Puolueiden Kansainvälinen Demokratiayhteistyö Demo ry - DEMO Finland

Joint Youth and Student’s Platform practising leadership in co-operation with UNDP

12.01.2012

Lassi Härmälä

UN's development program UNDP organised a three day training for the leaders of the Joint Youth and Student's platform in co-operation with Demo Finland. The training, that took place in mid-December, aimed at developing leadership skills, that value co-operation, fair and equal governance, discussion and justice as tools for good management.

"Democracy must be based on open discussion, especially in Nepal's after conflict context. In this situation, we can't take a step forward without understanding each other", said Dinesh Prasain, one of the facilitators. One key goal of the training, is to fade the culture of confrontations by promoting open and equal communication.

"Us all, we have a strong background, which has shaped us resilient and strict towards our opinions and values. During the first day, I thought this training was a waste of time, but towards the end we understood that it's easier to achieve shared goals by co-operation", stated Mahesh Basnet, chairman of the youth front of the Communist Party of Nepal – UML.

"The lack of decision making that is based on common agreement, is a real challenge for democratic governance in Nepal. This has also led to chronic political unstability, since schism in and among the parties have resulted in approximately a new cabinet every year after 1990", explained UNDP's Laura McGrew.

The five year project was launched simultaneously in Nepal and Kenya. It aims to bulid social cohesion and co-operation on all level of the political system and pays special attention to political minorities such as women and the youth. UNDP gave support to Joint Youth and Student's platform for the first time on the International Day of Democracy in September. Later, UNDP put forward a proposition for the leadership training. "I hope that we will be able to continue co-operation with UNDP, Joint Youth and Student's Platform and Demo Finland also in the forthcoming years", said a member of the youth league of the Unified CPN – Maoist party, Pushpa Gharti. "Offering this training at the local level could enhance the youth co-operation and its goals".