Nepal democracy strategy

However, the country"s political history and the anti-democratic strains still resident in its political culture suggest that exploiting this opportunity will require creative and steady effort on the part of Nepal"s leaders and citizens as well as international supporters. Initial sections of this report sketch the prospects for sustainable democracy in Nepal in light of the country"s historical experience, political culture, ethnic and religious cleavages, uncertain territorial borders, institutional and attitudinal factors, class structure, and support for Nepal"s democracy by other states. The remainder of the report outlines A.I.D."s democracy strategy for Nepal. The overall goal of the strategy is to create democratic institutions in near term. Subgoals are grouped under five headings: (1) Voice -- improved channels for popular influence on government and information dissemination; (2) Choice -- free, fair, and meaningful elections; (3) Governance -- effective, open, and democratic administration; (4) Redress -- full protection of individual and group rights; and (5) Accountability -- removal of pervasive corruption in government. Program suggestions for each of these subgoals are provided. The final section of the report discusses the need to establish a pro-market, private sector-led economy to support the democracy initiative.