Kathmandu: Members of the House of Representatives in Nepal have pledged to transition youth advocacy into formal legislative action, committing to structured, evidence-based engagement with young leaders across the country.
The commitment was made during the Youth Parliament Dialogue titled “From Youth Voices to Policy Action.” The event was organized by Samanwaya Nepal under the project “Strengthening Structured Engagement with Parliament in Nepal,” with support from the Youth Democracy Network (YDN).
According to Jagdish Ayer, President of Samanwaya Nepal and Member of YDN, the dialogue brought together Members of Parliament (MPs), civil society organizations, representatives from the National Youth Council, and youth leaders to bridge the divide between grassroots youth priorities and national governance.
Lawmakers praised the research-backed recommendations presented by the fellows and underscored the importance of institutionalizing youth participation within parliamentary processes.
“Young people should not merely be consulted on policy matters; they must be provided meaningful opportunities to help shape them,” said Member of Parliament Srishti Bhattarai.
Echoing this sentiment, MP Amrita BK stressed the importance of long-term impact: “The true value of youth participation is realized only when ideas are connected directly to implementation and institutional follow-up.”
Reflecting on his own transition from youth activist to lawmaker, MP Kamal Subedi pledged to advocate for the fellows’ recommendations within legislative committees. “The energy of the youth movement must not fade when the movement itself ends,” Subedi said. “It needs a clear pathway into policy, Parliament, and concrete institutional action.”
A core focus of the program was the presentation of five policy position papers developed by Samanwaya Fellows. The papers focused on key priority areas such as Parliamentary Engagement, Youth Employment, Governance Transparency, Road Safety and Civic Education.
The event concluded with a joint commitment between parliamentarians and organizers to establish structured follow-up mechanisms. These frameworks aim to ensure that the recommendations directly inform upcoming legislative debates, parliamentary oversight, and strategic state planning.
