Ongoing Projects

Social Science Baha, with support from International IDEA, is preparing an edited volume that offers an in-depth study of Nepal’s constitution-making process and its implementation over the past decade. This project looks closely at some of the most critical issues included in the Constitution of Nepal—like inclusion, federalism, democracy, fundamental rights, mixed electoral systems, separation of powers and human rights—by following their discussions, development and real-life application from before the constitution was drafted, through the Constituent Assembly debates, to how they are being implemented today. This volume brings together national and international constitutional experts and practitioners who have been involved in or closely followed Nepal’s constitutional journey starting at least since 2005. Each thematic chapter in the volume reviews achievements, highlights gap and challenges and explores necessary constitutional and political reforms for Nepal’s future governance.

The research project aims to improve living standards of Nepali migrants through the production of community created support guides. The study covers major destinations such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Japan and involves collection of primary data through in-depth interviews with Nepali migrants. The final output of the study will be the production of a guidebook for new migrants heading to the specific countries.

This study will identify the incidents and prevalence (patterns, trends and correlations) of child marriage among young migrant workers and migrant populations. It also investigates the relationship between labour migration and child marriage, together with their association across different socio-economic groups, castes, ages, genders, ethnicities and geographies. Furthermore, it will also examine legal and policy gaps and provide evidence-based recommendations for addressing drivers and vulnerabilities of child marriage. The study is conducted across four provinces of Nepal—Madhesh, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim.

The study will gauge general people’s (dis)satisfaction towards governance and services as well as various institutions. The study which is carried out in the 9 districts of Gandaki Province seeks to identify level of (dis)satisfaction, how it is articulated, and key factors shaping the same. Further, it examines how (dis)satisfaction is distributed among different socio-economic groups, age, gender, caste, and ethnicity as well as rural and urban areas. It is expected that the findings of the study will help understand how the public have experienced and perceived governance and public services as well as roles of various institutions under the federal system of government and what it means for democratic governance.

This study will provide a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of remittances coming into Nepal and of remittance-recipient households as well as identify the factors that are associated with remittance-spending behaviours. The study will cover the topics, such as remittance inflow and outflow trends in Nepal; relation between labour migration and remittance inflow in Nepal; legal and institutional mechanisms for regulating remittances in Nepal; mapping of remittance transfer service providers in Nepal; trends in the costs of remittance transfers to Nepal from major destinations of Nepali workers; channels used to transfer remittances and preferred channel for remittance transfer (formal and informal); patterns of remittance use and the factors associated with remittance-spending behaviours; and characteristics of remitters, remittances, and remittance-recipient households.

The objective of the proposed assignment is to provide technical support in the development of the Nepal Labour Migration Report 2024, which will provide a comprehensive overview of labour migration from Nepal with a focus on the fiscal years 2022/23 and 2023/24. The report will provide: i) updated information on the major trends of labour migration from Nepal disaggregated according to countries of destination (including India), districts and provinces of origin, number of labour approval renewal, modes of obtaining labour approval, gender, age, skills profile, and return migration while also highlighting gaps in the data. The report will also collate and present information on foreign migrant workers working in Nepal; ii) an overview of Nepal’s labour migration governance regime, including institutional mechanisms in line with GCM and legislative frameworks as well as the employer-pays principle, commitments made at regional and global fora, bilateral labour migration agreements (BLMAs), good practices in labour migration governance, services provided by diplomatic missions, key policy developments in destination countries, and an overview of data, policy and programmes at all three tiers of government; iii) information on emerging themes such as remittances, reintegration, migration cost, and lessons from the Safer Migration Programme; and iv) way forward, including analysis based on the findings of the recruitment cost survey of Nepali migrant workers conducted by the NSO.

The primary objective of this research is to uncover changes that have occurred post-federalism at the subnational level, particularly as they relate to gains in gender equality and social inclusion (GEDSI). The study additionally aims to document the collective impact, if any, of the Nepal Subnational Governance Program (SNGP) across four study sites. More concretely, the study outcome will include: i) what changes have been observed and the value of those changes as perceived by various stakeholders in the study sites; ii) an understanding of connections, if any, between the program activities and the identified changes.

The main objective of the study is to quantify and examine the characteristics, drivers (both sector-specific and general), and circumstances of informality, in addition to identifying the (dis)incentives that have a bearing on the formalisation process of informal economic units in the transport sector and workers therein. More specifically, it will quantify extent, nature, and composition of informality within transportation sector; identify main drivers and incentives of formalisation; identify main actors involved in formalisation process in the sector; and identify and assess current policy approaches on formalisation and their impacts on transition to formality for informal economic units and workers (specifically women) in the transport sector.

The main objective of this study is to identify the characteristics, causes, and circumstances of informality in the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and aquaculture sectors, facilitating the design and implementation of sector-specific and crosscutting approaches for transitioning the economic units and workers involved to the formal economy. More specifically, the study will: quantify the extent, nature, and composition of informality within the agriculture, forestry, fishing, and aquaculture sectors based on available data that is complemented by a short survey; identify main drivers and incentives for formalisation, highlighting sector-specific and transversal drivers; identify main actors involved in formalisation process in the sector and coordination mechanisms, if any; identify and assess current policy approach, specific programmes and measures and where possible their impact on facilitating the transition to formality for informal economic units and workers (especially women) in agriculture, forestry, fishing, and aquaculture sectors.

This project explores the role of heritage in risk preparedness, disaster response and recovery, and long-term disaster risk management planning. It also focuses on how heritage can be used to better strengthen communities’ resilience, an integral part of sustainable development. Experiences across various jurisdictions in the Kathmandu Valley present contemporary understandings of stress, adaptation, wellness, and resource dynamics, which are sparsely documented or disseminated, especially due to Covid 19 pandemic. It aims to bring together existing partnerships into a wider stakeholder network to enable the flow of ideas, resources, and capacities around community-led ‘resilient’ practices for post-disaster rebuilding.

The objectives of the study are: a) to gauge the perceptions of local elites vis-a-vis public service delivery and planning and decision-making processes at the provincial and local levels in addition to identifying factors that drive their perceptions that aid or hinder their influence and/or participation in agenda-setting and decision-making; b) to explore the role of local elites’ perceptions in enhancing or obstructing public service delivery and also ensuring inclusive and participatory planning and decision-making processes at the provincial and local levels; c) to explore the perceptions of local elites towards the functioning of provincial and federal governments, along with factors that drive the perceptions of local elites regarding the same; and d) to explore the interlinkages between local elites’ perceptions and practices vis-a-vis both public service delivery and planning and decision-making processes, and understand how each affects the other.

Under the overall guidance of MRG, Social Science Baha will coordinate with South Asia Collective (SAC) members with regard to the joint publications and advocacy/outreach activities, including conducting primary and secondary research as needed to support SAC publications, including carrying out original research to be included in the annual ‘state of minorities’ report and quarterly bulletins within each publication’s deadlines. you can read the 2022 State of the Minorities report on the weakening of human rights and its impacts on minorities here.