PODS by PEI

#Ep.087 Pankaj Saran is a former diplomat. He has served as India’s Ambassador to Russia and India’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh and as Head of the Northern Division in the Ministry of External Affairs dealing with Nepal and Bhutan. He has worked in different capacities with successive Indian Prime Ministers in the Prime Minister’s Office, contributing to decision-making at the highest levels in a diverse range of sectors, including foreign affairs and national security, Pankaj is presently Convenor of NatStrat, a Delhi-based independent Centre for Research on Strategic and Security Issues. He is a Member of the National Security Advisory Board and a Distinguished Fellow of the National Maritime Foundation.  Anurag and Pankaj explore the evolution of India’s foreign policy from the perspective of the former diplomat himself. They cover recent historical landmarks from the tectonic shifts in global geopolitics during the Cold War's end to India's strategic maneuvering amidst the complexities of the Indo-US nuclear deal to explore how each shaped India’s foreign policy. With a keen focus on India's contemporary aspirations on the global stage, they explore the significance of forums like BRICS and India's hosting of the G20 summit in shaping its foreign policy priorities. As Pankaj candidly shares his experiences, the conversation also uncovers unique insights into the high-stakes, high-octane lives of diplomats.  If you liked the episode, hear more from us through our free newsletter services, PEI Substack: Of Policies and Politics, and click here to support us on Patreon!!

#Ep.086 Mandakini is an international development consultant with more than 18 years of expertise in program design, development, and aid management in South Asia. She has managed complex regional programs in South Asia focused on sustainable development, with a strong understanding of governance systems, institutions, and political economy dynamics. In March of last year, she worked with The Asia Foundation to publish a report on how South Asian Civic Spaces are evolving.   Shuvangi and Mandakini begin with an overview of civic spaces in Nepal, India, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka, highlighting the challenges amidst evolving political landscapes and exploring how South Asian civic spaces adapt with innovation and resilience. They emphasize collaboration to address common challenges and strengthen civic spaces. They also delve into the role of donors in safeguarding civic spaces, offering recommendations for effective contributions and promoting sustainability. If you liked the episode, hear more from us through our free newsletter services, PEI Substack: Of Policies and Politics, and click here to support us on Patreon!!   

#Ep.085 Despite once being gripped by patriarchy, Nepali society has come a long way in terms of gender equality and equity, and gender policy efforts have played an undeniable role in reshaping the reality of women in Nepal. Today, women’s representation and participation is incentivized in different development sectors, including education, health, workforce, and politics.  However, the strides of progress are still enervated by inefficient implementation, which poses questions about the vitality of gender policies.   In this episode, guest host Yuki Poudyal sits with Sucheta Pyakurel to explore Nepal’s policy landscape with Gendered Lenses. They begin by elucidating the case for gender equality and its vital connection to responsive policies and budgeting in patriarchal societies like Nepal. Tracing Nepal's history of gender policies, Sucheta shares pivotal reforms that have significantly narrowed the gender gap while also critically examining the formal and informal hindrances. The two discuss crucial gender policy events and debates to extract observations on the efficiency of such policies and recommend changes. Originally aired on 12 December 2023, we have guest host Yuki Poudel’s conversation with Sucheta Pyakurel on Power and Parity: Charting Nepal’s Gender Policy Journey. Sucheta Pyakuryal is the Director of the Center for Governance at the Institute of Integrated Development Studies (IIDS). She teaches Gender in Politics/Policymaking for the Masters and PhD programs at Tribhuvan University and is a visiting faculty of Kathmandu University’s Masters in Public Policy and Management program. An alumna of the Regional Center for Strategic Studies of South Asia, her work focuses on the study of democratic development and good governance in the region.    Yuki is currently the co-founder of the Nepal Institute of Study Abroad and has experience working across a myriad of sectors, from non-profits to innovative start-ups as a consultant, strategist, and leader. She completed her Masters in Development Practices and International Business from Tufts University. If you liked the episode, hear more from us through our free newsletter services, ⁠⁠PEI Substack: Of Policies and Politics⁠⁠, and/or ⁠⁠click here⁠⁠ to support us on Patreon!!

#Ep.084 राजुप्रसाद चापागाई संवैधानिक तथा मानवअधिकार कानुनको क्षेत्रमा क्रियाशिल अधिवक्ता हुनुहुन्छ । वहाँ न्याय तथा अधिकार संस्था (जुरी नेपाल)को संस्थापक अध्यक्ष तथा संवैधानिक कानुन व्यवसायी मञ्चको पूर्व अध्यक्ष समेत हुनुहुन्छ । वहाँले राष्ट्रसंघीय मानवअधिकार उच्चायूक्तको कार्यालय नेपालको कानुनी सल्लाहकार तथा एम्नेस्टी इन्टरनेसनलको दक्षिण एसियाको अनुसन्धानकर्ताका रुपमा भूमिका खेल्नु भएको छ । साथै वहाँ सामाजिक न्याय, संक्रमणकालीन न्याय लक्षित नागरिक आन्दोलनमा आवद्ध हुनुहुन्छ। यसका अतिरिक्त वहाँले काठमाण्डौ स्कुल अफ् ल मा मानवअधिकार तथा लैंगिक न्याय सम्बन्धि कानुन अध्यापनको अनुभव संगाल्नु भएको छ । मानवअधिकार न्याय तथा मानवअधिकारको विषयका उहाँका दर्जनौं लेख तथा रचना राष्ट्रिय तथा अन्तराष्ट्रिय रुपमा प्रकाशित छन । If you liked the episode, hear more from us through our free newsletter services, PEI Substack: Of Policies and Politics, and click here to support us on Patreon!!   

Last month, in January, several stolen cultural heritage were returned to Nepal from the United States. Among them were sacred idols of the Hindu god Uma-Maheshwar that were stolen almost 50 years ago from Chyasal, Patan. They were identified recently in the storage facilities of the Brooklyn Museum, which began repariation, after the efforts of Newa Guthi New York.   Locals welcomed their Gods with heartfelt celebrations and a puja for forgiveness. The idols were taken around the city in chariots and, finally, re-instated in Chyasal hiti.   In recent years, Nepal has seen many such successful repatriation efforts. The trafficking of cultural heritage had once left local communities with immeasurable pain and loss.  So, In this re-broadcast, we bring my conversation with criminologist Dr Emiline Smith about cultural heritage trafficking in Nepal. Originally aired on 26 September 2022, in this episode, PEI's ⁠Khushi⁠ and Emiline delve into the obscure world of cultural heritage trafficking and its impact on communities, with a particular focus on Nepal. The two tap into Emiline’s expertise as a criminologist to understand the processes involved in the trafficking of cultural objects and its history and persistence in Nepal. They then discuss the repatriation of such objects and how restorative justice can be achieved in the process. ⁠Dr. Emiline Smith⁠ is a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Glasgow (Scotland). She is a Fellow of the Centre for Criminology at the University of Hong Kong and a member of the Trafficking Culture Research Consortium and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. In addition, she is an advisor to the Nepal Heritage Recovery Campaign and several other NGOs. She recently authored and published a trilingual storybook for children titled ‘Pema and the Stolen Statue from Dolpa’; for more information, see www.stolenstatues.com. If you liked the episode, hear more from us through our free newsletter services, ⁠PEI Substack: Of Policies and Politics⁠, and/or ⁠click here⁠ to support us on Patreon!!

#Ep.082 Laxman Datt Pant  is the chairperson of Media Action Nepal and an elected co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition-Consultative Network (MFC-CN). He is also an adjunct Professor of Media Ethics & Journalism at the Tbilisi State University  and the University of Georgia. He currently serves as the AMIC Country Representative for Nepal. Pant started his career as a journalist more than two decades ago and worked with numerous media institutions in different capacities ranging from a reporter to an editor.   PEI’s Hridesh and Laxman delve into analyzing the bill's provisions and how they may conflict with constitutional rights to free speech. They also explore how Nepal can better foster digital spaces as forums for civic expression and debate. If you liked the episode, hear more from us through our free newsletter services, PEI Substack: Of Policies and Politics, and click here to support us on Patreon!!   

#Ep.081 Bhupesh Adhikary is the Senior Air Quality Specialist at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Kathmandu. He is working on understanding the science and mitigation aspects of air pollution in the Hindukush Himalaya region using chemical transport models, in-situ, and satellite-based observations. He previously worked for the EvK2CNR Committee as their resident scientific coordinator. Bhupesh also worked at Kathmandu University as an assistant professor for several years, teaching graduate and undergraduate students.  Khushi and Bhupesh embark on a comprehensive exploration of the city's alarming air pollution problem. They tap into Bhupesh’s expertise as an atmospheric scientist to discuss the current sources of pollution, the seasonal intricacies affecting the atmosphere, and the city's unsettling ranking among the world's most polluted places. Bhupesh sheds light on health risks, socio-economic repercussions, and the vulnerability of specific urban populations. The episode further navigates the challenging policy landscape, scrutinizing state efforts, significant policy developments, and the persistent challenges hindering effective intervention. If you liked the episode, hear more from us through our free newsletter services, PEI Substack: Of Policies and Politics, and click here to support us on Patreon!!   

#Ep.080 Padma Sundar Joshi is the Vice President of Madan Bhandari University of Science and Technology. He has more than a decade of experience in. urban planning and environment. He has worked with the city office on projects like. the Municipal Infrastructure Improvement Project and the Kathmandu Valley mapping program. He has published books and a series of articles on urban development, including a recent publication titled The Hiti System: Past, Present, and Future.  Lasata and Padma discuss the intricate relationship between. water and urbanism in Kathmandu Valley, focusing on the traditional water management system known as Hiti Pranali. Covering historical backgrounds and the current challenges the valley faces, including water shortages and  climate change impacts,  they explore the potential of traditional systems like Hiti in addressing modern water management issues. The conversation extends to ongoing projects and challenges restoring the Hiti and other traditional water systems, emphasizing their significance as sustainable, nature-based solutions.  If you liked the episode, hear more from us through our free newsletter services, PEI Substack: Of Policies and Politics, and click here to support us on Patreon!!   

#Ep.079 आजको भागमा पी. ई. आई. का अनुराग आचार्य, पत्रकार हरी थापा सँग नेपालको शासकीय व्यवस्था, प्रणाली र अभ्यास बारे संवादमा बस्दै हुनुहुन्छ | यो एपिसोडमा उहाँहरु नेपालको बिगत पाँच दशकको शासन व्यवस्थाको नालीबेली बारे कुरा गर्दै हुनुहुन्छ | हरि थापा बिगत तिन दशक देखि सुशासन बारे कलम चलाउने पत्रकार हुनुहुन्छ। उहाले नेपालको बर्तमान शासन र प्रशासनलाई न्यूज-रुम भित्रबाट नियाल्नु मात्र भएको छैन कि बिगतमा पंचायत कालका शक्तिशाली प्रधानमन्त्री सूर्यबहादुर थापा र प्रभावशाली प्रशासक भेषबाहादुर थापाको संस्मरण लेख्ने क्रममा त्यस समयको शासन-प्रशासन प्रणालीको बारेमा पनि राम्रोसंग बुझ्नु भएको छ । हामी आशा गर्दछौँ तपाईंलाई आजको संवाद फलदायी लाग्नेछ !  If you liked the episode, hear more from us through our free newsletter services, PEI Substack: Of Policies and Politics, and click here to support us on Patreon!!  

#Ep.078 Introducing and directing agendas in the policy sphere is a challenging task. Additionally, when the agenda in question is pushed to the margins with shame, stigma, and taboo, the pursuit becomes ever more demanding. Menstruation is one such topic repressed by societal norms of the global south, the stigma of which causes detrimental effects on the lives of innumerable individuals. How does one advocate for that?   In this episode, Khushi and Jesselina discuss the challenges in pursuing policy solutions to issues of access to a dignified period. Jesselina shares the unexpected hurdles in advocating for menstrual rights and the importance of strategy, collaboration, and sustainability in it. They explore barriers to accessing menstrual health and dignity, their deep impacts, and recount national issues like the Period Tax and the state of periods in prison. They also discuss the evolution of a dignified period in the realm of human rights, the different ways it has expanded, and how the conversation can be taken forward.   Jesselina Rana  is a human rights lawyer, social entrepreneur, and feminist activist. A Harvard Law School graduate, Jesselina co-founded Pad2Go, a social enterprise focusing on menstrual health in Nepal, in 2018. Since its inception, Pad2Go has garnered national and international recognition for its impactful contributions to the menstrual health landscape in Nepal. Jesselina’s passion for feminism, human rights, and the law has driven her to contribute to both human rights and politico-legal discourse in Nepal and internationally.  If you liked the episode, hear more from us through our free newsletter services, PEI Substack: Of Policies and Politics, and click here to support us on Patreon!!