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E D I T O R I A L

Nepal's preparation for WSSD

 
More than 130 countries supported by Global Capacity 21 in their capacity building for sustainable development are being engaged to prepare the country assessment report on the progress made on implementation of Agenda 21 after the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio in 1992. Nepal, being a party to the UNCED convention, is also busy in organizing dialogues with multiple stakeholders for country report preparation. Recently, a workshop has been successfully completed which helped His Majesty's Government in collecting and proceeding information and ideas from different sectors. Ministry of Population and Environment (MOPE) presented its preparatory actions for the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) scheduled for 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Sustainable Community Development Programme (SCDP) has been implemented in Nepal since 1996 as a joint effort of HMG and the United Nations Development Programme initially in three poverty stricken districts with worst watershed communities of Mid - and Far - Western Development Regions. The Programme supported the rural communities to think over and act upon their immediate and strategic needs. Community funds were generated and mobilised social mobilisation approach worked to assemble the communities to effectively plan and implement sustainable development activities. Socioeconomic development opportunities were created and institutional linkages developed that empowered the rural communities to fulfil their environmental needs too. The approach involved all in the development process enacting the passive service sectors and encouraging resources sharing at all levels. Viewing the achievements within less than three years, the Programme was expanded to three more districts of Far Western, Western and Eastern Regions to multiply the benefits in other disadvantaged communities.

The SCDP approach to sustainable development produced some good examples that contribute to policy making which were well discussed in the dialogues for preparation of Sustainable Development Agenda for Nepal (SDAN). The dialogues provided a considerable amount of inputs to MOPE and National Planning Commission opening its doors for all sector involvement, probably, for the first time. On the eve of preparation of 10th Plan, the SDAN task force began its job reviewing sector policies to avoid confrontational processes hindering the paths to sustainable development and institutional harmony. SDAN document thus will be helpful to consider the issues raised in all the events under SDAN/WSSD dialogues. HMG's efforts to make country report more comprehensive ensures a meaningful participation of Nepal WSSD for attracting additional resources for further capacity building exercises.