New Law to Check Transparency in NGO Activities

September 22, 2017

The Government of Nepal is coming up with a new law to address transparency issues in the activities of Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs).

In this regard, a draft prepared based on the recommendations from all the related stakeholders including NGOs and International NGOs (INGOs), was already sent to the Ministry of Finance for approval, informed Toyam Raya, the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare.

“The draft would be finalized after incorporating suggestions from the Ministry of Law and the Ministry of Finance. The draft would be sent to the Cabinet for approval before sending it to the Parliament for discussion,” Raya said.

Raya further informed that the draft legislation requires NGOs and INGOs to keep their transactions transparent and also ensure that their activities are reaching out to the targeted.

The proposed law also imposes fine or cancels the registration of any NGO that is found violating the land-related law.

Out of the total 46,200 NGOs registered under the Social Welfare Council (SWC), only 10,000 remain operational.

Only these 10,000 NGOs were submitting their annual reports, says SWC Member Secretary Dilli Bhatta and others violated the rules of submitting annual reports on income and expenditure, failed to have audits on time.

SWC Nepal, which was set up 40 years ago, is organizing the 38^th Social Service Day on September 26, 2017.