ABOUT US
Our mission
To strengthen citizen engagement and enable responsive governance.
Our Vision
Prosperous, inclusive, and active democracy for the Global South.
Above: some pictures from one of Shaasan's civic training programs,Digital Media Literacy Workshop. Youth aged 16-24 learn about digital media literacy and ways to counter disinformation, misinformation, and malinformation in light of Nepal's surge in social media use as well as the upcoming 2022 general elections.
Civic disengagement is a first-principle problem - a deep, wicked problem that lies at the source of many other issues in Nepal. In its 250 year history, Nepal has had less than fifteen years of stable democratic experience. Over the past 58 years, Nepal has had 49 Prime Ministers. Nepal ranks as one of the worst performers in government effectiveness, governance, and public participation in the world.
But we believe this wicked problem can be mitigated. With increasing access to technology, a potential demographic dividend in the form of a large youth population, and unprecedented political enfranchisement, Shaasan seeks to change Nepal from a perfunctory and procedural democracy to a performance-oriented, participatory one.
Out of 137 countries,
Nepal ranks 90th for 'governance'
in the Bertelsmann Stiftung Index.
Core Team
The ones who make it happen
Pratik Kunwar
Founder
Pratik Kunwar is a civic innovator with more than eight years of experience working on creating civic innovations for inclusive civic participation and civic justice needs. As the Founder, he leads CEI to achieve its mission of meeting the civic justice needs of more than 1.5 billion people globally without access to it. He studied International Business at the University of Nottingham, Executive Education from Harvard Kennedy School and MicroMasters in Data Economics and Development Policy from MIT. He will also be the first and only Nepali to attend MIT's Master's in DEDP Program in 2024.
Pratik is also serving as a member of the Impact Council of the World Economic Forum's Global Shapers Community. He is a Co-Chair of Daayitwa Foundation's Alumni Council and has been a World Economic Forum's #Davos50, Accountability Lab 'National Changemaker', One Young World Peaceful Futures Scholar and Delegate Speaker, World Forum for Democracy delegate for Nepal, OC Fellow, Yunus&Youth Fellow, UN SDSN Local Pathways Fellow, and Daayitwa National Public Service Fellow.
Bisheshta Shrestha
Head of Programs
A GESI & Feminism practitioner and former Project Manager at Daayitwa, with over 8 years of cumulative experience. She works as a researcher/technical writer, mentor & trainer, project manager & evaluator, policy researcher and advocate in both development and humanitarian (GESI, Feminism, Good Governance, leadership) context. Having proven abilities in undertaking research, analysis and translation of findings into targeted community specific programing, conduct monitoring and evaluation exercises, strategic implementation planning, and capacity building and human resource assessment. Her multiple academic and technical skills in the different thematic areas in which she works and her additional skills in communication, and writing and women’s rights advocacy makes her a competent professional.
Sara Belbase
Program Coordinator
Sara Belbase completed her undergraduate in International Relations and Economics from Agnes Scott College. Prior to joining CEI, she worked as a Project Officer and Research Consultant for Civic-Engagement and Governance related initiatives at Daayitwa and Governance Lab in Nepal. She was awarded Project for Peace Scholarship to design and implement a storytelling workshop in Rwanda, and Hubert Scholarship for a financial literacy workshop in Nepal. Sara has also worked at Edelman, and Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C.
Prakriti Basyal
Program Officer
Prakriti has experience working in the area of public policy research and program management. She has co-authored a policy brief on access to finance for women-led enterprises for a parliamentarian and a report for the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology. As an international relations and peace studies graduate from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan, Basyal is also passionate about international relations, and affairs and promoting youth engagement in the area. She is LeadNext Fellow 2023 at The Asia Foundation.
Tejash Parakram Bista
Research Officer
Tejash Parakram Bista studied International Relations and Political Science from Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University in Japan. He has also interned in projects such as “World-Week” in Japan. Apart from this he also has experience in the hospitality sector through work in traditional Japanese inns such as “Hana no Sho” and “Atarashiya”. He has also volunteered with “Happy Homes” and works as a freelance photographer.
Ekta Chitrakar
Finance Coordinator
Ekta Chitrakar, a graduate from Shanker Dev Campus, Kathmandu. Her experience as a Finance Officer is extensive. Prior to joining CEI, Ekta was the Sr.Accountant at Vacker 360 IT. She has also worked with Accountability Lab and Suvida Sewa in their finance department.
Shreyas Kharel
Program Associate
Shreyas is a development enthusiast with a Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies from Kathmandu University. He worked as a Governance and Research Intern with Governance Lab, Daayitwa Abhiyan in 2022 (July- December). As a Program Associate, Shreyas works under the 'Shaasan' and 'Udaya' programs in project management, research, program designs, and implementation mostly within civic engagement, leadership and governance.
LOOKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES?
Join our fast-growing
and dynamic team
We are regularly posting internships, volunteering and job opportunities on our social media. Follow us for the latest news, opportunities, and more. You can also contact us!
For the full list of team members at CEI, please see the link for the main organization below.