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Giving aid is not purely an act of kindness or responsible duty. It has seen and unseen motives. This rule also applies to most of the foreign aid. This does not mean that all aid is self-interested. There are also good donors, who donate selflessly. However, in most of the cases, foreign aid is also a tool to promote national interests. With the arrival of Donald Trump to power, a US official recently categorically stated that “the US should only spend abroad if it makes America ‘stronger’, ‘safer’ or ‘more prosperous’.” The world needs more redistribution if it has to overcome poverty and inequality, and thereby make the world a safer place for all.

US global leadership and its grant aid are critically inter-linked.

Following this statement, the US State Department has issued a halt to nearly all existing foreign assistance (grants) and paused new aid. This instruction was given through an internal memo sent to officials and US embassies around the world. The new US president seems to view foreign aid as a waste of resources, so he has announced a thorough review and a cut. The leaked memo follows President Trump's executive order issued on the very first day in power on January 20 for a 90-day pause in foreign development assistance. He wants to take this time for critical review of existing US aid policy and align it with his own vision. If he keeps the election vows, many countries will no longer receive aid from the US.

The US is the world's biggest international aid donor. It spent nearly $68bn on about 15,000 activities in 204 countries in 2023 alone. For 2024 it was $39bn, 8,000 activities and 189 countries. This is nearly three times the annual budget of Nepal for the fiscal year 2023-24. While the US spent nearly $50bn on average in the last decade, the spending for the last year was already substantially reduced by about 26 percent for unknown reasons. This is a 47 percent reduction compared to the 2023 spending. The new memo is likely to result in further reduction in everything from development assistance to military aid. Media have reported that the memo makes exceptions only for emergency food aid in few troubled places and for military funding for Israel and Egypt. Ukraine alone received $17bn in 2023 alone for the US.

Ths is going to affect several developing countries as any US aid is now subject to new approval. This means that ongoing US-supported development projects may have to be closed down around the world in nearly 200 countries. Some staff of the US aid agency, USAID, will also lose their jobs as they will lose funding. Both the project staff and beneficiaries will be affected. Many will lose their jobs and others will not get the benefits from as many as 8,000 projects. The effect seems to be massive if all projects are terminated and other agencies, such as the United Nations organizations or national governments, do not take them up immediately.

Experts argue that the move could affect a wide range of critical development projects globally, including water, health, sanitation and shelter. Some of the ongoing developmental projects will be terminated without completion. It should be noted here that most of the US aid goes on water, sanitation and shelter sectors of the developing countries such as Nepal. Critical vaccination might also have to be disrupted. Countries such as Ukraine will have to end their internal and external wars of various kinds for various purposes.

The proposed budget freeze is likely to undermine the global leadership of the US as the richest and the most powerful country on Earth. Some have justified the freeze stating that it was impossible for the new administration to assess whether existing foreign aid commitments “are duplicated, effective and consistent with President Trump’s foreign policy promises.” Others view that as the richest country, the US should not stop giving to the needy as it is the duty of the rich to share some of its resources with others. Most faiths of the world believe and uphold this conviction. They even believe that God gives only to those who give others selflessly. From this logic, President Trump should not stop giving, rather he should increase the aid and reduce narrow self-interests. This is how America will garner respect from around the globe. This respect will empower it to further lead the world in science, technology, economy and all-round development.

The US cut on foreign aid will affect Nepal also. It has been noted that there are three themes at the core of USAID’s work which are critical for Nepal’s development: supporting federalism, promoting inclusion and strengthening institutions and resilience. Under these core areas, the US provides support to Nepal for agriculture, good governance, disaster resilience, physical infrastructure, education, health and sanitation via its aid agency, the USAID. As the oldest and biggest bilateral donor of Nepal, USAID has pledged $659m or around Rs 81bn for 2020-2025 (about Rs 16bn annually, which is less than one percent of our annual budget) as stated in its Country Development Cooperation Strategy.

The USAID channelizes most of the aid money through local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) in Nepal, and thereby most of its budget is off-budget. As the agency traditionally prefers a community development approach, local NGOs implement most of the US projects in Nepal. These NGOs and their staff are likely to be directly affected by the aid cut. Considering Nepal as critical to regional stability and connectivity, the US has also been providing support through Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) for the power and road sectors as well as the annual budgetary system of the government. It also partners with the private sector in Nepal to foster US profit-oriented investments.

To conclude, the US grants aid to the world and Nepal is very vital. While the potential US aid freeze and likely cut is not at all a good news as it may undermine critical developmental and humanitarian needs of the developing countries and thereby the achievement of the SDG targets by 2030, it is also likely to affect the existing global leadership of the US, opening this space for emerging donors such as China. Indeed, the rich empower themselves by giving, and the unequal and poverty-stricken world needs more redistribution. Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere. The US can be safer, stronger and more prosperous only in a poverty and inequality-free world.  Grant aid, a very small fraction of the overall US annual budget (about 0.7 percent), also opens the door to other business and strategic interests. While Nepal aims to graduate from the grouping of Least Developed Countries by 2026, the US, as the oldest development partner and a trusted friend, should not stop its grant aid to Nepal abruptly before Nepal ends its dependence on foreign aid.

In early October this year, Supreme Court Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut took charge of the judiciary as its head. Raut, a former advocate at the apex court, will lead the judiciary for nearly 18 months. While defending the special hearing at the parliament for his new role, Raut presented a 24-point action plan outlining his vision to make much-needed reforms in the judiciary.

But will CJ Raut really be able to walk the talk as the chief of a key organ of the state and restore public faith in it?

To safeguard democracy and maintain public trust, the judiciary must be fair, impartial and independent, which is a formidable task, indeed.

For Raut, the first challenge is improving the relationship between the Nepal Bar Association (NBA), an umbrella organization of Nepali attorneys, and the bench, at a time when the tussle between the two is worsening. This has resulted in delays in the appointment of judges in various courts, landing the judiciary in a mess and making the already-lethargic justice delivery system even worse.

Amid this tussle comes the apex court administration’s contempt of court case against the head of the NBA, Gopal Krishna Ghimire, in response to his demand for revisions in the ‘faulty’ Judicial Council Regulation. This comes after the council amended the regulation, placing the Supreme Court’s chief registrar at the second rank of high court if s/he gets appointed as a high court judge prompting the bar to decry the move as anti-constitutional.

NBA maintains that the council-effected change in the regulation affects career growth of senior judges working at the high court as the second rank in the court ensures early promotion to the coveted position of the chief judge and makes way for appointment as an apex court judge. NBA leaders believe the revised regulation will end up demoralizing high court judges.

Second, NBA believes that people’s faith in the judiciary is fading further with the recent judicial appointments by the council courting controversies and public criticism.

Third, certain controversial judgments on the part of the apex court over the years have tarnished the image of the apex court with the people openly criticizing them as if delays in justice delivery, corrupt practices and politicking were not enough.

Who’s responsible for this crisis in the judiciary?

Part of the blame goes to past CJs also. But is CJ Raut ready to mend ways, make a fresh start and transform the judiciary?

This question is important because the judiciary achieves legitimacy through excellent performance and impartial judgments.

At present, service-seekers feel that approaching courts for justice is a waste of time. Political agents feel safer than victims when a case lands at the courts. Public perception is that one gets justice if s/he is wealthy and/or powerful.

There’s a backlog of corruption cases in courts and if cases keep piling up with verdicts becoming a rarity, credibility of the judiciary will suffer further.

Scholars like Aristotle used to say, ‘justice is not a topic of argument but practical experience of heart’. However, that no longer remains relevant in the Nepali context.

For years, lawyers, judges, the public and other stakeholders have been demanding serious reforms within the judiciary, which has been facing some serious charges of corruption and political interference.

The actions of the Judicial Council, the apex body that appoints judges, almost always court controversy.

Owing to these factors, the new CJ should begin his reforms with the aim of enhancing the image of the judiciary as a free, fair and independent organ of the state. Obviously, the CJ can't perform this task alone, but he can at least make an honest effort.

The CJ can begin by seeking to win the trust of the NBA and the JC, especially in relation to the justice appointment process, and by taking action against judges performing below par. The JC has no other option than correcting the faulty regulation as it did not bother to consult the stakeholders while making changes in it. This move will help raise the level of public trust toward the judiciary.

The basic principles of the UN also state that the state should guarantee judicial independence, so it is the duty of all state organs, including the judiciary, to uphold judicial independence.

It’s time to steer the judiciary in the right direction by working together with all stakeholders concerned and the CJ should lead this effort.

Let me begin with a real-life incident.

A fifth-grade student asked his father for 100 rupees. The father politely asked for a cause while the boy's grandfather flung 1,000 rupees at him, saying, "This is all yours,". He looked at his son for being reluctant for his beloved grandson. This emotional liberality twisted financial responsibility, motivating the boy to seek more money consistently, claiming his grandfather's gift. The incidence exhibits a gap in the grandfather's financial awareness, as well as the coincidental teaching of poor financial habits in the early-age student. It emphasizes the significance of including financial literacy into school curricula to develop responsible behaviors in young students.

Financial literacy is key

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) defines financial literacy as the awareness, knowledge, skills, attitude and behavior required to make effective financial decisions for personal well-being. The fundamental concepts of financial literacy include increasing earnings, planning for the future, protecting financial well-being, spending wisely and borrowing responsibly for development. According to American economist Alan Greenspan, financial education needs to start early in life in order to have an influence that encourages young students to make wise financial decisions. Furthermore, financially knowledgeable guardians might discuss their income and expenditure status with youngsters to teach them how to spend money wisely based on their level of comprehension. Integrating financial literacy into school curricula is critical for preparing students to make informed decisions, set financial objectives and avoid potential traps.

Importance for Nepal

According to the "Baseline Survey on Financial Literacy in Nepal" conducted by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) in 2022, Nepal's national financial literacy rate of 57.9 percent remains a major concern, showing that more than half of the population lacks basic financial understanding. These findings highlight the necessity of targeted financial literacy activities in Nepal, particularly its incorporation into school education as a foundation of financial literacy to bridge the knowledge gap across generations and encourage informed financial decision-making. Nepal's central bank, the NRB, promotes financial literacy to assist people make informed financial decisions. The 2022 Financial Literacy Framework envisions financially capable individuals for Nepal's prosperity. The NRB's Unified Directive, 2080, mandates that banks and financial institutions (BFIs) devote one percent of net profit to corporate social responsibility (CSR), five percent to financial literacy of such funds (at least 10 percent in each province) and incorporate financial literacy programs into annual plans.

According to the directive, financial awareness and literacy programs should be carried out with the goal of CSR, rather than to promote their enterprises. NRB promotes demand-side improvement through podcasts, messaging, films, success stories, policies, digital finance communications and training programs such as ToT and manuals to increase public financial knowledge and competence. These programs must be integrated into school curricula in order to reach the target population at an early age to achieve the best possible program outcomes.

Integration with school curricula

Age-appropriate strategies may be used to include financial literacy at various educational levels. Curricula may be developed as a learning plan based on the most effective models that meet local and global standards. For example, interactive learning strategies such as games, simulations, quizzes and storytelling may be used to teach essential concepts such as saving, spending and recognizing the value of money at the primary school level. Secondary school students can learn about financial decision-making, debt management and budgeting through projects and case studies. Collaboration with financial institutions on hands-on activities and real-world applications can help to improve learning at all levels.

Local governments play an important role in developing financial literacy by incorporating it into local policies and school curriculum. In doing so, the Center for Education and Human Resource Development (CEHRD) can play a critical role in incorporating financial education into local policies and curricula as a standard financial literacy framework aligned with national education policies, as well as assisting local governments in contextualizing them to meet community needs. Local governments working with multi-stakeholder partnerships can provide technical assistance and design teacher training programs on how to effectively deliver financial literacy lessons, develop age-appropriate learning materials, and create feedback mechanisms to adapt curricula to local socioeconomic realities. This strategy guarantees that financial education is integrated into Nepal's educational system in a practical, inclusive and sustainable manner. South Africa’s “financial literacy for all” initiative, which includes a nationwide curriculum, can serve as a model for Nepal in reaching communities through schools and local centers ensuring that the curriculum reflects our evolving local financial landscape.

Conclusion  

Integrating financial literacy into school curricula, providing resources and collaborating with local governments, financial institutions, training organizations and other stakeholders can help ensure that programs follow a consistent curriculum structure. Schools can focus on practical financial skills, and communities may help with awareness efforts. “Save First, Spend Smart!" is directly related to financial literacy since saving should be considered a priority rather than an afterthought. This habit enables younger students to save consistently and practice sound financial management later in life. A financially literate generation will result in less debt, more savings and more financial independence, bolstering Nepal's economic stability and prosperity while also assuring a prosperous financial future for everyone.

The author holds an MPhil degree in education from the Kathmandu University

Nepal, a country famed for its stunning natural beauty and varied biodiversity, is home to myriad marginalized communities whose lives are deeply intertwined with the forests that cover around 40 percent of its landmass. These localities include indigenous people, Dalits and diverse ethnic populations struggling with extensive hurdles due to factors like socio-economic disparities and ecological shifts. At the same time, these communities exhibit significant resilience and adaptability in facing the challenges in their daily lives.

A lifeline 

Forests in Nepal are not just natural wonders; they also serve a fundamental to survival and cultural essence of various marginalized communities. Indigenous groups in particular depend on forests for vital resources such as food, medicine, firewood and income through non-timber forest products (NTFPs). According to a study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), over 60 percent of rural households depend on forest resources for their livelihoods, though restricted forest policies often limit the access to those resources.

Policies and impact

Despite their heavy resilience on forests, marginalized groups frequently experience difficulties due to national forestry strategies that value conservation more than community rights. Local voices have been historically ignored in the process of policy-making due to the government’s centralized framework for forest management strategies. Many indigenous community people are unaware of the legal validation of their land holdings, exposing them to risk to displacement and deforestation. 

To illustrate, the Forest Act of 1993 was implemented with the goal of shifting forest control and advocating community forest-based management but many marginalized groups are still facing challenges vis-a-vis integration and recognition.

Cultural identities

The cultural value of forests cannot be exaggerated. For many marginalized groups, forests serve as a divine sanctuary. Traditional environmental knowledge passed on to descendants plays an important role in sustainable forest management. Indigenous practices often reinforce the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable resource use.

As the entry to forest declines due to external challenges such as logging, harvesting and agricultural expansions, these cultural links become fragile. Waning ancestral forest conservation practices not only disrupt biodiversity but also undermine the cultural history of communities.

A harsh climate 

Climate change creates more challenges, especially for marginalized communities that rely on forests for their livelihoods. Unpredictable rainfall patterns increase the risk of natural disasters and bring about changes in ecosystem patterns, exacerbating economic instability as well as food insecurity. As an example, shifts in the weather cycle are mainly to blame for crop loss/damage and decrease in farm productivity in several parts of Nepal. 

More often than not, marginalized communities lack commodities and assistance needed to tackle these challenges effectively, to the detriment of their health, education and the economy.

Rights, wrongs and roles 

In response to these challenges, grassroots movements have surfaced for defending the marginalized communities’ rights over land and forest resources. Organizations such as the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) have been raising the voices of these communities in policy-making processes and political discussions for years. 

Resilient community forestry programs have shown how local populations influence sustainable management practices. A case in point is Ramechhap where community-led initiatives have shown that putting local communities at the forefront of forest conservation yields encouraging results.

Conclusion 

Problems facing marginalized communities living around forest areas in Nepal show the need for inclusive forest protocols that honor their rights and roles in conservation initiatives. 

By promoting an alliance between government agencies, NGOS and local communities in forest conservation, Nepal can create a more balanced approach to conservation. Educational advancement and capacity-building training can help these communities manage forests more sustainably. 

In conclusion, realizing the hardships and adaptability of marginalized communities is crucial for ensuring sustainable development of Nepal’s forestry sector. By admiring their traditional knowledge

and practices vis-a-vis conservation, Nepal can move forward to a more inclusive future where both communities and forest coexist and thrive.