The Election Commission, Nepal has recently endorsed three policies: Gender and Inclusion Policy, Human Resources Policy and Social Media Policy.
The gender and inclusion policy emphasizes the Commission’s commitment to ensure gender inclusion in its organizational structure and all phases of the electoral cycle, which is as envisioned by the Constitution of Nepal. The policy was made in an inclusive manner and is informed not only by global good practises, but also by interactions with various stakeholders, including 14 political parties and 7 different independent constitutional commissions. The Election Commission puts gender and inclusion at the heart of its work. In the recent celebrations to mark the International Women’s Day, the Commission produced a special message from the Election Commissioner Dr. Janaki Tuladhar for the people of Nepal, which was made available on ECN’s Facebook page here.
The commitment to an inclusive work environment is also echoed in another policy that the Commission has recently endorsed – the human resources policy. This policy document seeks to ensure professional development of the ECN staff and officials in order to contribute to credible elections. It encompasses information on staff capacity enhancement, focuses on enhancing their skills and knowledge in all phases of the electoral cycle, and informs the Commission on the best way to use the strength of its human resource to ultimately contribute to democracy and good governance in the country.
Likewise, and in keeping abreast with the changing times, a third policy document that the Commission has endorsed is the Social Media Policy. This document guides the Commission on ways it can enhance its digital presence and ensure outreach to the citizens of the country. It lays out the ways in which the Commission can use social media to promote electoral and civic education.
The Electoral Support Project is UNDP’s technical assistance initiative which focuses on a long-term institutional and professional capacity development of the Election Commission for conducting credible, inclusive and transparent elections.