Engaging with the Constituent Assembly on Constitutional Development

Project activities were completed February 2012. During the FY 2011/12 reporting period the project: -Improved the ability of 1877 local lawyers and judges from 50 districts (out of 75 districts) through training on writ jurisdiction to implement the amended Administration of Justice Act of March 2011 granting authority to Appellate Courts to issue specified writs including certiorari and to District Courts to grant writs of habeas corpus and injunction. The decision was influenced by the Nepali Bar Association’s position paper supported by the project submitted in June 2010. -Increased access by all 601 Constituent Assembly members to a broad range of international and domestic expertise through workshops on transitional justice systems and human rights distribution of “Implementing Constitutional Equality Training Kit ” and sharing of the “Position Paper on Human Rights.” -Enhanced public capacity to make their views known by engaging Constituent Assembly members from each of the three major parties 5183 legal professionals and the local population from 71 of Nepal’s 75 districts in constitution dialogues. -Improved consultation skills of 191 Nepali Bar Association members to interact with CA members through the Contentious Issues Workshop. -Increased the understanding of Constituent Assembly members of the challenges for women’s rights and the new constitution by bringing together 308 legal professionals from the Nepali Bar Association’s Women’s Wings the National Human Rights Commission the National Women Commission and journalists.