Strengthening Local Governance: Reviewing PLGSP's progress through the Lens of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion
The PLGSP Madhesh organized an interaction and review workshop on “Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI): Achievements, Opportunities, and Challenges” with the aim of strengthen inclusive governance. The event reached 97 participants (including 57 women), representing provincial ministries, the provincial assembly, judicial bodies, and civil society.
97 Participants
*Calculated as 97 total participants minus 57 women; this does not specify the gender of the remaining participants.
Shared Commitment: Who Joined the Workshop?
The workshop brought together a highly diverse and influential group of leaders, including:
Provincial Leadership
Honorable Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav, cabinet ministers, and women members of the Provincial Assembly.Government & Judicial Officials
The Member of the Province Public Service Commission, the Attorney General, Secretaries of Provincial Ministries, and women Under-Secretaries working in ministries.Technical Experts
GESI Focal Persons from provincial ministries and commissions, alongside development partners working on GESI.Community Voices
Community Voices: Youth representatives, civil society leaders, and media professionals.
Event Highlights: Progress, Good Practices, and Strategic Priorities
Participants reviewed GESI mainstreaming efforts of PLGSP from the past two fiscal years, analyzing institutional and policy bottlenecks. Progress on efforts on Legal framework, policy development, Gender-Responsive Budgeting (GRB), GESI audits, women’s leadership, and institutional mechanisms was also presented and discussed.
Good Practices Discussed
The forum highlighted several successful, landmark initiatives in Madhesh Province:
Inclusive Public Service
50% of reserved seats in provincial civil and police services are now allocated to women within each inclusive category.Inclusion within Inclusion
Specialized frameworks are now in place to protect and uplift the most marginalized groups of women.Dalit Empowerment Act, 2077
This vital legislation actively monitors and prevents caste-based discrimination and untouchability.Targeted Support
Active implementation of the Daughter Education Insurance scheme and technical scholarships for Dalit students.
The Way Forward: Contributing to PLGSP's Goals
To transition these discussions into concrete action, participants identified key priorities for the upcoming planning cycle:
Fully institutionalize gender-responsive budgeting across all government tiers.
Build robust GESI-disaggregated data systems for evidence-based planning, while empowering local GESI Focal Persons.
Boost coordination between provincial ministries, commissions, and local governments.
By turning these commitments into action, this workshop directly advances PLGSP’s core goal of building inclusive, accountable, and highly responsive local governance systems that leave no one behind in Madhesh Province.
