Context
Historically an autocratic state governed by the Monarchy, democratic politics was only introduced in Nepal in 1991, but stability was fleeting and frequent changes of government followed.
In 1996, Maoist insurgency began waging a campaign against the monarchy. The ten year Maoist insurgency has left at least 13,000 dead and over 200,000 displaced.
In April 2006, following a popular uprising, King Gayanendra reinstated parliament and allowed opposition parties to form a new government.
A peace agreement was signed in November 2006, and Maoists agreed to hand in their weapons and place their troops in cantonments under UN supervision.
In exchange, they were allowed to join the interim government and new elections were called for November 2007 to elect a Constituent Assembly to draw up a new constitution.
Disagreements between the main political parties and the reluctance by the Maoists to face the polls have led to elections being postponed twice.
Elections are currently scheduled for April 2008, and if there is a further postponement the interim government will face a severe crisis of legitimacy and a monarchy-backed military coup or resumption of conflict cannot be ruled out.
Facts
- 40 percent of the Nepalese population of 26 million people live below the poverty line
- The percentage of the population living on less than $1 per day dropped from 34% in 1990 to 24% in 2005
- Nepal is likely or able to meet all the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, except universal primary education and preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS
- There was a notable increase in inequality between people living in urban and rural areas between 1996 and 2004
Working in partnership
We are working in partnership with a network of 2,500 community-based organisations, more than 50 Nepali radio stations and the BBC Nepali Service to produce
drama and discussion programmes to support the peace process and development of a new constitution in Nepal.
The initiative is designed to address the root causes of conflict and political instability in Nepal and to engage disadvantaged groups, such as Dalits, Madhesis and ethnic minorities in the peace and constitutional building process.
More
In 2002, we worked in partnership with Nepal's national trachoma control program (Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh), the Ministry of Health's District Education Offices, state broadcaster Radio Nepal, and a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to encourage better prevention and treatment of trachoma, an avoidable eye disease that can cause blindness.
Radio announcements, posters, playing cards, board games and street theatre were used to raise awareness and change behaviour.
The campaign reached 98% of adults. We successfully encouraged people to prevent infection by washing their eyes and faces, and to treat infection using antibiotics.