ASD in collaboration with Youth Empowerment Society, Mithila organized a half day interaction program on "Upcoming Election: Challenges and Possibilities in the Preset Context' on 9 May 2013 in Janakpur. The objective of the program was to discuss and understand the present political scenario and the upcoming election. Lawyers, journalists, representatives of political parties, human rights activists and academicians participated in the program to discuss on the ongoing challenges posed by different political parties regarding the election and the shrinking democratic space after the appointment of the Chief Justice as the chairman of the Interim Election Council and appointment of chief the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).
ASD in collaboration with Sayapatri Society, Kaski organized a one-day interaction program on “Examination system of Higher Secondary Education- Problems, Challenges and Solutions” on April 16, 2013 at Janapriya Campus Hall, Pokhara. Exam superintendent, observers, teachers and special observers along with the representatives from Higher Secondary Education Board- Kaski and Regional Examination Center of Pokhara participated in the program. The program focused on identifying solution for improving the management of examination system caused by specific problems faced by the teachers and exam centers, challenges faced by the observers and the superintendents.
ASD Youth Programme organised a half day meeting on 20 March 2013 with the members of the Dolakha Debate Club. The club consisting of a total of nine members was established on September 16, 2012 by the alumni of New Media and Debate Workshop 2010/11 and the members of the Nepal Debate Initiative (NDI). The main agenda of the meeting was to explore possibilities for growth and sustainability of the newly established debaters club in the region.
Similarly, an interaction programme with the local stakeholders was also held on the same day. During the programme the participants discussed the nature of the fortnightly radio debate programme on Radio Sailung, a community FM station, and expressed their views on areas for improvement and expansion.
ASD Youth Programme in coordination with Faculty Debate Initiative (FDI) and the Faculty of Department of Conflict and Peace Studies at the Mid-Western University conducted a half day discussion programme on “Introduction to Debate” on 29 March 2013 in Surkhet, Nepal. A total of 45 participants including graduate and undergraduate level students of Conflict and Peace Studies and Social Work and the alumni of New Media and Debate Workshop (2010 till 2012) were present at the programme.
The Department of Conflict and Peace Studies have started teaching debate since beginning 2013 to its students with the objective to help them learn and acquire skills required for critical thinking, effective communication, and managing conflict through structured debate.
ASD in collaboration with OSF grantee Disabled Empowerment and Communication Centre (DECC) Nepal organized a half day interaction program on "Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in the Electoral Process" on 24 March 2013 in Kathmandu. The objective of the program was to raise the concerns of the persons with disabilities in the election process. A total of 56 persons with disabilities, representatives from Election Commission, National Human Rights Commission, Lawyers, Journalists and Political Parties were present at the program.
DECC Nepal in coordination with National Federation of Disabled Nepal prepared and submitted a memorandum to the Election Commissioner and Home Ministry mainly regarding the issues of political representation, inclusion in voters list, access to voter education and access to polling stations in the proposed Constitution Assembly Election.