‘Robust civic campaign essential to strengthen democracy’: Bhattarai

Kathmandu, May 22: President of the NGO Federation of Nepal, Arjun Bhattarai, has said a robust civic campaign is essential to strengthen democracy.

Once civil society weakens, democracy is dented, he argued. President Bhattarai said it during the ‘Onboarding Ceremony and Strategy Launch’ organised by the NGO Federation in Lalitpur on Thursday. “At a time when the civic space is shrinking globally, the NGO Federation will lead a campaign for the vibrant civil society organizations in Nepal,” he said, saying that civil society keeps a close watch on the political parties and the entire system to protect and promote human rights and democratic values.

He further reminded us that civil society has played a significant role in strengthening democracy in Nepal. Transparency and accountability are imperative for good governance that creates the foundation for functional democracy. Even the CSOs should be transparent, President Bhattarai argued. The president of the umbrella institution of Nepal’s civil society organisations announced that the time has come for us to advocate for the economic rights of Nepali people by fostering social entrepreneurship.

It is what the NGO Federation forwarded recently. He expressed concern over the efforts of surveillance on CSOs under the Home Ministry. However, CSOs must be transparent, Bhattarai stressed, arguing that CSOs are pillars of democracy. According to him, the new generation needs to be brought to a social movement. The president alerted the Nepalese government to a possible economic ceiling after LDC graduation.

On the occasion, the immediate past president of the NGO Federation, Ram Prasad Subedi, argued if the person from the mofussil is given responsibility, he/she can show the performance well. He suggested that CSOs must not reflect political ideology but work for a broader democratic cause. “Government must accept and recognise civic space. We need to make political parties accountable,” he underscored.

During the ceremony, the outgoing president, Subedi, handed over the responsibility to the new committee chaired by Bhattarai. The new office bearers and members of the NGO Federation were handed over the certificates by the election committee. General Secretary of the NGO Federation, Devi Khadka, viewed the civil society as something that must be continued to augment the democratic system and good governance in Nepal.

Similarly, the NGO Federation launched short- and long-term strategies, a policy brief on ‘Strategic CSO Partnerships for SDG: Financial in the Context of Nepal’s LDC Graduation’, and also an adaptation guide on ‘CSO for Nepal’s LDC Graduation’. Various national and international organisations extending support to the NGO Federation were honored on the occasion.

The new committee of the NGO Federation was elected through the general convention held on March 27-28, 2025.