"No Decision About My Future Without My Participation" Youth Initiative, in collaboration with the Nepal Voters' Rights Forum - NVRF, organized a 'Multistakeholder Intergenerational and Intersectional Dialogue' on Out-of-District Voting (ODV) and Out-of-Country Voting (OCV) in Kathmandu, bringing together over 100 participants, including political leaders, civil society representatives, women, LGBTIQ individuals, and youth from diverse backgrounds. The event was welcomed by Yogesh Kaphle, President of Youth Initiative. The dialogue explored the possibilities, challenges, and future pathways for inclusive electoral participation in Nepal. Discussions were enriched by a detailed, fact-based presentation by Sama Joshi, which significantly strengthened evidence-based advocacy on ODV and OCV. We were honored to have Mr. Murari Kharel from NHRC as the keynote speaker and received invaluable insights from panelists: Honorable Madan Kumari Shah (Garima), Member of the National Assembly; Mr. Yogesh Bhattarai, Deputy General Secretary of CPN-UML; Ms. Sumana Shrestha, Former Minister for Education, Science, and Technology; Mr. Kiran Thapa, Deputy General Secretary of the NGO Federation of Nepal; and Ms. Monika Niraula, Youth Gen Z Representative. The dialogue was skillfully moderated by Mr. Kiran Adhikari from Nepal Television. Key takeaways were shared by Paban Gautam, Former President of Youth Initiative, and the event concluded with remarks from Bhakta Bishwokarma, which reinforced the importance of continued advocacy, political commitment, and early preparation to make elections truly inclusive and participatory.
