News

New partner of Nepal Research Group:

The Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium (SLRC) is a DFID funded group of organisations carrying out research on livelihoods, basic services and social protection in places affected by conflict. The Justice and Security Research Programme (JSRP), led by the London School of Economics, received a grant by DFID in the same funding round to research justice and security in conflict settings. Both consortia are currently in the inception year of a six year programme.
We would greatly appreciate it if you could spare 20 minutes or so to complete this survey on your experience of research in the fields of livelihoods, social protection and basic services, and justice and security in conflict settings.

Survey Link: Secure Livelihoods Research Consortium and The Justice and Security Research Programme: Stakeholder Survey.

This survey seeks to gather peoples’ views about the strengths and weaknesses of existing research in this area to inform the development of our research agendas.

February 2011

RCO together with TAAN Western Regional Chapter, Pokhara, HNRSC –KU and Nepal Tourism Board organized a national seminar on “Role of Tourism in Sustainable Peace and prosperity” on 20th February 2011. During the time, governmental officer, security personals, tourism entrepreneurs, civil society leaders, and local communities place their views on this regards.

On 19th January, 2011 COLARP organized a book launching and Press Release programme, where representatives of UN, universities, political parties, civil society, media, researchers, students, activists were present. Book titled "Land, Agriculture and Agrarian Transformation" published by COLARP under PAMS Project was launched by the then Finance Minister Mr Surendra Pandey. On the same programme Press Release of the PAMS Project was also conducted.

Mr. Basant Dawadi, ex. president of Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal, Western Regional Chapter who was also the coordinator of our PAMS tourism project in western Nepal, has received the Excellent Tourism Development award of Kaski district in Western Nepal. It is rewarded to him jointly by Prime Minister of Nepal and District Local Development Officer of Kaski in a recognition for his contribution to the development of community based rural tourism in Kaski in which PAMS tourism project titled ' Developing a community based tourism model in Kaski district in Western Nepal ' located in Machhpuchhre Model Trek area occupy as a core tourism development work on the partnership approach between practitioners and researchers of NCCR North-South.

January 2011

The NCCR North-South Regional Coordination Office of South Asia organized, together with the DSGZ and the Tata Institute of Social Science, a three-day workshop from 24th to 26th of January 2011 in Lonavala (Maharashtra) India. The 34 participants were PhD students from India, Nepal and Switzerland, leaders of the five research projects working in South Asia, the regional coordinators of South Asia, South East Asia and West Africa and two members of the Review Panel (Prof. N. Reddy, India and Prof. R. Jefferies U.K.). Unfortunately, our partners from Pakistan were not allowed to travel to India (with the exception of Dr. A. Suleri). The workshop was devoted in particular to mutual learning and exchange of ideas between the participants and the discussion of core research challenges (conceptual, theoretical, and methodological). The group went also to the ‘field’ and was warmly received by the village elites, but also experienced the hierarchies and exclusion processes of an Indian village. 

On 24th January 2011, a successful meeting of RAB was held in Lonavala, India.

December 2010

South Asia Coordination office is going to organize regional workshop from 24th to 26th January 2011 in Mumbai, India.

August 2010

Dr Bishnu Raj Upreti was invited by the President of Federal Republic of Nepal on
 11 August to brief on the peace process and political crisis of Nepal. At that meeting Dr Upreti also shared the work of NCCR North-South in Nepal and handed over the recently published book entitled "The Remake of A State: Post Conflict Challenges and State Building in Nepal" to the president Dr. Ram Baran Yadav.

July 2010

Dr. Bishnu Raj Upreti, RC, participated in the Face 2 Face event organized by Land Governance and Rural Advisory Services of, SDC Agriculture and Rural, Development Network at Cochabamba in 1st and 2nd week of July 2010. After ward he visited Central and South America Regional office of NCCR North-South. During his stay in Bolivia, Dr Upreti, met and discussed with various Bolivian politicians, parliamentary members, planners, ministers, researchers and activists. At the time of his stay in La Paz, Central and South America Regional office of NCCR North-South in Bolivia and CIDES-UMSA organized a conference where Dr. Upreti talked on “Current Challenges in Nepal” and two reputed Professors form CIDES-UMSA commented.   
You can watch an interview of Dr. Upreti with following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l01S1qg_hE8 

 June 2010

RCO in association with Samata Foundation, Nepal; India-China Institute, New School University-New York; The Association of Nepal and Himalayan Studies, USA; Nepal Dalit Info Group, Canada; Canada Forum Nepal and International Dalit Solidarity Network (IDSN), Denmark organized three days International Conference on “Envisioning the New Nepal: Dynamics of Caste, Identity and Inclusion of Dalit” 20-22 June 2010 at Kathmandu.

HNRSC-KU, together with RCO, published a book “The Remake of a State: Post-conflict Challenges and State Building in Nepal” edited by Dr. Bishnu Raj Upreti, Dr. Sagar Raj Sharma, Prof. Dr. Kailash Nath Pyakuryal and Safal Ghimire.
The book was launched by Martin Stuerzinger, special Peace Advisor of Switzerland to Nepal and Prof. Dr. Suresh Raj Sharma, VC of Kathmandu University, on 24 June 2010.

HNRSC-KU selected two PhD students Rajya Laxmi Gurung under RP 6 on “The role of the private sector in peace promotion: An assessment of the benefits, limitations and determinants of corporate engagement in peace” and Nirmal Kumar B.K. under RP 2 on “Livelihood futures in resource-scare areas and the quest for inclusion of marginal group”.

HNRSC-KU, together with RCO, organized a one day workshop on “Envisioning Nepal for 2030” on 24th June 2010 at hotel Shangrila, Kathmandu. Researchers, academicians and  business personnel were present during that time.

Dr. Bishnu Raj Upreti, RC, gave talks to the senior officers of the Armed Police Force on "Challenges for Nepal’s peace process and managing political transition" on 25th June 2010 at Armed Police Force Headquarters at Halchowk, Kathmandu.

April 2010

Dr. Ganesh Gurung, one of the NCCR North-South Collaborators appointed as member of National Planning Commission by the Government of Nepal in April 2010. NCCR family heartily congratulates Dr Gurung for this prestigious position and best wishes for his success.

March 2010

5th NCCR North-South week took place in Aeschi, Switzerland from 8-12 March 2010.  Head of IPs, Regional Coordinators, and senior researchers participated in the Week and finalized planning of the 10th year.

South Asia Coordination Office published a book titled "Livelihood Insecurity and Social Conflict in Nepal" edited by Dr. Bishnu Raj Upreti and Prof. Ulrike Mueller-Boeker.

South Asia Coordination Office is organizing a “Regional Workshop” from 24-26 January 2010 in Kathmandu. WP 2 head, senior researchers form South Asia, Swiss Peace, Regional Coordinator will actively participant in the workshop. During the workshop, the researchers will focus on: finalization of Phase II research, research strategy for phase III, harmonization of RPs, planning of publication and constitution of RAB members.

Swiss Ambassador to Nepal His Excellency Mr. Thomas Gass inaugurated the Machhapuchhre Model Trek in Kaski district of Nepal on 10 December 2009. The Model Trek was supported by NCCR North-South under PAMS Project. On the same day Honorable State Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Mr. Satrudhan P. Singha and Dr. Bishnu Raj Upreti, RC of SAs handed over the infrastructure of Model Trek to Machhapuchhre Tourism Development Committee.
         
RCO together with Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) organized a National Conference on “Exploring of Machhapuchhre Model Trek route in Kaski district in Western Nepal” on 14th December 2009 at hotel Shangri La, Kathmandu.

Mr. Tulasi Sigdel has been selected as a new PhD student from SAs under the Landscape and Democracy Project jointly launched by RCO, HNRSC-KU, University of Toronto , University of Edinburgh and Forest Action.

RP - 2: Livelihood Futures in Resource-Scarce Areas – and the Quest for the Inclusion of Marginal Groups had an Inception workshop from 29-31 October 2009 at RCO office. During this the team developed a general conceptual and methodological basis for empirical research of the Research Project “Livelihoods and exclusion”

NCCR delegates Dr. Thomas Breu, coordinator of NCCR North-South and Ms. Dominique Simone Rychen visited JACS SAs RCO office from 25-31st October 2009. Series of meeting were being conducted with different partners of SAs during their visit.

August 24, 2009

Both SNSF as well as SDC have approved Phase 3 of the NCCR North-South. The full proposal, which is designed for a period of 4 years until June 30, 2013, and which includes an emphasis on the South, has thus been fully accepted.


August 17, 2009

The Prime Minister of Nepal, Madav Kumar Nepal, together with a high-level Swiss delegation (Ambassador Martin Dahinden, Director general of SDC; Ambassador Thomas Griminger, head of Political Division IV of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland) and national peace facilitators of Nepal’s peace process launched the book entitled ‘Peace Process and Federalism  in Nepal: Experiences, reflections and learning’ edited by Upreti, BR, Toepperwien, N and Heiniger, M (2009) and published by the South Asia Regional Coordination Office of NCCR North-South Kathmandu.


July 10, 2009

New publications by members of the Nepal Research Group are available. Please contact the authors for a copy.

Ghimire, S., Nahikian, A.(eds.) 2009. The Student Workshop Proceedings on Peace Building in Nepal.

Upreti, B.R., Sharma, S.R., Basnet, J. 2009. Nepalma Bhumi Rajaniti ra Dyonda.

Upreti, B.R. 2009. Nepal from war to peace: legacies of the past and hopes for the futures.

Pyakuryal, K.N., Nepali, P.N., Singh. S., Ghimire, S. (eds.) 2009. Proceeding of the national workshop on Land Issues in Changing Political Context.