English - Support to Participatory Constitution Building in Nepal ...

Conceptual frameworkmulti-millions to attend international delegations. Most of them are oftenfocused on political balance, family satisfaction, getting internationalexposure and earning money. The same ones who had indeed developedsuch rules do not respect them.It is reported by media that some of the well-known women right activistshave married with the men already having first wife. It is a good exampleof duality to see that the women rights activists as the second wife isdemanding women rights, who never think the rights of first wife theirhusbands have. Likewise, frequent report on the newspaper can be seenthat several child right activists have kept children at their homes ashelpers or servants. It is despite the fact that children cannot be used asservants or helpers according to the human rights principles and law ofthis country.Civil society is a buzz word in Nepal. But it is blurred because of itscontextual, selective and contested operationalisation. Often, this termis very vaguely used to denote voluntary and non-profit-making socialactors and organisations engaged in achieving certain objectives (Capariniand Cole 2008). It is being a contested normative framework, its activitiesare not only contested but also questioned because of the duality inrhetoric and reality. Some people claim themselves as representativeof people, pretending to be neutral. They vehemently criticise politicalparties, donors and INGOs (international non-governmental organisation)in public. Later, this criticism is used as means of appointments or otherpolitical benefits and funding from donors. It is widely held belief thatbeing civil society leaders is the easiest way of gaining benefits (positions,recognition, international exposure, money and privileges). Many civilsociety leaders who criticise political parties or donors in public are inthe close circle of parties and donors and getting undue benefits. Mostof them have received direct or indirect benefits from donors in termsof allowance, dinners, international visits and consultancies (analysts,advisors, resource person etc.).Often religious leaders claim that they are neutral, apolitical and workingfor the welfare of people. They further claim that their aim is to promoteharmony, mutual respect and societal wellbeing. In contrary, they areeither overtly or covertly supporting one ideology/political interest oropposing another. Similar contradictions can be observed in internationalcommunity (who ask transparency and accountability to government andother clients but they themselves are not transparent, do not respectingParis Declaration of Aid Effectiveness or Acra Plan of Action).42