Nepal, Urbanization, and Crime

With rapid urbanization taking place across South Asia, countries such as Nepal face increasing difficulties in providing adequate security, as populations in cities grow rapidly. Many of these issues disporportionately affect youths, due to the draining of young workers from rural areas. Little work has been done examining the connections between unemployment, urbanization, and crime, but a recent report by the Institute for Development Studies (IDS) begins to shed light upon the issue, and provides some insight as to how to move forward. They find that tackling the growing issues with youth unemployment in the urban setting is a multi-faceted problem, and one which will require a multipronged strategy, effective community-based partnerships and strengthened policy capacity.

The WJP is proud to work with IDS in Nepal through our World Justice Challenge, by funding their Mobile Training Platform for Urban Policing. This platform supports Nepalese police as they adjust to a changing urban environment, training them in appropriate responses and protocol via mobile phone disseminated messages. For more information, read the entire report on the IDS website, and listen to some of the clips of interviews conducted by IDS. 

Excerpts from the report

First time offenders talk of how they ended up in prison, conditions inside, and their hopes and fears for the future.

First time offenders in Nepal (in Nepalese only) by Ids (Uk) on Mixcloud

Interview with a regular offender talks about his criminal life, police corruption and what drives crime in the country (Nepali).

Regular offender in Nepal (in Nepalese only) by Ids (Uk) on Mixcloud

Group discussion with regular offenders who talk about how they ended up in prison in Kathmandu, what compelled them to break the law and plans for the future (Nepali).

Group discussion with regular offenders in Nepal (in Nepalese only) by Ids (Uk) on Mixcloud

Principle researcher Subindra Bogati outlines the recent upsurge and drivers of violence in Nepal and considers what can be done to tackle the problem (English).

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Interview with Nepalese researcher Subindra Bogati, on violence in the country by Ids (Uk) on Mixcloud