SWC set to introduce new Code of Conduct for NGOs

The Social Welfare Council (SWC) is all set to introduce the new Code of Conduct for all national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) despite their protests.

Officiails at the Social Welfare Council said the new Code of Conduct will be introduced within a week.

Talking to Nepalnews, member secretary of the SWC Sharad Sharma said the new code of conduct makes it mandatory for the NGOs to make their activities transparent and publicize their progress report and balance sheet.

As per the new Code of Conduct, all national level NGOs’ should incorporate local NGOs as partner organizations while conducting their activities in the local level. The new code of conduct restricts political activities within the organization.

The new code of conduct is facing criticism from all walks of life saying that it wants to copntrol the activities of the NGOs and undermine their contribution in the development of the country.

Member Secretary Sharma, however, claimed that the new code of conduct will increase the prestige of the NGOs and will help to make their activities more transparent.

There are 18,727 NGOs affiliated to the Social Welfare Council and 133 INGOs are also active in Nepal. Some unofficial data say there are as many as 30,000 NGOs working across the country.

“The new code of conduct was formed after extensive discussion with NGOs, United Nations’ agencies and the general people so there is nothing to panic about it as it is an attempt to systematize the NGOs working in the country,” Sharma added.

Critics say the latest move of the SWC is part of an attempt of the royal government to compel the NGOs to follow a pro-government and 'nationalist' agenda. Sharma, however, said the code of conduct was being formulated as per the direction of the 10th five-year plan (2002-07) and the Social Welfare (First Amendment) Ordinance 2005.

The government recently amended the Social Welfare Act 1992 empowering the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare to issue directives and supervise NGO activities instead of just 'extending support' to them.

Meanwhile, Bhagbati Nepal, vice-chairperson of the NGO Federation of Nepal -- an umbrella organisation of over 2,000 NGOs across the country-- told Nepalnews that they will not accept the code of conduct as the SWC did not have authority to formulate such code for the NGOs.

She refuted the claim that it was formed to systematize the NGOs. Existing laws of the country are sufficient for making the activities of the NGOs transparent and NGOs can't be told to do what the government wants, she said.

Only last month, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) expressed concerns over the government’s intention to introduce the Code of Conduct for NGOs under the amended Social Welfare Act saying that it could be used to undermine the independence of the NGOs. nepalnews.com pb Nov 06 05