Nepal

The transformation from a constitutional monarchy to a federal republic, from a Hindu kingdom to a secular state and from Maoist rebellion to a turbulent peace process has created a volatile situation in the world's youngest republic.

The Norwegian focus areas:

• Clean energy
• Deforestation
• The rights of women and sexual minorities
• Demobilization of soldiers

Several million people in Nepal have already been provided with access to clean energy through the Norwegian-supported Energy Sector Assistance Programme (ESAP). A new agreement on additional Norwegian support to the programme was signed in 2010. The agreement has a NOK 22.4 million budget and will contribute to providing an additional 10 000 households in Nepal with electricity from environmentally friendly micro-power plants.

ESAP is currently the largest Norwegian-supported energy project in Nepal. For more than ten years, ESAP has contributed to giving several million people access to clean energy from micro-power plants, solar panels and less polluting wood stoves.

More efficient and less polluting wood stoves have been installed in 400 000 households.Solar panels have been installed in more than 200 000 households.45 000 households have gained access to power from micro-power plants.

Before the additional agreement was signed, Norway had contributed almost NOK 150 million over several phases of ESAP

Women's empowerment is also a priority in the project:

Norway works for a more systematic integration of the gender perspective. Power from micro-power plants will make it easier for women to find income-producing work.

Also in the programme, bricklayers have learnt how to make better wood stoves, which are sold and put together at the market. In addition, subsidies for solar panel systems and micro-power plants are available for households and villages.

The rights of sexual minorities

The organisation Blue Diamond Society (BDS) has carried out groundbreaking work for sexual minorities in Nepal. In 2007, a Supreme Court ruling stated that transsexuals have the right to define themselves as a third gender. Norway has supported this work for several years, and has also provided grants enabling BDS to buy their own office premises.

Deforestation

The local people in the Dolakha district in Himalaya have many reasons to be proud of the green, lush forests in their area. They get paid for protecting the forests. The villages in these districts, close to the capital Kathmandu, have had well-functioning locally managed forests for a number of years. The forests below the towering and snow-covered mountain Gauri Shankar are examples of successful protection. However, these forests also provide the local people with valuable natural resources, for instance, wood and grass. The people in the area now receive USD 45 535 for their work to reduce the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. The support to the Charnawati watershed in the Dolakha district is part of the REDD pilot project in Nepal, where Norway has contributed with a 100 000 dollar grant.

Child clubs

Norway supports child clubs in Nepal through UNICEF and Save the Children. Since 2004 the Norwegian Embassy has been the main contributor to the UNICEF programme Decentralized Action for Children and Women (DACAW). In the child clubs, young boys and girls work for children's rights. The clubs exist all across the country. Their efforts to hold local authorities and leaders responsible, especially in cases involving children and young people, have become very successful. A number of the child clubs are involved in combating child marriages. Some studies indicate that almost 34 per cent of all girls are married off in certain parts of the country. On 18 February 2010, the Kathmandu Post wrote about a child club that had managed to stop a forced marriage between a 13-year-old girl and a 25-year-old man. The girl, who was from the Bijauri village in the Dang district, had submitted a complaint to the child club, where she asked the club to take action in order to prevent her marriage. Her fellow students managed to stop it in the middle of the marriage ceremony. The club also notified the police and demanded that the marriage was declared void. Several human rights organisations in the area praised the child club for its work and urged local authorities to support the club's campaign against child marriages. Save the Children have reported that they managed to prevent 30 forced marriages involving children in 2010.

Violence against women

Through the Local Governance and Community Development Program (LGCDP) and the Decentralised Action for Women and Children (DACAW/UNICEF), Norway supports groups that have been trained to handle cases involving violence against women, harassment, rape and disputes over ownership of land. These groups take legal action when faced with serious incidents and criminal cases. This has contributed to reducing domestic violence in several villages.

Norwegian support to demobilisation of soldiers

Demobilisation and rehabilitation of former Maoist soldiers started in Nepal three years after the peace treaty was signed. Norway has supported the demobilisation of 3 000 former child soldiers and 1 000 other disqualified combatants from the UN-monitored camps. Everyone is offered individual follow-up, education and vocational training.

The former soldiers have lived in the UN-monitored camps since 2006. Leaving their fellow soldiers and the security in the camps provokes many emotions. Some are frustrated and disappointed and feel betrayed by the government and the Maoist party. Others are relieved that the time in the camps is over and that they can now start a new life. Some are looking forward to going back to their families while others fear retaliation from family and local community since they sided with the Maoist party during the conflict.

The demobilisation is an important step forward in the fragile peace process. Norway has actively supported the rehabilitation work, including by granting NOK 30 million to various UN developed rehabilitation packages.

"The political and financial support from Norway has been crucial for the success of this sensitive process", said Robert Piper, UN coordinator in Nepal.