Introduction
National Association of Rural Municipalities in Nepal (NARMIN) (which was established as National Association of village development committee in Nepal (NAVIN) in the year 1995 as an association of 3157 VDCs under National Directive Act 1961) is now an umbrella organization of 460 rural municipalities in Nepal. The government formally embraced federal setup by dissolving different bodies, Like Village Development Committees, Municipalities, District, Zonal and Regional levels. Those 3912 VDCs were replaced by 460 Rural Municipalities as a new local government. By embracing all these changes in the structure of the government, the name of this organization also changed to NARMIN by the National Convention of NARMIN held on 31st March to 2nd April 2018. It is a representative organization of rural local elected leader. NARMIN has successfully established itself as a credible organization in strengthening local governance process in Nepal. According to the NARMIN Constitution, the core mandates are defined as:
- Protection and expansion of RMs rights and interests.
- Sharing of knowledge and experiences among RMs for the overall development of rural communities
- Organizational development and institutional strengthening of RMs for effective public service delivery
Vision, Mission, Goal and Objective of NARMIN
Vision
To be a professional representative organization of RMs and contribute in developing them as efficient, transparent and responsive local governments
Mission
To empower RMs by representing and promoting their interests and strengthening their institutional capacity for local self-governance and effective service delivery to the people.
Goals
- Create policies supportive to local self-governance
- Strengthen RMs as self-motivated and people oriented organizations
Objectives
- Advocate and lobby for legal and policy framework towards local government.
- Coordinate and share knowledge among RMs in improving service delivery & resource optimization
- Build stronger civil society networking for good governance & local democracy
Organization Structure
NARMIN’s organizational structure has two levels; political structure and professional structure.
Political Structure
This structure has National Convention, Central Council, Central Executive Committee and Provincial Chapters. The Executive Committee, which is the main implementing body of NARMIN, is elected through a National Convention. A Central Working Committee, comprising of eleven members of the Executive Committee, acts as the deciding body for day to day activities that the Secretariat personnel carry out.
Professional Structure
Professional Structure: The NARMIN secretariat forms the professional structure of the organization. It is led by the Executive Director, and has various departments. At present the sections actively working at NARMIN are: Program Planning, Administration and Finance, Information and Advocacy that have horizontal linkages between them. All units report to the Executive Director, who in turn is accountable to the Political Board.
Financial Source
The main income source of NARMIN is membership fees from Rural Municipalities. Provincial chapters collect annual membership fees from respective members of which 50% of the collected amount is gathered in the fund of Central Executive Committee. NARMIN secretariat also mobilizes external funding support on periodic program basis. It conducts several programs that are supported by donor agencies in its working area of local government.
Representation in Government Agencies
NARMIN (NAVIN) contributed its expertise on local governance in several government agencies in the past: They were as follows:
| S.N. | Commission, Committee |
| 1. | Decentralization Implementation and Monitoring Committee |
| 2. | Local bodies Fiscal Commission (LBFC) |
| 3. | Central Revenue Sharing and Monitoring Committee, Revenue Consultancy Committee |
| 4. | Multi Stakeholder Climate Change Coordination Committee |
| 5. | Poverty Alleviation Fund |
| 6. | Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Fund Development Board |
| 7. | Road Board Nepal |
| 8. | Child Friendly Local Governance (CFLG) National Committee |
| 9. | Informal Education Council |
| 10. | Local Development Training Academy (LDTA) |
| 11. | Working Committee for improvement planning of LDTA |
| 12. | National Development Council |
| 13. | National Agriculture Development Committee |
| 14. | Operational Committee of Renewable Energy for Rural Livelihood (RERL/AEPC) |
| 15. | Advisory Member of Local Good Governance Project implement by Non Government Organization (NGO) |
| 16. | Directory Member of Multi stakeholder Forestry Project |
| 17. | LGCDP, National Advisory Committee, Sub- National Advisory Committee, |
| 18. | Local Governance Accountability facility (LGAF) National Committee |
| 19. | Water Management Committee |
| 20. | VDC Level Service Center Coordination Committee |
| 21. | District Revenue Consultancy Committee |
| 22. | Social Mobilization District Coordination Committee |
| 23. | Climate Adaptation Model Program Coordination Committee |
Core Working Areas
Policy Advocacy
National Association of Rural Municipalities in Nepal (NARMIN) was established with the main aims of policy advocacy, capacity building and Strengthening Networks of RMs. It is an umbrella organization to represent and provide support to Nepal’s 460 Rural Municipalities in Nepal.
According to its Charter (NARMIN Bidhan, 2074), the core mandates of NARMIN are:
- Policy lobby advocacy for democratic, inclusive, autonomous and functional local governments accountable to the people,
- Address Policy environment supportive to local government and interest of RMs effectively,
- Development as per the principle of multiparty democracy, decentralization and autonomous governance,
- Coordination and sharing of experiences, best practices among RMs for the overall development of rural communities,
- Strengthening and mobilization of all RMs for timely, effective, efficient and quality services to general populace in a transparent and accountable manner.
- Represent in various GoN’s commission for policy advocacy and ensure benefit to local people.
Capacity Building of Local Governments
- Protection and expansion of rights and interests of Local government (RMs),
- Coordination and sharing of experiences, best practices among RMs for the overall development of rural communities,
- Mobilization of resources for RMs and provide necessary skill oriented and capacity development training for them,
- Technical support for preparation of periodic Rural Municipalities profiles and orient RMs official and stakeholders,
- Orient RMs representatives, official, LSP, Political party, civic society and stakeholders on different local government sectors,
- Publication of resource material strengthening federalism and local governance, quarterly magazine on con current issues.
Strengthening Networks
- NARMIN has been able to establish itself, both nationally and internationally, as a reputable representative organization of RMs and has founded itself as a partner organization in decentralization reform process in Nepal.
- Currently NARMIN has representing as an umbrella organization 460 rural municipalities in Nepal.
- To empower RMs by representing and promoting their interests and strengthening their institutional capacity for strengthening local government and effective service delivery to the people.
- Platform for raising and exchanging RMs issues and problems.