Public policy dialogue on the needs of young people and the state of youth policy concluded
May 30, 2024
Policy Research Institute, Narayanhiti
A public policy dialogue was held at the Policy Research Institute on the state of the implementation of youth policies in Nepal and the policy measures needed to address the current needs, problems and opportunities of youth. Officials from the Ministry of Youth and Sports and other ministries, officials from the National Youth Council and various government bodies, representatives of youth-related NGOs, student representatives, and academics participated in the dialogue.
The event was presided over by Prof. Dr. Lekhnath Sharma, the newly appointed Executive Chairman of the Institute. The program started with Professor Sharma’s address and a brief presentation by the institute’s Research Fellow, Dr. Giriraj Sharma. The discussion that followed was moderated by Dr. Deepak Kumar Khadka, Senior Research Fellow at the Institute. Participants at the event shared their views and suggestions in regard to problems faced by Nepali youth, inadequacies in the state’s youth-focused programs, opportunities for the current youth demographic dividend, and urgent policy initiatives and interventions, among other topics.
At the conclusion of the dialogue programme, Executive Chairperson Prof. Sharma articulated the vital relationship between youth policy and education policy, and the ongoing efforts to reform education policies. He also underscored that the Policy Research Institution will make policy recommendations to the government based on the voice of the policy-targeted community and the factual evidence obtained from the study, thereby ensuring the relevance and impact of the dialogue’s outcomes.
The Policy Research Institute, reaffirming its commitment, will thoroughly review the current policy based on the overall findings of today’s dialogue and other qualitative studies, youth opinion surveys, and review of policy documents and programs. It will then prepare a comprehensive report that will not only provide feedback on a new youth policy being drafted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports but also serve as a roadmap for future policy actions.
Attendance
Invited guests
Khushraj Dahal (Information Officer, National Sports Council)
Dinesh Ghimire (Administrative Chief, National Youth Council)
Durga Kandel (Under-Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology)
Devi Prasad Upadhyaya (Under-Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology)
Nabin Gadtaula (Section Officer, Ministry of Law)
Basant Bahadur Bohara (Under-Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security)
Samjhana Sharma (Joint Secretary, Coordination Department, National Human Rights Commission)
Hari Prasad Adhikari (Under-Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports)
Jawaharlal Hamal (Division Chief, Youth and Sports Division, Ministry of Social Development, Karnali Province)
Pesal Kumar Pokharel (Officer, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Transport, Bagmati Province)
Ashish Pant (Student, Nepal Law Campus)
Astha Subedi (Vice President, YUWA)
Ichha KC (Central Member, National Federation of the Disabled Nepal)
Januka Rokka (Member, National Federation of the Disabled Nepal)
Narayan Datta Devkota (Section Officer, Youth and Small Entrepreneur Self-Employment Fund Secretariat)
Pradeep Kumar Joshi (Secretary General, We for Change)
Binita Karki (Head of Solutions Mapping, UNDP)
Bhabadatta Sapkota (Assistant Professor, Tribhuvan University)
Lal Sharan Chalaune (IT Officer, Radha Poudel Foundation)
Bishnu Dhungel (Senator, Tribhuvan University)
Shashi Sharma Majgain (President, National Federation of Youth NGO Nepal)
Saroj Baniya (President, Nepal Youth Council)
Sarthak Bhattarai (Member, YUWA)
Siddhi Binod Adhikari (Expert)
Policy Research Institute:
Prof. Dr. Lekhnath Sharma (Executive Chairperson)
Dr. Deepak Kumar Khadka (Senior Research Fellow)
Laxman Prasad Bhattarai (Office Manager)
Dr. Mukti Ram Rijal (Senior Research Fellow)
Dr. Khaga Nath Adhikari (Senior Research Fellow)
Dr. Giri Raj Sharma (Research Fellow)
Dr. Manita Kusi (Associate Research Fellow)
Rija Manandhar (Analyst)
Bimal Chandra Sharma (Library Management Coordinator)
Asmita Rijal (Intern)
Urmila Koju (Intern)
Jyoti Luintel (Intern)
Demij Maharjan (Intern)