In partnership with the British Council, DLMGA conducted a policy mapping exercise to evaluate youth-centered frameworks related to climate resilience, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI), and caste-based discrimination. Spanning ten municipalities across Madhesh and Lumbini Provinces, the study analyzed the alignment between youth needs and existing legislative programs, with a prioritized focus on the intersectional vulnerabilities of Dalit youth. To validate the findings, DLMGA facilitated a series of municipal-level consultation in 10 different districts; 6 in Madhesh and 4 in Lumbini on July, 2025. The workshop series titled ‘The Question of Marginalized Community Representation in Local Policy,’ engaged diverse stakeholders – including local government officials, youth clubs, child clubs, civil society organizations and gender minorities – to bridge the gap between policy design and community needs.
In addition to policy mapping, the initiative focused on strengthening youth leadership and advocacy through a three days residential training workshop. The session convened 20 key representatives (8 women and 12 men) from ten partner Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) across Lumbini and Madhesh Provinces. This capacity-building effort equipped grassroots leaders with advanced advocacy tools to address the intersection of climate change and caste-based discrimination.
Leveraging the workshop learning and insights from policy mapping, participating CSOs collaborated with local authorities to develop joint action plans. Between August and December, 26 policy dialogues were successfully executed, resulting in the drafting of evidence-based position papers. These position papers were then submitted to respective municipalities incorporating evidence from community actions and campaigns implemented under the Joint Action Plan demanding inclusive policy, programs and budget in FY 2025-2026.
