, just as lifestyle, they will and voting for a truly sustainable So many resources they do in nature. not be reflected political parties with economy. In order to are wasted before, The economy in the society we green policies, we achieve economic during, and after the needs to be wish to create. can have an even democracy, we production cycle. guided by an Rethinking our own greater impact. can start working Moreover, money ecological ethics consumption habits These actions can with small and and resources that is inspired by regarding what we be supplemented by medium business are unequally ancient wisdom eat or wear is one starting an organic enterprises, buying distributed, dividing as well as the way to assert the food club, local local produce, and the world into rich latest ecological development of the producer clubs, promoting local and poor countries. and technological economy towards sharing stories and businesses over This growing trend sciences. uuu a more sustainable best practices. global franchises. needs to be altered. future. 36 / Development Advocate Nepal Development Advocate Nepal / 37 A SMART CITY IS ONLY POSSIBLE WITH SMART CITIZENS, SMART GOVERNANCE, SMART ECONOMY, AND SMART INFRASTRUCTURE. MR. DILIP KHAND

An interview with Mr. Dilip Khand, mayor conduct mass testing if the virus spreads people, there will ultimately be positive of Waling Municipality, Syangja at the community level. impacts on health and education. We’ve also established an Entrepreneurship, Among Nepal’s 753 local government As part of recovery measures, the Business Incubation, and Innovation units, Syangja’s Waling Municipality has municipality is providing health insurance Centre in various city wards focusing on been at the forefront of championing up to Rs 100,000 to those infected migrant returnees and youth to promote the digital agenda. The municipality with COVID-19. We are also providing startup culture. has developed a ‘Smart Waling’ mobile treatment to anyone suffering from application that connects residents cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, Waling Municipality has put pledged directly with the local government, etc. Our goal is to get health insurance to become a ‘Smart City’. What is the among other measures meant to take to 60 percent of the Waling population progress so far? governance and bureaucracy online. by this year, 80 percent in next year, and Recently, Waling started various initiatives more than 95 percent after two years. We are focusing on drafting a 20-year to provide employment opportunities to Currently, we are identifying people who comprehensive plan as we already have those who lost their jobs due to COVID-19. are not insured and getting them health a yearly strategic plan and a 5-year Development Advocate spoke to Dilip insurance. We are also conducting public periodic plan. We aim to establish a Khand, the Waling mayor, about the local health awareness programmes, old age ‘Basic City’ within 10 years, a ‘Sustainable government’s handling of COVID-19, his health care programmes and counseling City’ by 2030, and a ‘Smart City’ by embrace of digital initiatives, and the way through 17 health posts. One of our aims 2040. Currently, we are working on forward in a post-COVID-19 world. is to decrease the infant mortality rate so infrastructure like road, drinking water we are providing services focusing on supply, irrigation, and information and What has Waling Municipality done in maternal and infant health by creating communication technology to connect terms of health recovery and what type awareness about vaccination and anti- our 310 villages, ward offices, municipality of initiatives are you conducting as part natal checkups through SMS. office and different organisations. This of COVID-19 recovery? comes under the ‘Basic City’. People’s What kind of job opportunities has perceptions will not change until they We have provided 210 ward committees Waling provided to the local people? get out of poverty. A ‘Smart City’ is only with training on information collection and possible with smart citizens, smart quarantine monitoring and management. Since poverty reduction is our priority, governance, smart economy, and smart These committees are monitoring the we focused on having at least one infrastructure. health status of the people who enter agriculture and business cooperative in Waling, only allowing them entrance each ward and our 310 villages to support We have succeeded in turning waste after negative PCR test results. This the livelihoods of local communities. management into resource management. has helped reduce the risk of spread In partnership with UNDP, we have We have also made a profit from waste of the coronavirus. These committees established 200 agriculture cooperatives and are now working on recycling waste also provide us with information about and 20 enterprise cooperatives. Secondly, and making products. This will also COVID-infected people and their visitors. dealing with the consequences of not provide employment to people living in We manage quarantine and isolation a getting market for the local produce poverty. systems and send critical patients to the was a problem so UNDP and Waling hospital, accordingly. We even provide came up with the Waling Product But all of this takes time. The municipality daily health checkups and counselling to Holding Cooperatives with municipality, is digitalizing and slowly, there will be patients. We were adequately prepared cooperatives and private shares of more transformations in the villages as well. for 1,500 migrant returnees from India than Rs 100 million. The cooperatives With the support and partnership of and other countries. So far, we provided must buy all the farmers’ produces, which organisations like UNDP, the progress has well-managed quarantine facilities to will play a significant role in promoting been quick, we hope for UNDP’s help in over 1,200 people. The situation is under local enterprises. With the subsequent the future as well. uuu control now, but we are also ready to improvement in the living standards of 38 / Development Advocate Nepal

TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE AND RESILIENT SOCIETY COVID-19 SHOULD SERVE AS AN ALARM AND HERALD OUR TRANSITION TO A SUSTAINABLE SOCIETY THAT TAKES CLIMATE ACTION INTO ACCOUNT

Shahil Shrestha leap towards sustainable urban mobility. COVID-19 has disrupted our lives in Popup cycle lanes appeared in European ways we could not have imagined. The cities, Latin America, and some parts of pandemic blurred political borders and Asia. Cars were restricted on many streets, exposed how interconnected the different inviting families and businesses onto socio-political systems and global the streets, recognizing the true nature economy are. On the other hand, while of streets as networks of public spaces the global economic engine, industries meant equally for social-cultural activities and cities slowed down, people saw as much as for economic purposes. the return of a habitable environment in cities that were previously clotted with Many city residents don’t want to go congestion, dust, pollution, and noise. return to business-as-usual and plan to Almost overnight, streets became safer transform their city streets and mobility to walk and cycle and the air felt cleaner. considering COVID-19 as a turning point. Many even reported hearing bird songs With public transport unable to function in their morning windows while residents as usual, cities have invested more in in Mumbai shared that they could see the pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Work stars from their city for the first time ever. from home and distance education has Kathmandu residents saw better glimpses become the norm, minimising the need to of the Himalayas while asthma patients in travel daily through congestion. Dhaka reported they have stopped taking their daily medicine. We can surmise that Science too has called for a drastic many lives were saved as a result of the transformation in our ways of living to cleaner air and fewer traffic accidents. meet global warming mitigation targets that call for a massive reduction in fossil Globally, cities, leaders, and communities fuel use in the next 12 years. Our trajectory that were better prepared to transform and political commitments show that their streets towards a better medium of we would not meet the target without a transport took this opportunity to take the serious transition. Development Advocate Nepal / 39

Suddenly, drastic measures for carbon COVID-19 also exposed the limits of change and introduce relevant policy mitigation goals that climate science our present mindset. As many tried to interventions. However, commitments has long called for were visible and return home from foreign countries, from policy makers, along with the experienced by all around the world. we as a nation realised the limits of interest and enthusiasm of leaders at For Nepal, local mobilisation proved to our abilities to respond on a national all local, provincial and federal levels, be its strength. Cities and communities scale. The threat in built in an economy indicate a promising future. that had strong social bonds not only dependent on remittance was also responded well for their own safety, but brought to the harsh light of reality. Nepal is still transitioning to a federal also mobilised to support the needy. COVID-19 has sent a loud and clear governance structure. COVID-19 Self-organised groups and institutions message that the well-being of society, sounded an alarm. We need to ensure took the lead to offer fresh food and economy, and the environment go that we document the lessons learned free accommodation for those who hand-in-hand. The pandemic has to influence the path we take forward. needed it. The cycling community was taught us that if the environment is COVID-19 has helped us realise among the many that responded with not viable, then any system and plan that we are all in this together and offers of services. of operation will fail. In education, it what happens to one of us will have showed us the possibility of distance consequences for others. We are in Politically, federalisation appeared to learning and other, unexplored this together and collaboration is the be a timely transition we have headed methods of learning through available only way forward. This is the time to towards to prepare ourselves for a technologies. It also made us realise prepare to transition our economy more resilient future that can withstand how much of our daily travel was and political systems. Climate action and recover from similar crises. After avoidable. With odd-even regulations and transformation to a sustainable months of efforts in education, the on motorised vehicles, bicycle usage civilisation is the call of the hour. We federal government handed over the has grown on the relatively safer need to see COVID-19 as nature’s decision-making responsibility to local streets of Kathmandu. warning signs. governments to make independent decisions. Municipalities in Nepal have yet to take Shail Shrestha is associated with the into account this positive behavioral Digo Bikas Institute. uuu 40 / Development Advocate Nepal

BUILDING BRIDGES, SURVIVING THE PANDEMIC AND EMERGING STRONGER THE LGBTIQ+ COMMUNITY SUFFERED DISPROPORTIONATELY DURING THE PANDEMIC AS COVID-19 ONLY ENTRENCHED INEQUALITIES AND PUSHED INDIVIDUALS INTO POVERTY.

Lex Limbu The lockdown only exacerbated social The COVID-19 pandemic overall has not stigma and economic hardship for many been kind to the LGBTIQ+ community as it vulnerable groups, including daily-wage continues to entrench existing inequalities, earners, single women and sex workers, push hard-working individuals further many of whom are also part of the down the socio-economic ladder, and LGBTIQ+ community. LGBTIQ+ individuals even take lives. The death of transman face a scale of inequalities. Murders of Manish Yadav, an activist and a figure of transwomen have grabbed headlines inspiration to many, rocked the Nepali long before the arrival of COVID-19. LGBTIQ+ community in early June 2020. Violence against transgender people is Unfortunately, Yadav’s death was followed on the rise in many parts of the world, by further losses. including the USA where 32 transgender and gender non-conforming people have The measures introduced to control the been killed already this year. At home, coronavirus and save lives exposed the transgender people are denied equal already vulnerable LGBTIQ+ community rights to citizenship and education, among to much financial hardship and emotional many others. The pandemic has further distress. Anish, a gay young man studying highlighted the precarious position that and working part-time in the travel sector, many transgender and intersex people loved his open life in the capital. However, occupy as stories surfaced of transgender everything changed when he had to women struggling to receive food rations board a bus for his hometown in the Tarai. due to concerns about the legitimacy of Anish felt suffocated by not being able to their citizenship cards. be himself. The uncertainty surrounding the lockdown and not being able to Critical conversations regarding citizenship see an end in sight only challenged him and protecting the right to gender self- further. A few months into the lockdown, determination have continued in the midst Anish took a chance and boarded a bus of the pandemic. If lessons are to be to Thankot. He walked all the way back to learned then let this pandemic teach us Kathmandu. Whilst Anish’s story continues, the importance of being connected and many LGBTIQ+ lives came to an abrupt having access to support networks. Every halt during the lockdown. Nepali has a right to a citizenship that best reflects the person, their name, and Development Advocate Nepal / 41

chosen gender identity. Unfortunately, sections of society too. Rapid access to answer. What can I, as a cisgender it is not only people belonging to the to internet connectivity in the country gay man, do more to support LBTIQ+ LGBTIQ+ community, but also many has catalysed many learnings but people is a question that I need to other vulnerable groups, that continue also presented unique challenges. continue asking myself. to be excluded from receiving what is Cyber bullying and malicious online their constitutional right. harassment targeting vulnerable young The inaction by the state during the people and those from the queer lockdown has not only embedded As we find ways to live through the community have increased drastically existing inequalities but further pandemic, there’s an urgent need since the lockdown. A multi-pronged disillusioned millions of people from to improve access to health care effort is required to improve and inform the system that should be supporting for many LGBTIQ+ individuals. The the mass about online safety. them. The state has failed its most earlier half of the lockdown resulted in vulnerable groups and unfairly left many struggling to obtain necessary The year, however, has also shown the people of Nepal to support hormonal medication, HIV medication, the great adaptability of people. As one another. Yet, it is in this support and sexual health screening, resulting photos circulated of daily wage earners that marginalised groups are once in deteriorating physical, emotional, walking from mountain communities to again unlocking new networks to and mental health. Furthermore, the plains to reunite with their families, collaboratively champion causes and loss of income due to the closure some of us sought inspiration from the discover the interconnected nature of entertainment venues affected hardship and sought to reflect hard of their fight. With this approach, millions across the country and on our privileges. Those of us who we once again find strength in our negatively impacted many within the comfortably enjoying our broadband activism and campaigning, and hope LGBTIQ+ community. As the country’s connectivity, food deliveries and that we emerge from the pandemic economy slowly restarts, it risks leaving Zoom learning need to reflect on the building stronger bridges, unlocking vulnerable groups behind. society that we are part of and all more resources, and striving to go we have done to support others in beyond for the most vulnerable in our An education campaign focused on these challenging times. Why have communities. internet safety and behaviour is also some struggled to adapt to the ‘new necessary, not just for the LGBTIQ+ normal’ is a question that many of us in Lex Limbu is a London-based Nepali community but various other cross- privileged positions should be seeking digital content creator. uuu 42 / Development Advocate Nepal

During COVID-19 and the lockdown it followed, several eLearning platforms were developed and INCLUSIVE launched. They offered both free and paid courses and enabled people to learn from the comfort of their homes. They worked quite well for many eLEARNING: people, but not for all. None of these eLearning platforms were made accessible (disability-friendly) LEAVING for the benefit of persons with disabilities. WHO and the World Bank estimate more than 15% or nearly a billion people living in this world NO ONE have some form of disability. These organizations also suggest that 80% of these people are living in developing countries. The National Census of BEHIND Nepal (2011) declared that around 2% of the total population are people with disabilities. Given the SAGAR PRASAI, data, it is universally accepted that people with DIRECTOR, DIVERSE disabilities are one of the largest minorities in the PATTERNS world.

People with disabilities have difficulties accessing Learning should never stop. We have heard this essential services like education and health, even in all our lives. Maybe because of this philosophy, normal circumstances, because of existing physical, education didn’t come to a halt during the pandemic communication, and systemic barriers. The situation despite being one of the hardest-hit sectors. Remote only gets worse for them in a pandemic situation. teaching and learning activities continued in various When necessities are out of access, demanding forms using technology. One such popular form was access in eLearning platforms is often taken as a the use of the eLearning platform. luxury and frequently unanswered. Development Advocate Nepal / 43

Accessible eLearning devices. For example, those using 1. A learner who uses only the Keyboard In the context of disability inclusion, screen readers should be able to (e.g., a blind user) can navigate to accessible (or accessibility) is the design operate all functions of the platform all parts of the website like a visual of products, services, or facilities to be by just using the Keyboard (not learner. accessed and used by persons with mouse). 2. All the video lessons include Nepali disabilities on equal footing as their sign language interpretation and peers without disabilities. Thus, an n The content should be captions in Nepali and English accessible eLearning platform means, understandable. It relates more to language. persons with various forms of disabilities the content than the technology. 3. Learning Inclusion is available in both (visually impaired, deaf, learning It means that all users should Nepali and English language and is disabled) could use it without difficulties. understand the message/content in FREE for everyone. the eLearning platform. Every eLearning platform at its We also developed a free course to core is simply a website. Thus, the n The platform should be robust. learn essential digital accessibility and guidelines that list out steps to create Persons with disabilities use a variety ways to create accessible documents. an accessible website will also apply of assistive technologies to access To date, 250 students have completed to them. The community that governs the web. For example, a person who the class, and more than half of these and promotes the development of the can’t see might use an audio device students are persons with disabilities. Internet, called the World Wide Web to listen to a document. Thus, the We can interpret this data as, if Consortium (W3C), has developed a platform should be able to function provided a disability-inclusive learning Web Content Accessibility Guideline correctly on all devices. environment, persons with disabilities (WCAG). Many governments worldwide are willing to enjoy the world of digital have adopted this and made it a Introducing Learning learning. Unfortunately, for these requirement while developing public Inclusion groups of learners, there are very few websites/web apps. In June 2020, I was a part of a motivated such accessible learning platforms. team working day and night to create Creating an accessible and disability- According to WCAG, there are just a fully accessible eLearning platform inclusive eLearning platform is not four principles that make any digital called Learning Inclusion (https:// difficult and doesn’t require a sizable content, including eLearning platforms, learninginclusion.com). When launched, budget. However, as in any well- accessible to persons with disabilities. Learning Inclusion became Nepal’s designed project, good planning from first-ever fully accessible and inclusive the initial stage is necessary. Also, eLearning portal. including a person with a disability as n The information presented in the platform should be perceivable by a team member can ensure that the persons with disabilities. It means We developed Learning Inclusion project meets the disability community’s that all information should be relayed with two objectives. The primary goal needs. to those with disabilities, even if it was to provide an accessible learning requires an alternative approach. For experience to all, including persons Access to information and education example, if an image is used, then an with disabilities. The second focus is a human right. Our country is also appropriate text alternative should was to serve as a model so that web a signatory of several UN treaties, be included so that the content is developers and content creators could including the UN Convention on the accessible for persons with visual replicate the best practices we used in rights of persons with disabilities. Thus, impairment. the portal. we are legally and morally bound to create learning platforms accessible to We followed the four principles of all, including persons with disabilities. n The platform should be operable by all users. It means that people with WCAG while developing the platform. But at the very core, it all comes to a disabilities should navigate different Some examples of accessibility question - if we want to do the right parts of the platform with assistive measures implemented in the site are thing! Because, as they say- Learning the following: should never stop, for all. uuu 44 / Development Advocate Nepal

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION

A DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION LED BY COVID-19 While the impacts of the pandemic have been severe, there is also an opportunity for Nepal to pursue digitisation in all spheres of service delivery.

Neelesh Man no different, with 153,000 reported Singh Pradhan cases and 829 deaths. The largest economies in the world have been COVID-19 had already touched 41.5 hit hard with negative GDP growth million people and has taken more and so has Nepal. Many industries than 1.1 million lives worldwide as and sectors have been impacted and of October 2020. Nepal’s case was Development Advocate Nepal / 45

are struggling to get back to the new A shift in education Zoom, Google Classroom, Teams, etc. normal to live with COVID-19. Education has hit the most by However, this has also created a major COVID-19 with schools closing down digital divide, particularly in Nepal, Until the pandemic hit, Nepal had been amidst fears of the coronavirus. By with those who do not have access a true believer in manual processes. April 2020, a total of 1.6 billion students to such tools. Schools and colleges Perhaps it is because Nepali are so in 192 countries, representing 90 were unprepared to transition to online relaxed that most things tend to be percent of all students, were not going teaching, and limited access to the done at its own pace, whether it is to school, according to the UNDP internet deprived students from their government processes, business Human Development Report. But basic right to education. There was activities, billing & record keeping, some schools and colleges have been also indecisiveness on some policy or deliveries. But COVID-19 pushed able to go online to continue with the level matters related to acceptability of almost every business and service learning and education. online classes, evaluation procedures, provider to automate their processes, and access to internet. Access to including their record keeping, sales, A major challenge for teachers and technology for the students and customer acquisition, supply chain students has been to migrate from a readiness of schools, especially public management, marketing, delivery physical classroom to online teaching schools and colleges, will be critical to management, and payments. All of a and learning using technologies like reducing this digital gap in education. sudden, insurance companies realised that their decades-old agent-based network was not working. The capital market awakened overnight to realise that less than 2 percent of its investors had access to its online platform even two years after its online trading platform was launched. Remittance companies dependent on cash- based agent delivery mechanism moved towards direct-to-bank account deposits. And banks and financial institutions, who had been extremely aggressive on opening up new branches, reduced the number of footfalls by increasing their digital services.

The government too expedited the automation of its public data/ information, approvals process, and revenue collection and payout processes, which it had been attempting to do for many years.

Sectors that had already adopted technology within their core product and service delivery were better able to survive the pandemic. Many others have adapted, using digital technology in electronic record keeping, governance, education, social interactions, trade, services, banking and finance and other. 46 / Development Advocate Nepal

Governance helped to some extent but has also Banking and going online resulted into fragmented outcomes financial services due to decentralized initiatives and The federal government initiated The investment in banking and uncoordinated implementation. There e-payments for its payout transactions financial technology has been given exists a risk of having multiple systems in 2015 and its revenue collection utmost importance in the recent past, without integration with each other transactions directly to/from banks but COVID-19 has put it at centre and a risk of personal and business accounts of beneficiaries in 2018. It stage for regulators and banks & information exposure. took over three years for government financial institutions (BFIs). There are agencies to migrate from cheques technologies being implemented by to direct-to-bank deposits. Such digital payout transactions have seen exponential growth, from Rs 3.1 billion during fiscal year 2016/17 to Rs 221.1 billion in the fiscal year 2019/20. During the COVID-19 lockdown period, from mid-July to mid-October 2020 (first quarter of the fiscal year 2020/21), the volume for government transactions (payout and revenue collection) increased by 943 percent compared to the same quarter last fiscal year.

In order to meet the public demand for service delivery, multiple government ministries, departments and local government units took the initiative to introduce their own web and mobile based applications. Some such initiatives are the Local Government App released by the federal Department of Information Technology; Smart Palika rolled out by few local governments; online No Objection Certificates from the Ministry of Education; online Export Import Code renewal by the Department of Customs; online registration and renewal at the Office of the Company Registrar, Department of Industries; and online personal event registration at the Department of Civil Registration. All of these initiatives are related to the collection of public data and service delivery. Such data collection has Development Advocate Nepal / 47

the BFIs for customer acquisition, new Transaction values and volumes have also a big likelihood that businesses product development, service delivery also grown, further escalating during and customers will move back to and improving operational efficiency. the COVID-19 period. Transaction old manual processes once things Sizeable upticks in card subscription value during the month of August- normalise. (9.48 percent), mobile banking (35.46 September (second month of the percent), internet banking (12.41 current fiscal year as per Nepal However, traction already generated percent), and other similar digital Rastra Bank data) increased to for for digitization during the lockdown instruments were seen in the fiscal digital transactions of NCHL (non- and the extreme pressure that year 2019/20. cheques) to Rs 215.0 billion, cards to businesses and the government have Rs 34.1 billion, mobile banking to Rs suffered from customers has left 20.3 billion, internet banking to Rs 4.7 with no option but to move towards billion, and digital wallets to Rs 7.3 digital channels. The focus by all billion. Similarly, automation in various stakeholders should be on scaling- banking products, including online up the existing digital infrastructure, self-service activations, transactional including easy access to telecom and data driven loan disbursements, and internet services; bringing service similar other digital services are being providers, including businesses and introduced for product innovation by government agencies, on board the BFIs with their rollouts being preponed digital ecosystem in a sustainable due to business requirements during manner; and customer awareness and the lockdown. engagement.

Beyond COVID-19 The impacts of COVID-19 have been The pandemic has given Nepal’s severe but one silver lining is the businesses and the governments an chance to maximise the opportunities opportunity to automate and digitise provided by digitisation for better its processes, which will eventually livelihoods. help them stand stronger and be more resilient in similar situations Neelesh Man Singh Pradhan is the in the future. But Nepal has a weak Chief Executive Officer of Nepal institutional memory, as was seen after Clearing House Ltd. The views April 2015 earthquakes. So there is expressed here are personal. uuu

DURING THE COVID-19 LOCKDOWN PERIOD, FROM MID-JULY TO MID- OCTOBER 2020 (FIRST QUARTER OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2020/21), THE VOLUME FOR GOVERNMENT TRANSACTIONS (PAYOUT AND REVENUE COLLECTION) INCREASED BY 943 PERCENT COMPARED TO THE SAME QUARTER LAST FISCAL YEAR. 48 / Development Advocate Nepal Development Advocate Nepal / 49

THE GOVERNMENT AIMS TO TURN ALL PUBLIC SERVICES TECH-FRIENDLY TO HELP CITIZENS. ASGAR ALI

An interview with Asgar Ali, information made it clear that tech-friendly public technology consultant to the Prime service will help citizens. In order to Minister of Nepal advance this agenda, the prime minister appointed an information technology As the IT consultant to the prime advisor and digitised his Cabinet. minister, could you tell us about the Government of Nepal’s vision for digital Believing that working in fragments transformation, including but not won’t amount to much, we have come limited to the Digital Nepal Framework, up with the Digital Nepal Framework. given the context of rural Nepal where After deep discussions with all not everyone has smartphones and stakeholders, we have defined eight access to the internet? areas and 80 different initiatives. We have also readied a high-level From the get go, the prime minister has document on how to transform public embraced the slogan of ‘Prosperous service using info-tech within a few Nepal, Happy Nepalis’. The question of a years. We were affected by Covid-19 prosperous Nepal is linked with physical while implementing the framework infrastructure. For happy Nepalis, but if we look at the time before the we need to think about utilising the pandemic struck, the government has resources we have and easing access been approaching info-tech from three to public service. The prime minister has angles. 50 / Development Advocate Nepal

First, the government has formulated a policy and Ncell, two of the country’s leading mobile to promote local IT companies, industries and service providers, to provide 4G services to human resource so as to ease the lifestyles places where establishing physical infrastructure of the people. Under this, we have a policy would be difficult. As of now, over 76 percent to discourage foreign software if there’s an of the country’s population has access to the alternative in the local market. internet. The government is working to expand this number further and making info-tech Another aspect is to make all of the services accessible to all. government’s services tech-friendly. But there’s a gap between what we and the government The pandemic has only increased the call ‘tech-friendly’. Previously, the norm was importance of IT. How has the government to lead government offices to automation and used this opportunity? make work inside the offices tech-friendly, but this was not helping service seekers, The answer to this question lies in this year’s however easy it may have been for government budget and the government’s policy and employees. So now, we are designing a ‘Nagarik’ programmes. Both documents state the app so that all the government services are government’s aim to turn certain areas tech- centralised. We expect that the app will solve friendly within a certain time frame. The nearly 50 percent of problems in government government is working towards changing service. the modalities of businesses affected by the pandemic by turning them into info-tech friendly The third aspect concerns promoting Nepali enterprises. Moreover, the government is also info-tech companies globally. India is famous for working to reduce the cost of IT services. its outsourcing, the Philippines for its BPO work, and if any big company wants to open a branch Even though the movement of people has in Asia, Singapore is their first choice. So we too been limited by Covid-19, the market has are trying to take our info-tech sector to the been ensuring that people receive basic global stage. services through the use of info-tech, and the government has been easing the process. But in order to really make the country tech- friendly, infrastructure is essential. First But how effective has the government’s use of comes physical infrastructure, which is being information technology been? Has it increased implemented by the Nepal Telecommunications efficiency and transparency? What are the Authority. Telecom service providers deposit challenges? two percent of their annual income to the Authority’s Rural Telecom Development Fund. The government has three bodies through The Authority then utilizes the fund to expand which it embraces info-tech: the Ministry of physical infrastructure across the country. The Communications and Information Technology, Authority has also requested Nepal Telecom the Information Technology department under Development Advocate Nepal / 51

the ministry, and the National Information E-commerce and digital payments have Technology Centre. Of these three bodies, the been booming since COVID-19. But there info-tech department and national info-tech are increasing security concerns. How is centre implement the decisions of the ministry. government planning to ensure that digital transactions are safe and secure while also The Financial General Comptroller’s Office has creating a favourable environment for the also been training accountants to implement private and public sector? a unitary system across all of its offices across the country. But for other offices, the system has Talking about monitoring, e-commerce yet to be used. Because of the lack of a unitary businesses that operate solely via social system, the government’s investment might media are more numerous than those that have doubled but the standard of the services are registered with the trade department. We has not increased accordingly. To improve this, need to discourage these social media-centric we have asked all of the country’s local units to operations and bring them into the mainstream. use a single mobile app, the ‘Nagarik’ app, which Now that the trade department itself is running is being designed. an e-commerce site, the government believes that it will come forward to monitor the The private sector is a key partner in the e-commerce ecosystem. development of information technology. How is the government planning to harness the What are the government’s strategies on concerns of the private sector? making digital technologies accessible to all, including persons with disabilities and those In every country, the government assumes from remote areas with no access to reliable the role of a guardian. Governmental policies internet? that are making functioning difficult should be discussed, but there’s a communication gap The government believes that facilities for between the government and the private sector. persons with disabilities should be provided to What is the private sector trying to do and all, not just those in the info-tech sector. Info- how is the government hampering it? How we tech can be a tool to ease the lifestyles of the can protect these companies? This should be visually impaired and those with disabilities. The discussed. government aims to design its info-tech services focusing on the needs of those with disabilities. We need to identify the sectors whose solution Many government web sites have been made can be found in Nepal, and protect local disabled friendly and the government will also companies that offer these solutions. The work to encourage the private sector to adopt government disbursed a total of Rs 2.6 billion similar methods. uuu in last year’s budget to subsidise startups. But that disbursement hit obstacles and now, the implementation is being done through the National Planning Commission. 52 / Development Advocate Nepal

INFORMATION IS POWER: IMPROVING ACCESS TO CRITICAL INFORMATION TO HELP IMPROVE LIVES ARADHANA GURUNG, EMMA LEERING & SHRUTI JHA

obile penetration has increased effective and impactful solutions thanks to our exponentially in Nepal, with 98 percent close partnership with mobile telecommunication Mof Nepali households currently owning a companies and existing infrastructure integrations mobile phone, according to recent data from the into their core networks. Nepal Telecommunications Authority’s report of August-September 2020. This increase in mobile Viamo is committed to pushing the envelope in phone usage has correlated with an increase terms of outreach, information dissemination, in access to information, with phones acting as data collection, and inclusivity. In this regard, we information relays. are constantly expanding our services to mobile communication channels like voice (Interactive Viamo, shorthand for ‘via mobile’, is a new social Voice Response, IVR), text (SMS and USSD), and enterprise that understands this paradigm shift, ChatBots. and in turn, seeks to connect individuals and organizations with right information via mobile Viamo’s 321 service, known as Suchana ko Sansaar devices to make better decisions. in Nepal, has been playing an integral role in bridging the information gap among communities Viamo’s services enable organizations to engage in rural Nepal. Viamo has partnered with Nepal with traditionally hard-to-reach populations Telecom (NTC) and launched a service where through their mobile phones in meaningful, real- anyone can access information by dialing 32100 time, two-way conversations in local languages, on an NTC sim at no cost to them. The themes instantly reaching across distance and literacy covered by the platform are child protection, barriers. Through a combination of digital strategy health, agriculture, early childhood development, advice and support in implementing meaningful weather forecast, news, entertainment and mobile engagement campaigns via our established disaster risk reduction. Each theme is subdivided platform, Viamo is able to offer rapid, cost- into various topics with key messages created Development Advocate Nepal / 53

by experts and approved by the A four-module training curriculum for assets transfer platform designed for concerned government entity in Nepal. FCHVs and a seven-module training vulnerable communities to receive Every month, the platform is accessed curriculum HWs was deployed daily tokens to represent a cash or voucher by over 192,000 unique listeners in through their mobile phones. UNICEF, value through SMS, developed by the Nepal. Viamo hosts similar platforms along with the National Health Training WVIN Innovation Lab in 2017. Sikka in 19 other countries, with more being Center (NHTC), designed the curriculum has, to date, distributed approximately added every year, reaching over 10 and Viamo optimised the final content $600,000 to beneficiaries across 14 million unique listeners every month. to suit mobile engagement. The districts in Nepal as part of various modules revolved around COVID-19, emergency response programmes. In the wake of COVID-19, in order its symptoms, prevention, and to understand the information gaps differentiating between quarantine, Viamo has been engaged as a thought and new needs of our users, Viamo social distancing, and isolation, the partner with the Sikka project ever since developed the 3-2-1 Service COVID-19 use of Personal Protective Equipment, it started and recently supported the Survey with researchers from the diagnostic methods of COVID-19, team in incorporating IVR features on its Tulane University School of Public and how to keep safe while serving platform to further reach at-risk groups Health and Tropical Medicine. The COVID-19 patients. There was a pre and and address challenges faced by survey evaluated our users’ knowledge post test survey before and after each communities with low levels of digital of the coronavirus, as well as the module to understand the knowledge literacy. impact of the pandemic on their lives changes that took place. We found a and livelihoods. Tulane and Viamo 97 percent knowledge increase from Development professionals around the developed 12 separate questionnaires, before and after the training on content world have responded to the COVID-19 each addressing a specific COVID- surrounding routine screening for pandemic with new initiatives to aid related topic. These topics include COVID-19. beneficiaries to get through this crisis. knowledge of COVID-19, attitudes These have included reimagining towards the pandemic, preventive At the end of each module, a survey programming in education, agriculture, behaviors, motivation levels, and was conducted to make it more environment, governance projects, and impacts on food security, income, interactive and collect data on humanitarian response in light of new and mental health. Apart from Nepal, knowledge recall. It was found that social distancing requirements. the survey was also deployed in the 80 percent of HWs stated that the Democratic Republic of the Congo, modules were easy to understand and During this time, many new partners Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda, and 66 percent considered it effective. One increasingly engaged with Viamo to Tanzania. of the key lessons from the training was assist in their response. So far, in 2020, the negative correlation between large we have managed three times more In May 2020, Viamo partnered with modules and the training completion mobile phone-based initiatives than we UNICEF in Nepal to design and deliver a rate. originally forecasted. So far this year, we mobile-based remote training service to have reached over 23 million people, a build capacity and support community The core focus of Viamo lies in three 415 percent increase from 2019! Moving health workers via Interactive Voice approaches -- digital strategy advice, forward, our focus will be on continuing Response (IVR). As conducting group implementation of mobile engagement to build a global platform that delivers training sessions for 10,465 Female services, and advice on best use life-enriching access to the digital Community Health Volunteers (FCHVs) of digital data. These three themes economy to people who need it most. and 3,445 Community Health Workers define our activities and are also our (HWs) was a new challenge due to core output processes. Hence, the Aradhana Gurung is the Country movement restrictions in the wake of culmination of these three themes Manager for Viamo in Nepal while COVID-19, the IVR remote training was helped World Vision International Emma Leering is Director of Programs an innovative approach that cost both Nepal (WVIN) integrate an IVR for Viamo in Nepal and Shruti Jha is effective and engaging. component into their Sikka platform. the 321 Product Manager for Viamo in Sikka is a blockchain powered digital Nepal. uuu 54 / Development Advocate Nepal

VOXPOP

MANISHA DHAKAL ANITA BHANDARI 25, Mahadevtar, graduate student at 24, Karyabinayak, shopkeeper Gateway College of Professional Studies I had been running a new clothing business COVID-19 has been a catastrophe for me. in Karyabinayak for three months when the After completing my bachelor’s degree nation-wide lockdown was announced. in hospitality management, I applied for Business had been going fine but suddenly, work abroad. My flight was just three days everything stopped. There was a fear of away when the lockdown was announced. catching COVID-19 but there was also a All these months I’ve stayed home. I am fear of not having enough money to survive. unemployed, and moreover, my visa has I was in a dilemma over whether to work been canceled. A fear of catching COVID-19 or stay home. After the first lockdown, my haunts me. But I have also had time to husband, who is a migrant worker, sent me reflect on myself. I started to read different some money which I used to pay rent. I books and even prepared myself for an used some of our savings to feed our family. English proficiency test. After seven months Now, although the lockdown has been of lockdown, I am not that panicked about lifted, the virus is still around. I am afraid my future now. I have decided to pursue of going home after work because I have a master’s in hospitality management. I a two-year-old son waiting. Even though am hoping that this will all slowly be over I use precautions, I am still afraid. I hope and that we will cope with it by adhering to that this COVID-19 will disappear soon and precautionary measures. everything will be normal again. Development Advocate Nepal / 55

DR. MANITA NEWA KHADGI DR. SAILESH SHRESTHA RAMCHANDRA GAIRE 29, Basantapur 29, Kupondole 35, Disability Right Advocate/ Entrepreneur The COVID -19 has changed It started with subtle changes- the way I look at my job mind, body, spirit. Like all it Like everyone my business was and made me realize how began with the unsettling closed after lockdown, I used vulnerable my life is and how feeling. Fear for self and the my saving for basic needs. I it impacts my family. We as loved ones, especially ageing was very cautious about the healthcare providers forget parents. Anxiety at work and virus during lockdown. I spend panic among peers was that we aren’t as immune as time with my children. The palpable. It felt like a death we would like to be. We are most haunting thing to me was sentence but gradually things human and we can’t save the news, people suffered a began falling into place. We everyone, especially not lot and to hear about that was worked with whatever we ourselves because we must be depressing. When lockdown had. Mid-2019 I started to get relentless no matter what the was loose, I became more affected in many ways- mainly situation. It has taken me in the in spirit. Few of my friends from scared because the crowd was turbulent whirlpool of emotions around the world were lost to increasing. like faith, sadness, fear, doubt, COVID-19. I felt so helpless and anger, hurt, guilt, despair, luck, kept going through old pictures There was less awareness relief, and hope. with them. Work was getting among people about the virus busier and scarier but like many whereas people were also I am copying with it one day at of us life went on. less equipped. For low income a time because in the heart of it family buying 10-rupee mask all I realized that that’s the only To be honest I don’t know how and washing hand where thing certain in life, the present. I am coping. Work helped. I there is less water to drink is I am not being dramatic when scheduled zoom with few close a problem which should be I say that I feared thinking of friends regularly- that helped. I acknowledge. Behavior does the future and dreaming even read a lot- picking good books not change only by providing of the short-term because it helped. My dog helped. information there should be isn’t promised. Everyday work internalized program. felt like going to a war with the I hope that we are kind to each invisible enemy not knowing other and self. It seems like the need of the hour. COVID-19 what I would bring back home in many ways is like a reset to the most important people button. World will move on, but in my life. we need to adapt to the new world. Value good relations, be I hope for a safer place, a better kind, and care for nature.Focus place, a place where we are on quality and make sure you more prepared, a place where take care of your heart. we are kind. 56 / Development Advocate Nepal

SANJU MAHATO SAVITRI B.K CHETLAL SHRESTHA 26, Birgunj, Transgender 55, Nuwakot, Daily wage worker Kuwait Returnee, Koteshwor woman When lockdown started, I After 3 months of no work Discrimination towards me immediately lost my job of in Kuwait, I returned to as an individual and as a scrubbing marbles. The first Kathmandu. It has been 6 transgender increased more month went by but when two months now since I have during COVID- 19. There was of my family members got ill returned due to COVID-19. no job no money. Aid was the financial pressure strike I missed home during me. I have to be at the hospital, distributed but somehow, I pandemic and when I came in I was constantly on fear of feel neglected because it was Kathmandu, I was relieved. losing my family members and provided to my family not to getting virus. The additional me. Organization like Blue With a little saving that I had loan was added up. We did diamond provided aid. and lend loans from my friends, get aid which was relief for I opened a little café. But due us but after some time it was Somehow, some of the saving too getting scarce. We were to pandemic, there is less that I made fulfilled my need. not prepared though we got customer. I am hoping that now through it only because of that I have started business in Without employment there the support of my youngest my country things would go won’t be saving and when daughter who was providing us better. there is crisis like this, we are finance from gulf. left with nothing. I hope the aid, health facilities, food to be I hope to get better health care provided equally irrespective of facilities, employment so that their gender. we can survive even in the epidemic like this. Development Advocate Nepal / 57 An electronic copy of Development Advocate Nepal is available on our website: www.np.undp.org

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