Provincial Level Advocacy Campaign Organized

National Federation of Disabled Nepal (NFD – Nepal) has accomplished province level advocacy within the duration of July and August 2018. Regarding the province level inclusive development with ensure of participation and guaranteed of rights of all persons with disabilities. The campaign was started with the vision to include all, “Count Me”. The concept of Count Me is envisioned about to count everyone not only in disaggregate data for upcoming Census but also every laws and policies and its implementation.

Picture Caption: Press Conference Organized in Gandaki Province

Recently Nepal has moving toward federal structural development with complementation of three levels elections. Most of newly elected government representatives are not well aware and sensitize toward issues of disabilities. It was also urgency for mainstreaming disability plans and program and its budget and resources allocation on this field. Meanwhile NFD – Nepal initiated to aware and sensitize with issues arising from disability perspective. Along with this initiative campaign was way forward for guideline to moving from regional development structure to province and local level plan and program strategy.

Thus the main objective of this campaign was to ensure the right of persons with disabilities by addressing national and international laws and policies through the positive compulsion and its commitment for implementation from all concern government stakeholders.
The campaign led and supervised under the federal coordinator of NFD – Nepal. Under this supervision, federal and provincial focal persons initiated all the activities with involvement of from DPOs, Civil Social Organization (CSO), I/NGOs and government stakeholders along with press and journalists from local and national media according to the reports of provinces.

The campaign integrated four events; orientation, press conference, massive rally and hand over concern letter to the government stakeholders. The federal focal persons frequently coordinated with federal NFDN office and provincial office to accomplish all these activities. All these activities accomplished in different dates according each province plans and strategy. Province 1, Province 2,Province 3, Gandaki Province, Province 5, Karnali Province and Province 7 started their advocacy campaign respectively; 16th July, 22nd July, 5th August, 22nd July, 18th July, 21st July and 23rd July which prolong for five days as per its activities.

According to report and data provided from province office of NFDN there were around 1400 participations. Initially there was established ten advocacy activist group and planning and strategy making of all programs. The orientation program was organized to empower, sanitize and aware regarding issue of disability and its preparedness for campaign. The second event was Press Conference where local and national press representatives were called for participation and media coverage from disability perspectives. The main event of campaign was conducted massive advocacy rally with involvement from DPOs, various categories of disabilities, CSO, concern stakeholders of government of Nepal and local I/NGOs. The last and important event was handover concern letter to the government stakeholders; Province chief minister, various ministries, departments as well as including various public offices. With the leadership of federal focal persons advocacy activists’ team presented their issues demands. Meanwhile, concern stakeholders provided commitments for way forward implementation on laws, policies, plans and programs.

Picture Caption: Advocacy Rally Organized on Province 3

There was positive responses and impact through this campaign. The campaign empowered persons with disabilities and DPOs to coordinate and cooperation newly elected provincial government and its sensitization and awareness toward the laws, policies and its implementation of Disability right act, CRPD, SDG along with the Constitution of Nepal. The National President of NFDN conveyed thank and regard to all persons with disabilities, DPOs, various I/NGOs and government stakeholders and press for dedication and diligence to make successfully complete this campaign. Meanwhile NFDN also continuously is conducting Federal level advocacy campaign with involvement of youth with disabilities activists. NFDN has preparing and discussing on overall campaign and its situation analysis. The campaign provides way forward for its further initiation and empowerment all persons with disabilities and its organizations in coming days.