KATHMANDU, Aug 30: Nepal Bar Association and NGO Federation along with the civil society representatives have called for amendment in the draft of a new bill prepared by the government to regulate and supervise Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
At a discussion program jointly organized by the Nepal Bar Association and the NGO Federation in the capital on Friday, speakers emphasized the need to make revisions in the draft bill arguing it would breach the rights and shrink the spaces of civil society organizations.
It may be noted that the government has recently made public a draft bill, 2082 outlined to consolidate laws related to the registration, regulation, and management of organizations by integrating the National Directive Act, 2018, Organization Act, 2034, and Social Welfare Act, 2049.
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On the occasion, NGO Federation President Arjun Bhattarai demanded rewriting of the draft bill by mending flaws to ensure democratic values, constitutional rights, civil liberties, and meaningful participation of stakeholders.
'Soliciting inputs and recommendations to fulfill only the formality for the purpose of Clause 6 (2) of the Legislative Act, 2081 without consulting relevant stakeholders undermines civil society,' he said.
General Secretary of the NGO Federation, Devi Khadka said the draft underestimates the spirit of civil society by limiting its scope.
Senior advocate Tikaram Bhattarai also mentioned that the draft bill is more about control than regulation, and discourages social workers who want to engage social and NGO sectors in Nepal.
He stressed that the draft should be passed only after comprehensive reforms and the removal of control-oriented provisions.
Similarly, advocate and theme expert Sanjeeb Ghimire stated that the draft legislation has based organization registration and regulation excessively on administrative and discretionary powers, and proposed legal frameworks that cannot promote civil rights.
“The classification based on the geographical working area of the organization, resources, and the nature of work is fundamentally a violation of rights and impractical,” Ghimire said.
