Rule of law and Good Governance is not only limited to a principle, but also the concern from an Individual to question and Government’s accountability and transparency towards the citizens of the nation. CWAD organized this meeting and discussion with the Civil Society Organization (CSOs) and Media on 17th February 2021. The objective of this meeting was to spread awareness regarding the importance of rule of law and good governance in the nation and how and from which part of the constitution can make the government accountable and transparent. Similarly, the collective role of Media and CSO’s on advocacy to maintain rule of law and good governance. There was altogether 29 participation where 6 male and 23 females participated including media personalities and representatives from various like-minded civil society organization.
CWAD chairperson Dr Anita Shrestha welcomed all the representatives from CSOs and Media persons by overviewing the CWAD initiatives for the policy advocacy for the protection and promotion of women human rights, children, and marginalized groups from national level to local level. She stressed that everyone must have the feelings to maintain rule of law and good governance in their own life then only we can actively involve in the advocacy to make government transparent and accountable towards the citizens.
Prof. Dr. Shashi Adhikary presented the paper, to clarify the participants about Rule of Law and Good Governance along with government transparency and accountability. During her presentation she overviewed the history of rule of law mentioned in the constitution of Nepal, basic principle of rule of law and its definition to give clarity to the participation. Likewise, she said that government should be transparent, accountable, equitable and inclusive, responsive, consensus oriented, follows rule of law. After she entered to government responsibility to maintain good governance in the nation, she tried to aware and realize Civil Society Organization (CSOs) and Media mentioning that both has their role to create awareness on anticorruption and violation of law, promote good governance by monitoring the state exercise of power, civic engagement in policy making process, force government to be transparent and accountable, etc.
Through her presentation, she clarified that good governance can be established only if the important issues determined by the constitution and laws of Nepal are implemented in practice. Therefore, it is very urgent CSOs and Media join for raising the voice against every wrong exercise doing by government as a champion of change.
The participates of CSOs and Media during the interaction session realizing through this discussion program that both civil society organizations and media need to increase their role as well as work collectively to strengthen the civic voice for policy formulation and make government transparent and accountable towards their citizens.
Chairperson Dr. Anita Shrestha closed the program with her remarkable note that rule of law and good governance plays an important role to systematized three important (Legislative, Executive and Judicial) body of the nation. And these bodies to be accountable and transparent toward the citizens. Therefore, from the collective effort of Media and CSOs can aware government to be more transparency and accountability by maintain rule of law and good governance in the nation.
