Kathmandu, June 12

Association of Youth Organisations Nepal and United Nations Development Program jointly organised a unique model of Youth Mock Parliament today.

The Youth Mock Parliament discussed key environmental issues in Nepal and globally through parliamentary model and procedures.

Speaking at the programme, former minister of environment Jaydev Joshi, Deputy Country Director of UNDP Nepal Sophie Kemkhad and President of AYON Himal Mahat expressed their views on the important role of young people in preserving the environment and achieving  sustainable development goals. Sima Lamichhane, Board member of AYON performed the responsibilities of Speaker of Youth Mock Parliament.

According to the organiser AYON, from the mock parliament Roshani Adhikari, member of Blind Youth Association was elected prime minister of the Youth Mock Parliament. Various elements of Parliamentary procedures such as Zero Hour, Urgent Proposal of Public Importance, among others, were discussed in the Youth Mock Parliament.

The participants included youths of environmental conversation, climate change issues, students of environment from different colleges, as well as other youths from diverse fields.

The mock parliament was organised to discuss and debate environmental issues through the parliamentary model, to promote understanding of youths with regard to parliamentary norms and decision making processes and to promote engagement of youths in raising environmental issues and solutions through parliament, as well as other local government platforms.

Similarly, the mock parliament was meant to promote constructive engagement of citizens in the decision making process at the local and national levels, and thereby promote more responsive policy and decision making that addressed the needs and rights of citizens.

Diverse youths including youths with disability, LGBTQ youths, and indigenous youths deliberated the pressing environmental challenges and recommendations.

A wide range of issues such as solutions to air pollution in Kathmandu and different parts of the country, environmental justice, global warming, climate change and its effects on Nepal, wildlife hospital, environmental degradation resulting from unmanaged development activities, agricultural productivity, emissions from old vehicles, existing policies and provisions on environmental protection and their strict enforcement, among others, were discussed.

Organisers said around 70 youths participated and undertook the responsibilities of parliamentarians, and youths elected from among themselves the prime minister, home minister, environment minister, health minister, minister of tourism, minister of local development, and women minister. There were both ruling party and opposition party inside the Youth Mock Parliament.