SWC set to introduce new Code of Conduct for NGOs

Kathmandu Nov 6-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.

The Social Welfare Council has informed that the new Code of Conduct will be introduced within a week.

Member secretary of the SWC Sharad Sharma informed that major highlights of the new code of conduct are it makes mandatory to make the activities of all NGOs transparent and all NGOs should publicize their progress report and balance sheet Nepalnews reports .

As per the new Code of Conduct all national level NGOs’ should incorporate local NGOs as partner organization 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 it undermines the contribution of the NGOs for the development of the country.

Member Secretary Sharma however said 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 registered under the Social Welfare Council and 133 INGOs are also active in Nepal. However some unofficial data reports that there are nearly 30,000 NGOs working in Nepal.

“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.

Though critics say the latest move of the SWC is an attempt of the royal government to control the NGOs and compel them to follow a pro-government and nationalist agenda rather than pursuing impartial development goals, Sharma claimed that it was formed as per the direction of the 10th five-year plan (2002-07) and the Social Welfare (First Amendment) Ordinance 2005.

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

Meanwhile, Bhagbati Nepal, vice-chairperson of the NGO Federation of Nepal told Nepalnews that they could not accept the code of conduct, as the social welfare council does not have authority for forming such code of conduct to NGOs.

She refuted the claim that it was formed to systematize the NGOs saying existing laws of the country are sufficient for making the activities of the NGOs transparent, adding "NGOs can't be told to do what the government wants."

Earlier, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) had also expressed concerns over the government’s intention to introduce the Code of Conduct for NGOs under the amended Social Welfare Act saying it could be used to undermine the independence of the NGOs.