Child Friendly Local Governance

by
Somlal Subedi
Joint Secretary
Ministry of Local Development
Nepal
(Presented at the High Level Meeting on Cooperation for Child Rights in the Asia Pacific Region
Beijing, China
November 4-6, 2010)

Presentation Structure
1. What is Child Friendly Local Governance
2. Experiences and Achievements
3. Best Practices and lessons learned
4. Challenges still faced
5. Country views on
the potential benefits from, and opportunities for, greater
South-South cooperation to advance child rights; and
how they are placed to contribute to this cooperation

1. What is Child Friendly Local Governance

A strategic frame that
Provides overall guidance to the government in
realizing and mainstreaming the rights of
children (Survival, Development, Protection and
Participation) into the local government
system, structure, policies and process
It facilitates and coordinates the realization of child
rights at and between national and sub-national level

Expected outputs from Child Friendly Local Governance

Building on south-south learning from Philippines, where the

CFLG outputs are called the gifts for children:
Preparation, analysis and publication of child profile at
local level
Local development plan for children
Local investment plan for children
Preparation and publication of state of children report
Defining minimum indicators on survival, development,
protection and participation in coordination with all the
line agencies and central government offices
Meaningful participation of children in the entire process

2. Experiences and Achievements

a) Policy level
b) Budgetary provision

c) Local Level

a) Policy Level
Child Friendly Local Governance (CFLG) reflected in the GONs
Three Year Interim Plan
CFLG included the National Program on Decentralization, Local
Governance and Community Development Program (LGCDP), a
multi-stakeholder (pre-SWAp) governance programme between
Government of Nepal and 13 Development Partners.

b) Budgetary Provision
Mandatory provision of 10% for women, 10% for
children and 15% for CFLG initiative specified in the
VDC and DDC block grant guidelines endorsed by the
Cabinet
CFLG National framework includes a provision for
15% of the overall local body resources to be
allocated for CFLG initiatives

c) Local Level

CFLG implemented to date in 11 of Nepals 75 Districts

Example: Biratnagar Municipality
A partnership with the Biratnagar child club (which involves
some 2,100 working children - 852 boys and 1,295 girls)
ensured their voices were reflected in key local level policy
documents and programme interventions
Municipal authorities have committed NRs 233 million (US$
3.1 million) for CFLG initiatives over the next five years

3. Best Practices and lessons learned

SouthSouth cooperation originally with Philippines and recently with Brazil - has
inspired relevant actors and built confidence that change is achievable
Important to ensure a clear policy environment - adopting the national framework
within government planning and later tools such as minimum indicators, national
guidelines
MLD role has been strategic as it has the mandate to develop policy guidelines for
local bodies and facilitate implementation at the local level - partnership with local
bodies who are responsible for the delivery of basic services and coordination at
the lowest unit of governance has been strategically important to the success of
CFLG
The special partnership with Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare has
been essential

3. Best Practices and Lessons learned

CFLG has facilitated enhanced coordination and collaboration among
sectoral line agencies, local body associations, civil society
organizations and development partners on child-rights issues
Individual commitment and ownership by decision makers within
MLD, strategic support from UNICEF and engagement of child rights
organizations
The value of participation of children and young people in the entire
process has become appreciated by both local authorities and
national level

4. Ongoing Challenges
More systematic incorporation of CFLG and child rights as part
of responsive, good governance; localizing services and
financial resources
Ownership and mainstreaming of child rights issues within
sectoral programs at national and local level
Linking the demand side of local needs for basic services for
children and the supply side
The demand side needs strengthening in terms of parental
awareness of child rights, especially in disadvantaged
communities
Strengthening capacity of local bodies
Developing effective , participatory monitoring tools
Evolving context - role of local government under federalism

5. Country views
Opportunities for greater South-South cooperation to advance
child rights
Other countries may wish to adopt CFLG approach; Nepal is
looking to learning about participatory assessment and
monitoring tools
How is the GON placed to contribute to this cooperation
Sharing experiences about how Nepal has influenced polices
and budget allocations and mainstreamed child rights into local
planning processes