Nepal Democratic Forum to prioritise women candidates for local level elections

KATHMANDU: General Secretary of the newly formed Nepal Democratic Forum, Bharatendu Kumar Mallik, has claimed that his party has prioritised women candidates for the upcoming local level elections scheduled for May 14.

He also accused big political parties of mobilising civil servants for parties' promotional programmes by luring them with promotion in their job.

Mallik, the leader of the then Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum-Democratic, said so while receiving a memorandum from a delegation of various organisations demanding that the polls be used as an opportunity of youth leadership.

The Madhesi leader also said that female community health volunteers and community school teachers were more among those being used by the political parties for the promotional campaigns.

He further accused the big parties of politicising civil servants' trade unions.

The YOUthVoteNepal campaign, a joint initiative of various youth organisations launched to promote youths’ concerns in elections, had held a meeting with Mallik on Sunday.

The campaigners demanded that youth should be prioritised in candidacy during the upcoming polls. Likewise, they demanded a due prioritisation of youths’ issues including employment and self-employment and more budget allocation in youth-focused programmes in election manifestoes of the party.

The YOUthVoteNepal campaign was launched to carry out advocacy on youths’ agendas during the upcoming local elections. As many as 13 youth-led organisations are constituents of the campaign; including Yuwalaya, Achel Natya Samuha, Glocal Khabar, Sathi Sanga Manka Kura radio programme, We for Change, Yuwa, YAV Nepal, Sirjansil Samaj Nepal, Youth Initiative, Active Youth Society, Jagriti Child and Youth Concern Nepal and Dynamic Youth Forum.