Challenges and Opportunities of Federalism in Nepal

The National Peace Campaign organized a three days' seminar on "Challenges and Opportunities of Federalism in Nepal" in Pokhara from 19 to 21 March, 2007. The interactive seminar was aimed at analyzing the prospects and probable consequences of replacing Nepal's unitary state structure by federal state structure. Nepal's senior political leaders of different major political parties namely, Nepali Congress, Nepali Congress (Democratic), Communist Party of Nepal (UML), Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi), Rashtriya Prajatantra Party, Janamorcha Nepal and Communist Party of Nepal (United) participated in the seminar.

During the seminar, Nepal's well-known academicians and experts presented their analytical papers on prospects and challenges of Federalism in Nepal. Prof. Dilli Ram Dahal, Dr. Shankar Sharma, Bal Krishna Mabuhang, Prof. Pitambar Sharma and Prof. Krishna Khanal presented papers from socio-cultural, economic, demographic, geographical and political perspectives respectively.

Presentation of each paper was followed by in-depth interaction between the experts and participants and also among the participants themselves. During the seminar, the senior political leaders of Nepal's major political parties discussed on various aspects of federalism and the experiences gained in other parts of the world. The discussions and interactions were focused on possible challenges to restructuring Nepal's unitary state structure and the opportunities which the federal system could create for Nepal and her people.