People's Assembly against Hunger and Poverty - Nepal

Local leaders of political parties and members of national level civil society organizations also participated in the assembly. More than 2000 people participated in the programme, which kicked off with a mass rally in Mahendranagar, the district headquarters of Kanchanpur in Makali zone in the far western region of Nepal, an area prone to food scarcity.

A jury of three men and three women, including Dalit, bonded labour, landless and indigenous people was formed by the assembly to facilitate the debate and discussions. Marginalized people were identified to speak and raise their voice in the assembly. More than 100 marginalized people, particularly the poorest of the poor, spoke against poverty and strongly urged the government to fulfill their commitments and take immediate actions against poverty. Among the participants, 70 percent were women. Women are most vulnerable from poverty and hence they were encouraged to participate and speak about and against poverty.   

A Kamlari woman said "If our children are not human beings, kill them. They do not have food to eat, are suffering from misquotes. Government says the education is free, but school fees are imposed. Who is responsible for this"?  

Janga Bahadur, a local affected by government's conservation programme said "time and again we have been displaced from our place by the government-imposed conservation areas. Government use force such as army and elephant to evacuate us form our land. Our land has been the basis of our life, dignity, livelihoods and identity. I strongly warn government not to violate the livelihood rights of people and ensure rights to resources in order to eliminate poverty".  

A Dalit woman from Achham district said "government occasionally distribute food from Nepal Food Corporation district chapter and Dalit are given the food at the end of distribution even though we are in front in queue in a believe that Dalit will make the food impure. By the time when we reach to the door of store, the foods are finished. Such discrimination should be ended immediately".  

Dansing Raute, a representative of a group at the verge of extinction said "we are unemployed and vulnerable to hunger and illness. Limited amount of food (often are half stomach) is available for us to eat. I demand with the government to ensure employment, health, education and food sovereignty for all of us".  

Chandra Kala Sunar- a woman from marginalized group said "we are tenants and work for landlords. We face food deficit for more than 9 months even though we work for full year. We do not have land rights and also we do not have rights to the production that we produce from the land. We demand for rights to resources including land and other natural resources".  

The participants of the assembly raised their concerns that Nepal is in the process of making new constitution. The new constitution of Nepal should ensure the fundamental rights such as rights to food, health, education of indigenous, Dalits, women, poor, bonded labor, Halia, Kamlari, differently-able-people and excluded and minority groups. Civil society leaders and leaders of political parties supported the voices of the poor.