CEPPS Quarterly Report: January 1, 2016 – March 31, 2016 NEPAL: Strengthening Political Parties, Electoral and Legislative Processes USAID Associate Cooperative Agreement No. AID-367-LA-10-00001, under the Leader Cooperative Agreement No. DFD-A-00-08-00350-00 Project Dates: August 3, 2010 to August 31, 2016 IFES: Total budget: $12,422,000 Expenses to date: $10,281,960 Second Quarter Expenses: $383,149 NDI: Total budget: $17,482,000 Expenses to date: $14,076,418 Second Quarter Expenses: $484,296 Total budget: $29,904,000 Expenses to date: $24,358,378 Second Quarter Expenses: $867,4451 I. PROGRAM OVERVIEW Problem Statement With the promulgation of the constitution on September 20, 2015, a milestone was achieved in Nepal’s political history. As Nepal undergoes the process of implementing the various provisions outlined in its constitution, the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS) partners continue to provide technical expertise aimed at solidifying democratic gains and institutionalizing inclusive electoral, political, and legislative mechanisms. The Constituent Assembly-Legislature Parliament (CA/LP) has struggled to find consensus, finalize the new constitution and proceed with its legislative responsibilities. Internal factionalism, missed deadlines and empty promises have turned a once optimistic public against the political parties. Although the election of the Nepali Congress (NC) and the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) signaled a shift to a more moderate national leadership, political parties continue to focus on maneuvering for political power rather than working toward solving the country’s problems. They appear to lack the willingness or ability to settle disagreements over a wide range of issues. To address this, CEPPS/NDI works with political party partners to strengthen internal party capacity and leadership structures and promote inclusion of marginalized groups, such as youth and women. A key next step following the promulgation of Nepal’s new constitution is the introduction of electoral measures to better reflect the political realities of Nepal and address the limitations of the current electoral framework and related legislation. The Election Commission of Nepal (ECN) has a critical role to play in ensuring that legislation and regulations pertaining to the electoral processes are clear and concise, and incorporate traditionally excluded groups. These 1 CEPPS respectfully notes that it does not budget by quarter or by objective. In addition to the financial information provided in the cover sheet on total spending to date, CEPPS submits accruals report and in the quarterly SF-425 reports. Lastly, the quarterly report has a financial section in which partners can describe any cost savings or any unexpected costs. developments have increased CEPPS/IFES’ opportunities to continue supporting the ECN to revise and adapt the electoral legal framework to the new constitution; implement the ECN’s new five-year strategic plan, including the organization of local government elections; and strengthen the capacity of ECN staff at both the ECN’s headquarters and district election offices (DEOs). CEPPS/IFES’ partner civil society organizations (CSOs) continue their outreach awareness initiatives to engage marginalized groups in electoral and political processes, including advocacy, networking and research activities. The earthquakes on April 25 and May 12, 2015, had a major impact on both the political situation and programmatic activities. Many program activities came to a halt as political parties and leaders engaged in relief work in the affected districts. Additionally, political leaders focused on organizing and managing the post-earthquake situation and on developing plans for reconstruction and rebuilding. The immediate period after the earthquake saw a decline in trust between the public and political parties with the public accusing political leaders of being too slow in their response and for being biased in relief distribution. However, the actual role that political parties play, especially at the local level, has changed over time as parties have engaged in recovery efforts and improved their local mechanisms for rescue and relief work. Post-constitution protests in the Terai and the subsequent economic blockade disrupting the circulation of consumer goods, including fuel and gas imported from India, have taken a toll on Nepal’s economy. Ongoing political disputes among the main parties in power hindered the establishment of the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA)2 and other post-earthquake rehabilitation and rebuilding initiatives, leaving more than two million victims without adequate shelter from the cold. CEPPS/NDI will assist NRA with preparations for its regular briefings and outreach to the media, victims, and general public, as well as donors and partner organizations. There is a general agreement that the long awaited local elections would help boost reconstruction and development efforts. However it is imperative that the demands of the parties and groups dissatisfied with the new constitution are taken into consideration. Theory of Change Having recently undergone a dramatic political transformation, Nepal’s political development is stymied by the lack of trust in the government. Additionally, Nepal is a country fragmented by ethnic, linguistic, caste, and geographic divides. Active participation in both national and local electoral processes is essential to strengthening a common national identity, government legitimacy, and confidence in the political process. If political parties improve their internal structures and become more inclusive, representative organizations, then the citizens of Nepal will be better able to voice their opinions and set local and nationwide political agendas. To that end, CEPPS/NDI builds on its positive working relationships with political party partners to promote and strengthen parties’ internal structures, training capacities, and inclusion of marginalized groups. This work focuses on both single-party and multiparty activities, and requires CEPPS/NDI to coordinate closely with parties to identify and assess each party’s specific needs. The work of the CA/LP – to draft a new constitution and fulfill legislative duties – is slow, as party leaders and government officials remain divided in their legislative priorities and constitution- 2 The Bill for National Reconstruction Authority was passed on December 25, 2015, 8 months after the earthquake. 2 drafting agendas. To combat this, CEPPS/NDI is providing training to youth, and women members of parliament (MPs), to better prepare them for their roles as legislators. CEPPS/NDI also is working with MPs to draft reforms and recommendations for currently tabled bills in an effort to improve laws and increase their effectiveness. Moreover, CEPPS/NDI has organized constituency outreach activities aimed at connecting lawmakers with their constituents, bridging the gap between local concerns and the national political agenda. These activities are critical opportunities for lawmakers to acknowledge their mandates and deliver on their legislative duties. If the ECN is empowered with the professional and technical capacity to adapt to new constitutional provisions, advance consensus-based electoral and political party laws, and assume effective leadership of local elections, then its role as a strong election implementing body will be further institutionalized. The ECN has a critical opportunity to streamline and promote principles of gender equality and citizen inclusion, advancing an electoral environment where citizens’ fundamental rights and freedoms are protected. To that end, CEPPS/IFES provides technical assistance to the ECN in strengthening the democratic legal framework for elections and improving its capacity to manage the electoral process. CEPPS/IFES also will focus on building trust and collaboration between the ECN and CSOs through joint voter education programs. In addition, if civil society members including minority women, youth, Dalits, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized groups are empowered to actively participate in the electoral process, through citizenship certificate acquisition and voter registration, and to be engaged and informed citizens, then they will be in a position to hold elected leaders accountable. Critical Assumptions There are a number of underlying assumptions that influence the nature, scope and aim of the program. The key assumptions for the program are listed below. ● The security situation remains stable and CEPPS can successfully conduct its programming – including travel throughout the country – without disruption. ● Shortage in fuel supplies does not disrupt the operation of CEPPS and partner offices. ● The government of Nepal (GON) ministries and offices, primarily the National Reconstruction Authority (NRA), the Ministry of Information and Communication (MOIC), the Election Commission of Nepal (ECN), the Parliament Secretariat, and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) are receptive to assistance from CEPPS, and are willing to engage in the development and implementation of communication strategies. ● The programming environment is not further strained and/or weakened by natural disasters. • There is broad political consensus on the legitimacy of institutions of government and any upcoming electoral events, including the date and framework for local government elections. • There is a consistent and determined