Policies

Policy Consultation & Strengthening Initiative in Lumbini Province

About Sewa Foundation Nepal (SFN)

Sewa Foundation Nepal is a membership-based civil society organization operating in remote and under-served rural communities of Lumbini and Karnali provinces for over two decades. The organization specializes in community development, capacity building, and policy-level interventions to foster inclusive and participatory governance (sewafoundationnepal.org).

Overview of Policy Initiative

In collaboration with the Asia Foundation (TAF) and Foreign Commonwealth Development Cooperation (FCDO) SFN implemented a significant Policy consultation initiative in Lumbini Province. This effort focused on improving legislation by engaging stakeholders and building the capacity of Provincial Assembly members and parliamentary committees.

Objectives

Engage stakeholders through policy consultations and dialogue.
Conduct capacity‑building workshops for provincial lawmakers.
Facilitate pre-budget discussion and post‑budget tracking.
Support drafting of the Dalit Rights Act and legislation for Dalit communities.
Strengthen the Public Accounts Committee and other key parliamentary committees.
Organize the Policy Conclave (“निति मिमांसा लुम्बिनी प्रदेश”).

Context & Challenges

Although Lumbini Province enacted more than 70 bills, most were limited to service or government operation provisions.
Many of the province’s 87 assembly members—68 first-time legislators—lacked proper training in governance and lawmaking processes.
Legislation was often rushed and lacked consultation or empirical evidence.
Assembly committees, formed in March 2024, remain underutilized despite their critical role in legislative scrutiny and post-legislative monitoring.

Major Activities & Progress

With TAF’s support, SFN facilitated the following through the Collaborative Governance Programme (CGP):

Reviews and consultation on the Industrial Business Promotion Bill and Economic Operations & Financial Responsibility Bill.
Strengthening parliamentary committees: Infrastructure, Social Development, Public Accounts, and Economic Affairs.
Facilitated drafting of the Dalit Rights Act, including stakeholder consultations and legislative oversight.
Organized policy dialogues, Policy Conclave preparation, and monitoring of financial irregularities.
Enhanced SFN’s internal policy frameworks.

This pilot phase (August–November) built trust with provincial leadership and now has ongoing endorsement from assembly members, including the Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

Key Learnings & Outcomes

Social Development Committee

Developed a comprehensive Dalit Rights Act with inclusive consultations, especially representing Madheshi Dalits.
Created concept documents and engaged widely with stakeholders, securing legislative buy-in.

Infrastructure Committee

Empowered the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to reduce financial irregularities in infrastructure projects.
Emphasized tailored design, technical knowledge, women- and child-inclusive planning, and alignment with economic development goals.

Economic, Industry & Tourism Committee

Held stakeholder consultations in Nepalgunj and Butwal, gathering feedback from the private sector and NGOs.
Incorporated around 33% of community suggestions into the revised Industrial Business Bill.
Prioritized directive drafting for post-legislative implementation, including industrial zones, CSR, startup procedures, and registration frameworks.

Policy Conclave

Introduced a hybrid model combining academia (e.g. Lumbini Technological University), government, think tanks Institute for International Development (IID), and private sector.
Engaged development partners such as TAF, FCDO, and PEF/IIDEA to support the policy festival’s agenda.

Looking Ahead

Strengthening evidence-based, inclusive policy-making processes in Lumbini Province.
Amplifying marginalized voices (women, youth, Dalit, and Tharu communities) in provincial legislation.
Institutionalizing committee-level scrutiny, promoting legislative accountability, and building governance capacity at provincial levels.
Facilitate policy discussions “ Youth Voice and Policy Dialogue for Gen Z Economic Empowerment (YVPD–GenZ)”

This initiative offers a replaceable model to reinforce democratic participation and policy quality across Nepal’s provinces.

Sewa Foundation Legal Document

GESI and Child safeguard policy Sewa Foundation Nepal

Sewa’s Admin & Finance Policy amendment 2077