Collective Campaign for Peace (COCAP) organize a workshop in collaboration with Eastern Research Institute of Positive Science (ERIPS) on 25-26 September 2019 in Hetauda to review the major strengths learning as well as craft the new vision and strategy in changed context. The workshop also focused on review the NGOs and Nepalese civil society’s contribution for democracy strengthen, sustainable development goal as well as economic and social development process. The workshop tried to redefine the new roles and advocacy strategy for NGOs and civil society. Total 28 participants representing various organizations have been participated on the workshop. The workshop was designed and facilitated based on “Appreciative Inquiry and Strengths Based Approaches”.
COCAP is a national network of 43 peace and human rights non-governmental organizations from 29 different districts of Nepal. It started as a loose, informal forum in June 2001 and was registered with the government of Nepal as a non-profit, non-political network in December 2002. It aims to provide a common space for its members, volunteers and friends to collectively engage in the pursuit for peace, human rights and justice in Nepal. It organizes national/regional level campaigns and conferences on the issues of peace and human rights in coordination with its member organizations and other like-minded organizations. COCAP has a large number of volunteers who actively involve themselves in the various aspects of its works. The vision of COCAP is to envision a peaceful Nepal that is socially just, democratic and inclusive.
In the changed context the relevancy of civil society movement has been increased day after day in Nepal. It is a social and political movement which aims, with the participation of citizens and social organizations at building the human society where everyone can feel the dignified and secured. Civil society refers to the space for collective action around shared interests, purposes and values, generally distinct from government and commercial for-profit actors.
In Nepal, since the democracy and federalism are in infancy, the civil society has been acting as watch dog for human rights and good governance. In this changed context, the civil society new roles have been emerged to watch and evaluate the performance of 761 governments and their machinery from local to federal level. Civil societies also need to evaluate the performance of the business as well as philanthropic organizations. In this regards, the role and responsibilities of the civil societies have been amplified.
