Workshop on Gender responsive and inclusive budgeting and Policy making for Provincial Assembly Members of Province 1
Date: 7 – 8 April, 2021
Venue: Hotel Asiatique, Biratnagar
With the aim to implement the vision of the constitution to promote equality, prosperity and social justice; and commitment made by the state at international level regarding gender equality and social inclusion, PLGSP has adopted GESI as one of the major principles and has planned activities on a different level - provincial as well as local Government. One of the activities of PLGSP focuses on Provincial Assembly Members who are in the position to formulate Provincial Laws, to monitor Provincial Government’s works and proceedings and to discuss issues of public concerns in Provincial Assembly. Hence the two half-days’ Workshop on GESI responsive and inclusive budgeting and policy making for Provincial Assembly Members took place on 7 – 8 April 2021 at Hotel Asiatique, Biratnagar. The program expected to sensitize Provincial Assembly members on GESI issues so that they will play significant role in ensuring GESI to be mainstreamed in provincial level planning, budgeting and policy making which will be more GESI sensitive as well as responsive.
In total 46 Provincial Assembly members participated in the workshop. Among them 20 were woman and 26 are men.
A formal opening session was chaired by the Secretary of OCMCM/PPM of PLGSP Mr. Saroj Kumar Guragain. Honorable Pradip Kumar Bhandari, Speaker of Provincial Assembly chaired as the Chief Guest of the ceremony. Similarly, honorable Minister Ram Bahadur Magar, Ministry of Land, Agriculture and Cooperatives; honorable Social Development Minister Usha Kala Rai; honorable Deputy Speaker Saraswati Pokhrel; honorable Leader of opposition party Rajiv Koirala and honorable State Minister Kala Ghale also chaired the ceremony as special guest. Secretary of Provincial Assembly Mr. Gopal Parajuli, Acting Chief Secretary Mr. Kamal Prashad Bhattarai also chaired the ceremony.
Speaking at the opening session, Chief Guest appreciated Province Training Centre for planning this event in right and significant time which he hoped will certainly play a vital role in the context of upcoming budget formulation. Emphasizing the goal of Prosperous Nepal and Happy Nepali, he stated the importance of ensuring the access of women and socially excluded groups in development outcome. Highlighting the involvement of women in judiciary committee, he underlined how the policy with specified provisions in terms of women’s participation has helped to ensure noticeable number of women’s representation in decision making level at Federal, provincial and local levels. He stated that the formation of gender-based inequalities start from the family hence intervention must begin from home. At the end of the program, he highlighted the role of Provincial Assembly Members in ensuring result-oriented budget and also wished for the success of the program.
Social Development Minister Usha kala Rai emphasized that issues of gender is not only women’s issues. Linking with the history of patriarchal mindset she highlighted the importance of implementation of the provisions and policy related to GESI through budgeting and planning.
Following the opening ceremony, a technical session was carried forward by the Resource person Prakash Kumar Pokhrel and Ram Maya Lamichhane. More interactive and discussion-oriented sessions on GESI concepts, national and international GESI provisions, GRB, integrating GESI in planning and policy making took place where honorable Provincial Assembly Members came up with the possible areas of intervention for GESI; and issues and policy gaps related to GESI in Province 1. They also gave their individual commitment to ensure Gender Equality and Social Inclusion in Province 1.
