School of Arts
Local Government Outreach Programme
In November 2025, Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Kathmandu University - Nepal Centre for Contemporary Studies (KU-NCCS), a research institute under the Kathmandu University School of Arts partnered for the Local Government Outreach Programme (LGOP). The primary objective of the programme is to contribute to the spirit of the Provincial and Local Governance Strengthening Programme (PLGSP), a Nepal’s Flagship programme, by reaching out to 60 local governments (LGs) across Madhesh, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces in capacity strengthening process of LGs.
KU-NCCS lead the overall programmatic implementation in the support of UNDP/PLGSP. Provincial Research and Training Academy (PRTA) in coordination with PLGSP takes the strategic leadership in the provincial implementation and assures the technical assistance to LGs through Opting-in mechanism. Each local government host a Young Federalism Fellow (YFF) and offer an equipped workspace and facilitate their engagement in understanding LG process, practice, structure and functions.
The programme will recruit, train and deploy 60 youth, mostly local, with a couple of years of relevant experience. YFFs will be qualified and trained in concepts such as federalism, governance, laws related to local governance, local government processes and other required soft skills. One YFF will be stationed in each of these LGs for 18 months, who will behave as a helping-hand to their representatives. YFFs are mandated to assist LGs in understanding their local issues, challenges, strengths and priorities and facilitate to request necessary technical support from PRTA and PLGSP. They will also act as the bridge for LGs to link with provincial technical assistance like mobile experts of UNDP.
The LGOP do not offer any financial or infrastructural funding, instead offer technical assistance to LGs through mentoring approach from YFFs and technical expertise like mobile experts of UNDP. Moreover, any financial cost of fellows will be covered by the LGOP. Through mentoring approach, the programme promotes facilitative support respecting LG representatives’ roles, knowledge, experience and expertise. The programme ensures that LG representatives lead and YFFs support in every engagement with LGs –
“YFFs work with LGs, not for LGs”. This increases the ownership of LGs in the process and engagement, while contributing to their strength and confidence. The programme also adapts a demand-driven opting-in (Opt-in) mechanism where LGs decide to accept or decline any engagement through a formal and collective decision.
The programme anticipates to contribute in the capacity building process of local governments for the increased efficiency and effectiveness in quality public service delivery. Local governments exercise the technical support from provincial institutions and structures like PRTA and PLGSP through YFFs of this programme. In addition, the programme develops a trained, skilled and experienced youth (mostly local) in the field of governance and federalism practice.