09 April 2008

Kathmandu, Nepal: As voters in Nepal prepare to cast their ballots in the 10 April Constituent Assembly election, teams of UNV volunteers are helping local authorities make preparations across the country.

The UNV volunteers are supporting the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), a special political mission established by the UN Security Council in January 2007 to support the peace process in Nepal and help to create a free and fair atmosphere for the Constituent Assembly election.

Nepal's decade-long internal war ended in April 2006 with an agreement to hold an election for the Constituent Assembly and prepare a new constitution as a cornerstone of the peace process. UNMIN is providing technical assistance to Nepal’s Election Commission to monitor the ceasefire arrangements and the arms and armies of the State and the former insurgent Maoist army.

UNV volunteers provide essential support for the Mission's input to the peace process. Over 140 international and national UNV volunteer Electoral Advisers and Assistants have been deployed in 68 districts. UNV electoral advisors are based throughout the country, from the high Himalayan mountains to some of the most politically charged areas of the southern plains. UNVs are also found in all components of the Mission.

"UNV volunteers, both international and national, have a very important role to play in assisting Nepal’s independent Election Commission. They are the UNMIN personnel closest to the community level in this country where over 80 per cent of the population lives in rural areas," said Fida Nasrallah, UNMIN's chief electoral adviser. "Their competence and professionalism, together with their hard work in the districts, helps to bring confidence in the electoral process."

Initially planned for June 2007, the election was postponed twice prior to 10 April. Many UNV volunteers returned home after the postponements and were redeployed in February and March 2008. "A credible election will make a vital contribution to Nepal’s peace process, and the role of UNV volunteers supporting Nepal's Election Commission officers in the districts is an important contribution towards this goal," said Nasrallah.

"We’re very proud of the role played by UNVs in UNMIN," said Stuart Moran, UNV programme director of the Mission. "UNVs working in the districts all over this highly diverse country also play a part in the global effort of the UN Volunteer organization to promote inclusion and partnerships at the community level."

UNV Executive Coordinator Ms Flavia Pansiera noted that volunteerism was contributing to the peace process in Nepal beyond the election. "Post-conflict reconstruction thrives on reconciliation and democratic representation. Volunteerism is an important way to promote this by actively engaging communities in elections and development processes," she said.

United Nations Volunteers is the United Nations focal point for promoting and harnessing volunteerism for effective development. UNV is dedicated to using Volunteerism for Development to make distinctive contributions to effective development.