Why be a star when you can make a constellation. -Mariame Kaba  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231019091024_02ca6d9521c11afc57e32fb593339c4d95c34d73968a108b67fa36fc54c97cef.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20231019091024_02ca6d9521c11afc57e32fb593339c4d95c34d73968a108b67fa36fc54c97cef" data-rendition-name="original" width="2700" height="2700" loading="lazy" alt="Miss Moti #1184"> </figure>

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Miss Motivation

Why be a star

The LGBTQ+ community hailed a historical breakthrough in their rights on 28 June as Justice Til Prasad Shrestha of Nepal’s Supreme Court issued a temporary order to register same-sex marriages. Ten days later as parties applied to the District Court to register their marriage judge Madhav Prasad Mainali of the Kathmandu District Court rejected the application for marriage registration. A sub ordinate court appeared to be defying a Supreme Court ruling. The applicant Maya Gurung (legally named Ram Bahadur Gurung in court documents) filed a petition at the High Court Patan asking it to quash the District Court’s illegal order that stopped the registration of their marriage. Last week the High Court upheld the District Court’s ruling calling the refusal to register same-sex marriage legal. The High Court has predicated its decisions on legal procedure as opposed to substantive rights. There are also lawyers on both sides who believe in the human rights and equality of LGBTQ+ community but battle lines have been drawn on legal technicalities. Supreme Court Justice Til Prasad Shrestha in an ex parte hearing ordered the Government of Nepal to make temporary provisions to register no-heterosexual marriages. ‘This came out of an ex parte hearing!’ several friends who are lawyers (and vocal proponents of LGBTQ+ rights) exclaimed, ‘It might be judicial over-reach’ one observed. Their comments are based on legal principles. Ex parte hearings are hearings in which only one party to a case presents arguments and evidence to a judge. The other party is absent. An interim order through an ex parte hearing is sought when the matter at hand is urgent and there is no time to invite both parties to a case to hear the arguments and reach a decision. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/one-step-forward-two-steps-back-on-same-sex-marriage">One step forward two steps back on same-sex marriage</a> To take a hypothetical example, a person’s house is about to be knocked down by a commercial builder. The person may seek to challenge the decision to knock down her house. However, it takes time till the builder is served notice of the lawsuit and invited to court to make their counter arguments. In this instance an emergency interim order may be sought to ‘not knock down the house’ until the case is finally decided. The question is, does the registration of non-heterosexual marriage qualify as an issue of urgency that merited an interim order issued by an ex parte hearing? Marriage registration, unlike other civil matters, invites a complex web of legal repercussions. It affects laws on divorce, domestic violence, polygamy, adoption, child adoption, custody, property inheritance and property division amongst spouses. Barring domestic violence Nepali laws in all these matters only envision a spousal relationship between a heterosexual man and woman. Justice Til Prasad Shrestha is not one to shy away from activism from the bench and issue bold orders. However, his order does not appear to have contemplated any of subsequent effects of marriage on issues of children, property or divorce. His order simply directs the registration of non-heterosexual marriages until subsequent laws are amended to accommodate rights of the LGBTQ+ community. Thus his ex parte order on an issue with expansive legal scope can resonate with perceptions that it is judicial over reach. The Supreme Court order is also issued for the Government of Nepal to make provisions to register same-sex marriages. It is not explicitly issued to the District Courts that are charged with the authority to register all marriages in Nepal. It is a legal technicality but one that is important as it does not compel any courts in Nepal to follow the order. It is a pronouncement for the executive government not the judiciary was one of the arguments presented by a government attorney who defended the Kathmandu District Court’s decision at the High Court. This argument was upheld in the High Court’s ruling. If the Executive government is implementing a legal order that has wide scale impact on a large number of people such as same-sex marriage, it is a legal requirement that notice of this is published in the Raj Patra, the government’s official noticeboard. It was argued that this Raj Patra notice might have been a more compelling order for the District Court to register the marriage. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/a-mother-celebrates-pride">A mother celebrates Pride</a>, Durga Rana Magar  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023101713104_23511b683ea63cf5c3bc0d59a4c3b7ac1a0702eb308a4b3cb492b9a06e313dfd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="2023101713104_23511b683ea63cf5c3bc0d59a4c3b7ac1a0702eb308a4b3cb492b9a06e313dfd" data-rendition-name="original" width="1778" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="same sex marriage"></figure>  The government attorney argued that to issue a Raj Patra notice, the Government of Nepal needs time to make requisite amendments to a host of laws pertaining to family matters in tandem with registering non heterosexual marriage. He sounded alarms of proceeding without requisite preparation by putting questions before High Court judges such as: What happens if there is polygamy in this newly registered marriage? Will we charge anybody or will we ignore it as the law in its current status criminalises polygamy by men only? How will we proceed with divorce and inheritance as men and women are treated differently by Nepali laws? Whilst there is allure of a technical argument that asks for reasonable preparation time for the Government of Nepal, it is worth remembering that the government has had 16 years to do this work. The landmark decision in the case of Sunil Babu Panta not just decriminalised same-sex marriage but also ordered the Government of Nepal to make arrangements, including enacting new laws or amending existing laws, to ensure that people of different gender identities and sexual orientations could enjoy their rights without discrimination. The High Court order states that if the government of Nepal makes required provisions same-sex marriages can be registered accordingly. An interim order is not a final decision. The case still needs to be heard in full by the Supreme Court with lawyers from the applicant’s side and the Government’s side making arguments for and against registering same-sex marriage. The constitution is unequivocal in its provision of rights to equality and special protection for gender and sexual minorities. This provides grounds to pre-empt that the court will likely uphold the constitution in the final decision though there is always a chance of surprise. However, in law the devil lies in the details. It will be interesting to see how the Supreme Court manoeuvres orders towards an obstinate government and legislature to implement any judgment it issues. Within the court’s rank is Justice Hari Phuyal who was litigating on behalf of Sunil Babu Panta in 2007. There is no shortage of subject matter expertise in the ranks of judges now. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/eleganza-extravaganza">Eleganza Extravaganza</a>, Sahina Shrestha Any rights given to the LGBTQ+ community meets with resistance and controversy. The Supreme Court must ensure that if it confers any rights to this community it safeguards it against procedural and technical legal challenges. Currently the LGBTQ+ community and the country waits in suspense as this petition awaits hearing at the Supreme Court. The uncertainty of when they will get their day in court is unfair to a large population. The Supreme Court has decided cases swiftly in the past like the case of MP Rabi Lamichhane. There is no reason why it cannot do the same for this case by issuing a date for the hearing with orders that there can be no adjournment. This move would lend clarity to the status or rights of LGBTQ+ communities instead of holding them hostage to procedural arguments and delays. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-is-ahead-of-many-countries-in-lgbtqi-rights">"Nepal is ahead of many countries in LGBTQI+ rights"</a> Aastha Dahal is a Kathmandu-based lawyer with a PhD in criminology from the University of Cambridge.

Comment

Right to marry in Nepal

Nepal’s digital topography is undergoing dramatic change, with traditional mass media being rapidly subsumed by digital portals and social media platforms as the primary source of news and information. This has resulted in a fragmented radio, tv, and print with a migration of audience eyeballs.&nbsp; While a significant portion of Nepal’s population is engaged in the internet and social media, the noise in this sector also poses challenges. It is essential to leverage accurate and up-to-date data to develop an effective media campaign strategy. This holds true for political figures, election publicity, marketing of products, and even for the media business itself. &nbsp; To navigate this dynamic environment successfully, having live and accurate analytics on media consumption patterns is crucial. Nepal Media Survey (NMS) by Sharecast Initiative has been filling this gap by providing valuable insight into media industry stakeholders, institutions using media for advocacy, and others interested in audience data.&nbsp; The annual NMS report sheds light on media consumption patterns, trust levels, and access to media, enabling organisations to refine their strategies and connect with their target audience more effectively. Nepali Times has been analysing the data emerging from these surveys every year to forecast future trends in device use and popularity of platforms.&nbsp; The survey adopts a multi-stage cluster sampling design with the first sampling unit being the district, followed by municipalities, then wards and finally households. The probability-proportion-to-size method is used for the first three stages to ensure representative selection. We employ the right-hand rule in the fourth stage to identify the household. In the final stage, we conduct a random lottery method to select respondents. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/it-is-it">IT is it</a>, Sahina Shrestha  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023101510100_1d9bed4113848f86d7d48bb7571ce5caa32b05c41a49927e9ed6f45872fb04aa.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2023101510100_1d9bed4113848f86d7d48bb7571ce5caa32b05c41a49927e9ed6f45872fb04aa" data-rendition-name="original" width="1190" height="1684" loading="lazy" alt="Sharecast NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023101510100_dcfd3111423fc56df04338fc7d43d97724e50b3dc81a51c838d56ed9f01182d6.png" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="2023101510100_dcfd3111423fc56df04338fc7d43d97724e50b3dc81a51c838d56ed9f01182d6" data-rendition-name="original" width="1306" height="768" loading="lazy" alt="Sharecast NT"> </figure>  The survey collects critical demographic and geographic data about each survey respondent. Each question can provide additional insight that helps understand user perception and behavioral aspects, and create a more comprehensive market understanding.&nbsp; Apart from age, gender, and geographic location (Probability proportional sampling (PPS) method at the provincial level), the survey covers income level, education level, occupation, living standard measurement, mobile device ownership, and internet access. Each question can be cross-referenced or correlated to another question covered in the survey.&nbsp; Past polls found a sharp increase in access to the internet and digital media platforms in 2022 compared to 2020. Trends since 2018 reveal a radio listenership spike during key socio-political events and natural calamities. The average national listenership for radio was 45% in March 2022. That year, 48% said they watched tv regularly, a surprising 12.3% point drop compared to 2020. &nbsp; Newspaper readership continues to decline. Compared to 2020 (32%), only 15% of respondents said they read newspapers regularly in 2022. Consumers of all three legacy media reasoned that it was ‘unnecessary’ to read papers and magazines, and they got what they needed from social/digital media outlets.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/opportunities-for-women-animators">Opportunities for women animators</a>, Sewa Bhattarai  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231015081048_fbc3085f9f3a9268501d536325c098b28101ebd0e606b58f1731568546beed06.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20231015081048_fbc3085f9f3a9268501d536325c098b28101ebd0e606b58f1731568546beed06" data-rendition-name="original" width="1750" height="2625" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal Media Survey NT"> <figcaption>Photo: NEPALI TIMES ARCHIVE</figcaption> </figure>  The overall trend showed that radio audiences moved to Facebook, and linear tv audiences moved to YouTube and TikTok for news and information.&nbsp; Despite the surge in digital media users and social networking sites, however there persisted a trust deficit among users who said they still relied on legacy media to verify the accuracy of information – mainly the radio and tv news bulletins. &nbsp;&nbsp; As the use of smartphones and broadband internet access gets cheaper and spreads wider, the speed and bandwidth of internet connections are improving. Due to improved quality and affordability, dependency on personal mobile devices to get online is expected to increase further. &nbsp; This changing pattern of consumption of media content is now determined by access to new devices and services. Just as FM listenership surged with Nepal’s rural radio revolution in the 1990s, the beginning of 2000, television took the audience away from print during the same period.&nbsp; Read Also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/comment/tech-and-transition-in-nepal">Tech and transition in Nepal</a>, Ashutosh Mani Dixit and ChatGPT-4  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023101510100_c95ccf9b2e8268bf2c719698e31a5ab7f6bf146140c66fc8cf3da40e33644895.png" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="2023101510100_c95ccf9b2e8268bf2c719698e31a5ab7f6bf146140c66fc8cf3da40e33644895" data-rendition-name="original" width="1316" height="1404" loading="lazy" alt="Sharecast NT"> </figure>  The second decade of the millennia put radio, tv, and print in the same boat, and they compete with the internet for eyeballs and revenue share.&nbsp; This year’s NMS will continue to track users of legacy media while also tracking access to mobile devices and quality of the internet, digital media platforms covering user behaviour on major social media platforms. We are especially interested in testing the trust level and knowledge to test the validity of the information they receive through different platforms.&nbsp; The 2023/24 survey also has new questions to help understand e-commerce behaviour and consumption of Nepali online news portals, influencers, harassment/cyberbullying/misinformation, and disinformation patterns.&nbsp; Sharecast Initiative plans to release separate reports for digital and legacy platforms and thematic areas for this year’s survey, and will continue to monitor the ranking of significant legacy media which will be valuable for companies and advertisers to reach consumers and gauge their media preferences. &nbsp;&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nothing-artificial-about-his-intelligence">Nothing artificial about his intelligence</a>, Yugottam Koirala Bhumiraj Chapagain is the co-founder and program director overseeing research and Madhu Acharya is the CEO and President &nbsp;– both Sharecast Initiative Nepal.

Surveying Nepal’s digital landscape

Autumn teaches us the beauty of letting go. Growth requires release—it’s what the trees do. -Ka'ala  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231013071032_8849030833eb58260b45e44d5cd91c4df6f57f51467dc2937b02446fd1d19381.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20231013071032_8849030833eb58260b45e44d5cd91c4df6f57f51467dc2937b02446fd1d19381" data-rendition-name="original" width="2700" height="2700" loading="lazy" alt="Autumn miss moti"> </figure>

Autumn teaches us

Cycling brings fond memories. Learning to take that first ride with my mother in the small alley next to home. Re-learning with my husband in the streets of Europe.
Both came as a necessity. The first because I had failed several attempts at balancing, and it was a matter of self-pride. The second because cycling was the primary mode of affordable commute for a student overseas.
Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/no-city-for-cyclists">No city for cyclists</a>, Sewa Bhattarai
I often connect cycling with life, a balance you need to learn, and once learnt can never unlearn. What a beautiful form of experience that already is.
In Kathmandu, I cycle to work each day. Family, friends and acquaintances compliment me for being so conscious of my <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/cycling-to-cop28">carbon footprint</a>. But my cycling was due to forced necessity, I just do not have the fortitude to drive in the city’s chaotic traffic.
I switched to cycling during the <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/As-It-Happens/blockade-that-benefitted-no-one,660">2015 blockade</a>. Between daily chores at the office and home with two little girls, the struggle to join the long queues at the petrol station had tired me out.&nbsp;
One evening, my husband brought home a beautiful bicycle. I was a bit angry about buying such an expensive bike. But eight years on I am so thankful because the bicycle continues to run solid and is my best buddy on the road.
Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/netherlands-to-nepal-by-bicycle">Netherlands to Nepal by bicycle</a>, Ashish Dhakal
Thin traffic during the blockade gave me confidence, and although hard at first, muscle memory eventually kicked in. When the blockade was lifted after six months and fuel was plentiful again, traffic clogged the streets again.&nbsp;
Honking always troubled me, and I wished I could put a banner with bold letters on my bag: Don’t Honk. My wish was answered in 2016 when traffic police declared unnecessary honking a punishable offence.
A lot of people still warn me about the dangers of being on a bicycle on Kathmandu’s roads. That is true, they are not the safest place to be. I have had a few scrapes with bruises and aches, but that does not deter me. <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/pedalling-for-life">Cycling</a> has become a part of my life.&nbsp;
And there are people who encourage me. One traffic police officer always greeted me at the intersection I crossed every morning during my commute to work. Once a little girl asked me if it was all right for a woman to cycle. I told her I hoped someday she would be a pilot.
One night, the driver of a private car switched on the high beam so I could pedal along the potholed street in torrential rain. Strangers on the sidewalk smiled when they saw me on my bicycle.&nbsp;
However, I am aghast at the utter recklessness and impatience of motorcycle and vehicle drivers on the roads, speeding and overtaking dangerously. On a bicycle one notices such rashness even more.&nbsp;
<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/downhill-all-the-way">Most of Kathmandu is a cycle city</a>. Lalitpur now has bicycle lanes and that has made it easier to negotiate for space with other traffic. Moving slowly at my own pace, I have the opportunity to see and feel the things around me, to savour the beauty (and, yes, also the ugliness and dangers) of my city.
Cycling has become a ritual, and it does not tire me at all. It has given me a perspective on life, on how one needs to keep going no matter how steep the uphill, and keep an eye on the smaller wins every day. It reminds me that I am not in competition with anyone else, and I am only challenging myself to do better each day.
All these years, cycling has given me serenity, peace of mind, and a time for self-reflection. As the cycling culture continues to grow, it is also a reminder to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/re-cycling-kathmandu-is-not-so-easy">make our roads safer for everyone</a>. Fast or slow, all street users are equal.&nbsp;
Cycling teaches us to be civil and considerate of others. My right to use the road also comes with the responsibility to think for fellow citizens. And this could be small, yet meaningful contributions towards reducing my and your carbon footprint.
Eliza Sthapit is the National Director for Habitat for Humanity International Nepal.

Opinion

Pedalling as a life lesson

Nearly 900,000 Nepalis left the country last year to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/no-country-for-young-men">work or study overseas</a>, making it the largest mass exodus of Nepalis in Nepal’s history.&nbsp;
Except for during the Covid shutdowns, the number of Nepalis going overseas has increased every year for the last decade. Most leave for jobs in the Gulf and Malaysia, or to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-s-hard-working-students-overseas">study in US, Australia, and Canada</a>.&nbsp;
The accepted reasons for outmigration are: Nepal failing to reap its demographic dividend, lack of employment, and the lack of economic stimulation. Most analysts conclude that bad governance, corruption, and the lack of opportunities are the reasons behind this mass migration.&nbsp;
These conclusions are based on assumptions, anecdotal evidence, and the blame game in Nepal’s political leadership. But commentary based on limited research and extrapolated inference has its limitations and does not help in a broader understanding of something that is as complex, comprehensive, and multifaceted as migration.
The discourse surrounding outmigration from Nepal is largely reactionary, and needs more nuance.&nbsp;
For example, many young people cite the impact of poor governance as the main reason for wanting and choosing to leave. Yet many Nepalis who actively benefit from Nepal’s political and economic structures are also among those with passports and boarding passes at Kathmandu airport.
People who benefit from the status quo, and those related to the business-political class, those already earning decent incomes or own real estate and have a high standard of living are also sending their children to study abroad. &nbsp;
Read Also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-s-hard-working-students-overseas">Nepal’s hard working students overseas</a>, Sonia Awale
The idea that all young Nepalis choose to go abroad due to a lack of opportunities within Nepal must be put to the test. A <a href="https://iids.org.np/images/publications/15c4487b777dcf3239cd6af6dd15c2c1.pdf">recent study by IIDS </a>showed that Nepal’s IT exports exceeded $500 million in 2022, creating more than 66,000 jobs. The IT sector made up 20% of all exports, contributed 1.4% to Nepal’s GDP and accounted for 5.5% of the foreign exchange earnings.
Rapid advances in information technology means qualified Nepalis need not leave the country for jobs overseas. This is true for some other sectors as well.
In the meantime, while hundreds of thousands of people leave Nepal to work for menial unskilled jobs in the Gulf or Malaysia, there is a widespread labour shortage within Nepal.&nbsp;
My survey in Dolakha showed there was plenty of work available in the villages, but there was no one to do them despite wages having increased.
The scope of development and employment across rural Nepal has widened after federalism. Young Nepalis who have chosen to stay back in Dolakha, for example, say that they can easily earn Rs50,000-Rs60,000 a month farming, construction, or livestock. Salary levels nearly commensurate with what they would earn toiling in the desert.
They would also not have to take loans to pay recruiters, and for tickets and other pre-departure documentation. Working at home would mean they save most of what they earn. &nbsp;
Read Also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/migration-not-a-wish-but-necessity-for-nepalis">Migration not a wish, but necessity for Nepalis</a>, Shristi Karki
It may be human nature, or a characteristic of Nepali society to follow the herd rather than undertake to do something risky. This appears to be true for migration, which has gone from <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/migration-not-a-wish-but-necessity-for-nepalis">being a necessity</a> to becoming a trend.&nbsp;
However, someone’s decision to migrate is not only influenced by what is happening within the family, community, and country, but also by global structures and circumstances. Technology, social media, and consumer habits have perpetuated a culture of instant gratification, whereby it is tempting to gamble on improving one’s living standard quickly to make up for even minor personal and professional setbacks. &nbsp;
The youth are giving up jobs even in banking and finance which were previously considered popular career choices. New entrants in banking, for example, may give up their jobs if they miss one promotion, choosing instead to try their luck outside Nepal.
It is therefore important to look at the context of migration through multiple political, socio-economic and sociocultural angles so that we do not form an inaccurate stereotypical assumption.
We also need to recognise that the pull factors of migration are global, and extend beyond the lack of opportunities within Nepal, the country’s political state, economic structure, or socio-cultural circumstance. The study, discussion, research and solutions for outmigration must therefore extend beyond easy suppositions, frameworks and administrative tools.&nbsp;
Could the current migration discourse be influenced by media magnification of factors, and is public opinion being shaped by the competition for content that offers conclusions? And is this need for quick fixes in turn driving half-baked policy interventions?

Brabim Bikram Thapa

Guest Editorial

The migration myth

A key component of international climate negotiations is finance for adaptation measures, and like other developing countries, Nepal faces difficulties in this regard. The next climate summit (COP 28) in Dubai 30 November – 12 December will be crucial to make the country’s concerns clear.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is an annual conference under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and brings together member nations for coordinated response to address global climate breakdown. &nbsp;
Although it is a forum for nations to assess and revise climate commitments and foster international cooperation, the summits face political and economic obstacles in securing funding for low-income nations to adapt and pay for loss and damage from the climate emergency.
Earlier COPs have set emission reduction targets, non-binding national commitments as well as the need for support from wealthier countries to deal with impact of weather extremes on developing nations. Within this framework, cross-border carbon credits can act as a reward for Nepal's early commitment to emissions reduction and expanding forest cover.
Since industrialised countries are largely responsible for historical emissions, they are expected to provide financial support to developing countries to transition to cleaner fuels. Climate finance can take the form of grants, subsidised loans, technical assistance. However, there are complex discussions around climate funding, and developing nations including Nepal have expressed concerns about promises not kept, inadequacy of pledges, lack of equitable distribution and transparency, as well as redressal for loss and damage from climate impact. &nbsp;
As far back as 2009, Copenhagen Climate Conference set a fund-raising target of $100 billion a year, these pledges remain largely unfulfilled, even as the rise in global average temperatures, the loss of sea ice and wilder weather are being experienced decades earlier than predicted. &nbsp;
Nepal faces many distinct challenges to reduce petroleum use, adapt to climate change and pay for loss and damage. The country’s ability to invest in resilient infrastructure is limited. Expanding glacial lakes, melting permafrost, floods, landslides, glacial lake outburst floods and springs going dry pose a growing risk to lives and livelihoods.
Farmers dependent on rain-fed subsistence agriculture now have to deal with erratic monsoons and irregular rainfall. Changing precipitation patterns and glacier melt are making hydropower less reliable, and major infrastructure has been damaged and destroyed by freak floods on Himalayan rivers.
Although Nepal has expanded forest cover to 45% of its area, doubling it in the past 30 years, there is a limit to sink capacity especially in the Tarai. Poor urban planning, settlements in high-risk areas and low public awareness of vulnerabilities as well as political instability leading to governance shortcomings hinder meaningful adaptation measures. &nbsp;
Building on the 2015 Paris Agreement's objectives to keep global warming to 1.5 Celsius by 2050, the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow produced the Glasgow Climate Pact. Strengthening of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), an emphasis on adaptation, funding for developing countries, and addressing loss and damage. Member states pledged $356 million to the Adaption Fund, and $450 million was offered for local adaption. COP27 in Egypt last year was criticised for not doing enough to advance larger climate goals, but acknowledged the need for money to remedy loss and damage for climate-induced disasters.
In Dubai, Nepal must forcefully back demands for additional climate finance from industrialised nations especially for infrastructure and renewable energy projects. It should also push for a multilateral agreement to implement a loss and damage mechanism because climate-related harm already poses a serious threat.
Placing a price on carbon emissions, carbon taxes, and other pricing mechanisms are based on the ‘polluter pays’ principle. Fossil fuel taxes encourage consumers to minimise emission by raising the cost of using them. On the other hand, cap-and-trade systems place a limit on emissions and permit companies to exchange emission allowances, causing emission reductions in the areas where they are most advantageous.
These instruments work together to constitute a toolset for reducing emissions, along with financial incentives for renewable energy sources, legislative requirements, carbon offsetting, voluntary carbon markets etc.
A cross-border carbon credit framework can be a method to jointly tackle emissions between India, China, and Nepal in compliance with the COP resolutions and the principles of climate justice. Nepal has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045, which puts it ahead of China (2060) and India (2070). Nepal’s giant neighbours can be partners in assisting Nepal’s transition to clean energy.
In exchange, India and China could receive credits from Nepal's own carbon reduction efforts. This cooperative model would also support technology transfer, capacity building, and even control trans-boundary air pollution. The continued heavy reliance of China and India on coal and other fossil fuels highlights the necessity of such regional cooperation, while upholding international climate obligations.
COP28 in Dubai is expected to yield significant financial assistance for developing countries like Nepal. The summit's main objectives are transparency, responsibility, and enhanced obligations in the distribution of climate finance. In addition, Nepal and other developing countries expect to be compensated for action they have already taken on clean energy and expanding forest cover.
Combating climate change necessitates concerted effort, financial backing, and efficient laws. As one of the countries most vulnerable to the climate emergency, Nepal should take the lead in global negotiations. After all, melting ice in the Himalaya will not just affect Nepal, but impact more than 1 billion people downstream.
But most importantly, COP28 is an opportunity for Nepal’s delegation in Dubai to push for adaptation and loss and damage fund.
Govind Ghimire is Deputy CEO of NMB Bank.

How Nepal can finance climate action

In an English city, my aunt had learned to call home, it was the pursuit of familiarity that really gave her the purpose to stay. One weekend, she sat on the stairs, making frantic calls. My uncle punched numbers on his Nokia cell phone. Where? What time? Are tickets available? They echoed one another. Both were trying to book tickets for the only screening of Bollywood’s <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0420332/">Veer Zara</a>, in a city near us.
My cousins and me, we waited with bated breath. This would be an opportunity to watch a Bollywood film on the big screen. In the early-2000s, screening of Bollywood in the cinemas had not yet become a thing in England, so South Asians would organise their own screenings.
Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/suburban-tales/light-of-the-absurd">Light of the absurd</a>, Pratibha Tuladhar
Tickets were finally booked and we rushed out, thrusting our arms through our coats as we hastily locked the door behind us. “This is as far as Nagarkot is from Kathmandu,” my uncle said aloud, as he drove. Would we have covered the same distance to go watch a “Hindi” film in Kathmandu? Probably not. But in the UK, we did, racing towards a collective, South Asian sentiment.
When we arrived, the theatre premise was packed with Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladeshis and Nepalis. Immediately, there was the relaxing of the muscles you experience in the presence of the familiar.
Probably among the last people to buy the tickets, ours weren’t the best seats. We were on the very first row, and for the rest of the show, we would tilt our head up towards the screen, as though clamouring for some love, while the actors would virtually breathe down our necks.
Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/suburban-tales/memory-of-a-conversation">Memory of as conversation</a>, Pratibha Tuladhar
We weren’t the only ones with bad seats. Some in the audience had been accommodated on make-shift chairs. The auditorium was packed all the way to the exit.
As <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0451321/?ref_=tt_ov_st">Shah Rukh Khan</a> rescued <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006689/?ref_=tt_ov_st">Priety Zinta</a> by slinging on a chopper, I remember flinching in my seat, as though they would fall on my face. A Nepali family friend, Mahesh Mahaseth, who happened to be sitting next to me, nudged and laughed at me when tears ran down my face as the India-Pakistan romance transpired. I remember thinking at that time how cruel-South-Asian-male that behaviour was-- teasing a girl in tears.
Even as my dislike for Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) continued to build-up, I joined other women and girls in the audience and cried during all the sad scenes. The men cleared their throat. And although it seemed like SRK was demonstrating that it is okay for men to weep, to be vulnerable and heartbroken, that precedent wasn’t quite set off screen.
Regardless, we all went home purged. Post-catharsis.
…
For many South Asian women, SRK is religion, said my friend Ayub, and sent me a snapshot of the book, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Desperately-Seeking-Shah-Rukh-Independence/dp/9354891934">Desperately Seeking Shah Rukh by Shrayana Bhattacharya</a>. Ayub described SRK as “the resilient embodiment of liberalism.” I asked him to elaborate and we ended up hate-watching <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15354916/">Jawan</a>. (Was he a convert by the end of the film? He might answer that in a separate article.)
Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/suburban-tales/the-light-of-feet">The light of feet</a>, Pratibha Tuladhar
I cannot remember the last time I watched a Bollywood movie in the theatre. So, when the audience cheered and clapped every time SRK dismantled a bad guy, I was surprised. And while the audience responded in euphoria, I found that I was quickly disassociating: what was this film beyond a family drama steeped in violence, a revenge tragedy interlude, and family reunion with the Robin Hood of a son, all woven into the narrative of vindication of geopolitics? But the show was house-full and parents had their toddlers in tow.
There are no sanitised versions of the world here, for children.
“I was not expecting so much crowd for a Bollywood masala movie. I was surprised to be honest,” Hashim Ahmad Hakeem, video producer from India, who went to the film’s screening in Kathmandu with friends from South Asia, told me. “It was amazing bonding over the movie and realising most of us have grown up in the same Bollywood cinema.”
Hakeem was participating in the Adenauer Media Leaders Academy in Kathmandu. On the sidelines of the event, one of the things the fellows did together was watch Jawan.
Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/suburban-tales/of-anger-and-love">Of anger and love</a>, Pratibha Tuladhar
“I watched it because Bollywood movies are banned in Pakistani cinemas. Secondly, I wanted to watch with fellows from other countries, specifically India as they are very much enthusiastic about Shah Rukh Khan. So, I enjoyed their cheering more than the movie,” says Abbass Raza, an aspiring journalist from Pakistan.
For many South Asians, Bollywood movies are about coming home to culture and language they can relate to.
“Honestly, this will always be memorable,” says Navneeta Nandan, journalist with The Economic Times. “It signifies the strength of art. We can be geographically apart but this can always be something that will keep us connected- cinema, music from different countries.”
…
On a certain terrace restaurant in the heart of Kathmandu, a friend from Pakistan and I get talking about architecture and end up discussing Pakistani teleserials. In the 80s, Nepal Television used to broadcast Pakistani series as an endorsement of its friendly relations with Pakistan. Some viewers at the time, even named their children after their favourite characters.
My aunt who lives in an English city, which has become her home, still binges on Pakistani series and records Indian serials. In the solitude of a foreign land, content in languages she can speak have always been her friends.
Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/suburban-tales/a-letter-to-a-sister">A letter to a sister</a>, Pratibha Tuladhar
Soap operas were created for housewives, who would watch them after putting their day’s work to rest, as though visiting old friends in the emptiness of their days. While on weekends husband and children filled the hours, on weekdays, they would go back to conversing with their virtual friends: women who sometimes did not represent their reality, and sometimes, offered them the comfort of heroism.
At my request, my friend from Pakistan shared a very long list of recommended Pakistani dramas. I forwarded it to my aunt. And here’s what she wrote back: Thank you, chhori. I have watched ALL of them! :)

Pratibha Tuladhar

Suburban Tales

Navigating invisible borders

The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance. -Alan Watts  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023092910090_908b2e2fa932b128fe5df33445074969098f077b092e839dc38bf68310fa5646.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2023092910090_908b2e2fa932b128fe5df33445074969098f077b092e839dc38bf68310fa5646" data-rendition-name="original" width="2700" height="2700" loading="lazy" alt="Miss moti 1181"> </figure>

Make sense out of change

It looks like the whole country is demonstrating on the streets. Ex-king Gyanendra has been attending rallies for the restoration of a Hindu monarchy in Kathmandu, teachers are on the warpath against federal control, striking doctors are protesting gang attacks on hospitals, activist Iih stood for 11 days outside Kathmandu City Hall protesting the mayor’s high-handedness. Meanwhile, on Monday in Birganj there was a different kind of street demonstration – for tolerance and harmony.&nbsp; The municipality took out the rally to douse communal clashes that flared up in Malangwa of Sarlahi district for four days this week, serious enough for a curfew &nbsp;to be clamped. &nbsp; In Birganj, businesses, intellectuals and politicians including Mayor Rajeshman Singh and Deputy Mayor Imtiaz Alam rallied for religious coexistence. Instead of saffron or green, they waved Nepal’s crimson double triangle. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/borderlines/religiously-following-politics">Religiously following politics</a>, Chandra Kishore Madhes Province borders the Indian state of Bihar, and bonds of kinship, language, culture and trade bind communities in the two countries together. As India prepares for general elections next year, growing persecution of minorities there is starting to infect Nepal as well. Hindus and Muslims in Nepal have lived peacefully for centuries. My own ancestral home is in the village of Balara near Malangwa. My 80-year-old mother still lives there and remembers the Muslim woman who sold her glass bangles.&nbsp; Despite untouchability at the time, she was allowed right inside the house to fit bangles and give blessings to the family.&nbsp; Malangwa itself derives its name from Malang Baba, revered by both Hindus and Muslims. The frontier town is therefore a symbol of the age-old solidarity between the two communities. Its message: do not spread division and strife.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/secularism-and-sectarianism/">Secularism and sectarianism</a>, Indra Adhikari  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230929050940_e60a2fe1d15bd66a7181c733b2d10c42ad8a420a6e27a04301bfaac1418f6e1a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20230929050940_e60a2fe1d15bd66a7181c733b2d10c42ad8a420a6e27a04301bfaac1418f6e1a" data-rendition-name="original" width="3000" height="2000" loading="lazy" alt="Page 1"> <figcaption>A rally in Bhaktapur on 24 September was attended by a flag-waving crowd, but in contrast, was for restoring Nepal's Hindu monarchy. Ex-king Gyanendra attended the event. Photo: SULAV SHRESTHA/DESH SANCHAR </figcaption> </figure>  I have just returned from Malangwa which is limping back to normal. But the clashes have opened new fears that the attempt to ignite religious tension could spread to other border districts.&nbsp; We know from other sectarian conflagrations that the initial spark is from rubbing religion and politics together to create friction. This is a volatile mixture, and can be fanned by exclusionary populism -- especially in the age of social media. Sadly, no religion has a monopoly on extremism, even ones that preach compassion. &nbsp; The strategy of religious zealots is to propel themselves to power by neutralising symbols of tolerance, and discredit those who stand for togetherness. The tactic is to weaponise social networking sites to drive a wedge, and divide society into ‘us’ and ‘them’.&nbsp; Economic problems, joblessness and disillusionment with politicians is prompting new forces to stoke religious animosity.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/news/india-s-hindutva-politics-influencing-nepal">India’s Hindutva politics influencing Nepal</a>, Santa Gaha Magar The wind is blowing from the south this monsoon, and it is infusing ideas of majoritarian communalism. Let those who are fanning these flames be warned that they may well reap the whirlwind.&nbsp; The press should be playing a moderating check-and-balance role, but local media is itself spreading hate speech and extremism. In every crisis, there will be some brave souls who will act on their conscience. But we did not hear those voices amidst the extremist din in Malangwa.&nbsp; An ideological vacuum is turning Madhes Province into fertile ground for the religious right, and a laboratory against federalism and secularism. Nepal with its diversity cannot be a theocracy-- the state has to be a protector of all peoples and faiths. Secularism means the freedom of each Nepali to practice their religion.&nbsp; Such acceptance is anathema to those who want to mix religion and politics: they want us to distrust and hate each other. There is a lot of flag-waving going on, but at least the rally in Birganj showed that crimson is the new saffron and green. &nbsp; Read also:<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/faith-in-tolerance"> Faith in tolerance</a>, Editorial Chandra Kishore is a Birganj-based journalist who writes this monthly column Borderlines in Nepali Times. @kishore_chandra