KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 2
Global Shapers Kathmandu Hub (GSKH) hosted a landmark event – Nepal's Youth in Politics: Findings and Future Direction – on the 1st of December in Kathmandu. The event, an initiative of the 'Shaping Political Futures' project run by the Kathmandu Hub, was designed to inspire and connect a new generation of Nepali political leaders with one another, according to the press release issued by the GSKH.
During the event, the 'Shaping Political Futures' team unveiled study findings of a knowledge gap analysis that they conducted with young politicians from numerous political parties and ideologies. The team also launched, 'Politics Ma Paila', a political literacy program tailored to address gaps in our youth's current knowledge of the political landscape and increase their interest in national and local political affairs. With an engaging mix of a workshop, experience-sharing sessions and a fireside chat, the event brought together youth, politicians, and changemakers working in governance and politics to be more proactive in shaping Nepal's political future. It featured interactive sessions with young political leaders namely, Member of Parliament, Brinda Kathayat, Smriti Baral, Manoj Puri and Biraj Thapa. It garnered a wide audience from academia, practitioners, public servants and scholars.
The 'Shaping Political Futures' project aims to provide Nepali youth with the necessary zeal, knowledge and skills to participate more effectively in the political process of federal Nepal. The project strongly encourages enhancing women, marginalized community members and youth participation in the federal process of Nepal. In the initiative, the project team has collaborated with political leaders, academia and practitioners/experts to develop a program – 'Politics Ma Paila' – in which youth are provided with the knowledge and skills they need to participate effectively in the electoral process, both as voters and as future electoral candidates. This project has also been recognised with the prestigious Innovation Prize Award 2024 by the World Economic Forum, in collaboration with Accenture UK and Global Alliance for Youth, the press release further states.
As a part of the project team and disseminating the study findings of the knowledge gap analysis at the event, Samana Lawati, a minority and gender rights activist highlighted the importance of the findings – "Our research revealed significant gaps such as resource constraints, lack of mentorship opportunities, lack of awareness of laws and legal frameworks amongst numerous young politicians. In order to address this gap, the political literacy program – 'Politics Ma Paila' – has been designed to bridge these gaps and empower Nepal's youth to lead with confidence, integrity and accountability."
The Global Shapers Kathmandu Hub has long been at the forefront of youth empowerment in Nepal for over a decade, and this event is no exception. Shristi Vaidya, the Outgoing Curator of the Community, shared – "This is not just an event, it is a movement. By connecting youth with experienced leaders and providing them with essential tools, we are building a foundation for a more inclusive, stable and responsible political system in Nepal."
Global Shapers Kathmandu Hub, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, is a network of young leaders working to address local challenges and foster meaningful change in their respective communities.