PODS by PEI

#Ep.055 Foreign employment from Nepal to South Korea has emerged as a prominent and distinct migration corridor in recent years. It gained popularity as an attractive destination for Nepali migrant workers due to the government’s formal agreement under the Korea Employment Permit System (EPS), which allows for legal work opportunities in various sectors, primarily in manufacturing, agriculture, and construction. EPS has facilitated a structured and regulated process for recruitment, ensuring a level of protection for Nepali workers. However, challenges such as pre-departure costs, language barriers, cultural adjustments, and occasional controversies related to re-entry have also been part of this migration experience, making it demand attention and policy considerations. In this episode, PEI colleague Anuj Tiwari sits with Jeevan Baniya to discuss the Nepal-Korea Migration corridor. The two draw from Baniya’s recent paper titled "Only a few can afford to go to Korea: The Costs of Nepali Migration to South Korea." to explore the pre-migration phase of the Nepal-Korea Migration. They explore the unique characteristics of migration to Korea from the perspective of aspirations and capabilities to understand the emigrants, their motivation to move, and avenues to facilitate the movement, along with problems and vulnerabilities that arise. Jeevan Baniya is the Assistant Director of the Centre for the Study of Labour and Mobility at Social Science Baha. He has provided advisory and technical support to multiple national and international organizations, including the Ministry for Labour, Employment and Social Security, the National Human Rights Commission Nepal; the ILO; trade unions, and CSOs. 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!!

The podcast explores the interconnectedness of energy, climate change, and regional integration in South Asia. It discusses the transition to clean and renewable energy sources, the role of China and India in the region, and the importance of policy facilitation and infrastructure. Additionally, it highlights the vulnerability of infrastructure to climate change, the challenges of accessing climate finance, and the significance of collaboration and technology transfer.

#Ep.053 With the promulgation of the new constitution in 2015 and the transition into the Federal system in 2017 elections for 3-tiers of the government, there were high hopes from the citizens with regard to service delivery. However, the road to prosperity, as promised by the constitution, has been anything but smooth. The main actors responsible for effective service delivery have faced many challenges which has led many to question the federal system. One main area where the challenges and criticisms have been significant is Public Finance Management. In this episode, Aslesh and Sarita discuss Nepal’s public finance management in the Federal system and its shortcomings. They further delve into the major challenges faced by the various tiers of government and conclude by discussing possible reforms to make the PFM effective and transparent for the general public. Sarita works with different local and international organizations in Nepal on local governance, public finance management, and citizen engagement. She was a Public Finance Management Adviser for The British Embassy, Kathmandu, from 2020-2023. She has worked with several local and international organizations on similar themes. In the latest episode of PODS with former PEI colleague Aslesh Shrestha in conversation with Sarita Sapkota, find out about the how Public Finance Management works in the Federal system of Nepal, the progress that has been made, the challenges face, and necessary reforms.

#Ep.052 Last week, the Supreme Court issued an order enabling the temporary registration of marriages for same-sex couples, citing its ignorance so far as unconstitutional. While the order is definitely one in the direction of progress for the LGBTQ community, the gesture pales when one realizes that the struggle for marriage equality has a stagnant history of over 15 years in Nepal. The Supreme Court issued a similar order for equal rights back in 2008. Instead of implementation, the community is handed another court order and is now, again, in wait. In this episode, former PEI colleague Tsedon Kansakar is in conversation with Sunil Babu Pant to discuss the history and status of marriage equality in Nepal. The two draw upon Pant’s first-hand experience to recall the landmark 2007 case Sunil Babu Pant and Others V. GoN, which pleaded for, among other things, equal rights to marriage. They then explore the significance of marriage equality not only in terms of human rights but also society and the economy. Sunil Babu Pant is the founder of the Blue Diamon Society, an LGBTQ rights organization in Nepal. Pant is also the first openly gay national-level legislator in Asia. As a member of parliament, hIs legislative goals included equal justice, civil, and economic rights for the Qeer community. He led the landmark supreme court case that decriminalized homosexuality and added a different category of third gender in Nepali citizenship. He now continues to push forward those agendas as an activist.

नेपालमा बिगत दुई-तिन दशकमा ठुला राजनीतिक र सामाजिक परिवर्तनहरु भएI यस्तो आमुल परिवर्तन बाट गुज्रेको हाम्रो समाजको आज मूल चरित्र कस्तो छ? बर्तमान राजनीति कुन अवस्थामा छ? हाम्रो बदलिदो समाज र राजनीतिको अन्तर-सम्बन्ध के हो? यसका ओरिपरिका पात्रको भूमिका र ध्येय के रहेको छ?     आजको भागमा पी. ई. आई.का अनुराग आचार्यले, विश्लेषक हरि शर्मा संग नेपाली समाज र राजनीति का यिनै पक्ष बारे संवाद गरेका छन् | आफ्नो प्रस्तुतिमा शर्माले बर्तमान समाज र राजनीतिको दशा र दिशा दुवै बारे तिखो टिप्पणी र गहन बिस्लेशण गर्नुभएको छ |     युवावस्था देखि नै राजनीतिक चेत र चाख राख्ने विश्लेषक हरि शर्माले नेपालको अफ्ट्यारो राजनीतिक संक्रमणकालको बखत पुर्व प्रधानमन्त्री गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालाका सल्लाहकार रहेर अनि नेपालको संघिय गणतान्त्रिक संबिधान निर्माणको बखतमा पहिलो राष्ट्रपति रामबरण यादबको सल्लाहकारको रुपमा बिगत दुई दशक यताको राजनीतिक र सामाजिक परिवर्तन लाई नजिकैबाट नियाल्नु भएको छ | शर्माले त्रिभुवन बिश्वबिद्यालय र भारतको पन्जाब बिश्वबिद्यालय, अनि फुलब्राइट स्कलरको रुपमा अमेरिकाको प्रख्यात कोर्नेल बिश्वबिद्यालय बाट उच्च शिक्षा हासिल गर्नुभएको छ|   

Ep#050 When the world took itself indoors and online during the pandemic, a unique virtual movement bubbled in the Nepali social media sphere, one that identified multitudes of Nepal’s cultural objects in the unnatural glass cases of foreign museums and mobilized, in thousands, for their repatriation. For the first time, the Nepali masses collectively denounced cultural trafficking, pressuring withholders to give back what is rightfully theirs. 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#049: The current rise in temperature is a cause for concern for everyone, everywhere. In recent years, the April temperatures in the Terai region have consistently crossed the 40+ degree centigrade mark. But this pattern of record-high temperatures is not confined to just the Terai region. It's also happening in places like Kathmandu, which is known for having much milder weather conditions. As a result, we are witnessing a rising trend of school closures, extending even to hilly regions such as Gorkha and Tanahun. Surprisingly, there are news reports that Nepal is experiencing record heat extending as far north as Lukla. In this episode, PEI’s Nirjan Rai sits down with Aditya Valliathan Pillai to discuss the science behind the growing heat waves around the world, including Nepal and India, the impacts on the economy and society, and what lessons we can learn from the Indian experience. Aditya Valiathan Pillai is a fellow with the Initiative for Climate, Energy and Environment (ICEE) at the Centre for Policy Research (CPR). He studies the social and economic consequences of climate impacts in India and South Asia, and the policies and institutions that can help adapt to these changes. His current work focuses on strengthening policies to combat extreme heat. He also studies the forms and varieties of national climate institutions, with a specific focus on how India should restructure its institutions to achieve mitigation and adaptation objectives. If you liked the episode, click here ( https://patreon.com/podsbypei ) to support us on Patreon!!

Anantaa Pandey, an expert on driving the electric vehicle revolution in Nepal, discusses the progress and challenges in Nepal's electric mobility journey. Topics include financing and infrastructure challenges, government policies, and the potential benefits of electric mobility such as reducing air pollution and promoting gender equity.

#Ep.047 Last Monday, the 29th of May, Finance Minister Dr. Mahat took the parliamentary podium for three grueling hours to announce the national budget for the Fiscal Year 2023/ 24. Besides the typical significance of the policy document for the State, this year’s Budget gathered more anticipation as word about a looming economic crisis was spreading fervently among experts and citizens alike. The Budget and its performance hence is a test for the State to prove its capacity to overcome historical errors.  In today's episode,  PEI’s Saumitra Neupane sits with Sagar Prasai and Paras Kharel in a riveting conversation discussing the Nepal Budget FY 2023/24, analyzing its structure, priorities, and impacts.  They situate the Budget in the current context of an economic slowdown, tracing historical patterns, factors, and events that have enervated the Nepali economy. Their conversation then informs how the budget responds to contemporary economic challenges and what factors play into its performance success or failure.  Sagar is a development professional with over two decades of experience working in the areas of water, energy, climate issues, and regional cooperation in South Asia. He currently provides advisory services to various organizations, including The Asia Foundation and the Australian Government’s DFAT.  Paras is a trade economist with over 15 years of research experience. He is the Executive Director at South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics, and Environment and has a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Melbourne.  Click here to support us on Patreon!!

#Ep.046 Nepal's current state of infrastructure financing plays a critical role in shaping the country's development and prosperity. Adequate infrastructure is crucial for Nepal's economic growth, job creation, and overall socio-economic advancement. However, Nepal faces various challenges in securing sustainable infrastructure financing for long-term development. Limited fiscal resources, difficulty accessing affordable financing, bureaucratic hurdles, and governance issues hinder the financing process. Furthermore, political instability, weak institutional frameworks, and corruption pose additional obstacles to attracting essential foreign investment. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive efforts to streamline bureaucratic processes, enhance governance practices, establish specialized financing mechanisms, and create a favorable investment climate. In today’s episode of PODS by PEI, we have PEI colleague Saurab Lama’s conversation with Radhesh Pant. Building on Radhesh’s past experiences at the helm of the Investment Board of Nepal, Saurab and Radhesh explore the intricacies of project planning, financing, and implementation of various Nepali projects, and discuss the core challenges Nepal faces to ensure sustainable and effective infrastructural development. They further discuss the way forward for Nepal to improve its institutional organization, resource mobilization, and governance in the midst of the climate debate and the ongoing geopolitical contestations within the South Asia region. Radhesh is the Senior Managing Partner at VRock and Company and also serves as chairman in various boards for Asia Network for Sustainable Agriculture and Bio resources (ANSAB), Smile Nepal, and is a founding director for South Asia Institute of Management (SAIM). He also served as the Chief Executive of the Investment Board Nepal (IBN). He holds an MBA from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and a Bachelor of Technology in Aeronautical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), India. Click here to support us on Patreon!!