NEPAL aspires to graduate from the least developing country to a lower-middle-income country by 2030. However, the development community’s excessive focus today on socio-political empowerment has not yielded the desired economic transformation. In reaching the 2030 national target, shall we wait for institutions of power to become accountably productive or shall we bolster innovations of people to bring inclusive prosperity? And, shall we strengthen grassroots-government collaboration in shaping an equal and enterprising future?

DAAYITWA ABHIYAAN strives for an enterprising Nepal where every individual has opportunities for a prosperous future. Focused on promoting economic empowerment, we aim to nurture an enterprising mindset - which is about working hard, taking risks, and being creative - in development change agents. Driven by principles of economic justice, community engagement and financial sustainability, the Abhiyaan comprises four organizations.

• Daayitwa - an NGO that promotes domestic youth employment by accelerating rural youth entrepreneurs to create jobs and supporting the government to implement evidence-based enterprise development policies.

• Nepal Leadership Academy - a non-profit company that develops an enterprising mindset in change agents by growing their leadership and management capabilities.

• Governance Lab - a for-profit research firm that enables the government and the private sector to make decisions by conducting evidence-based research and connecting researchers and decision-makers.

• Daayitwa-US - a US-based non-profit that engages and empowers Nepali diaspora in the US as change agents and strengthens local and global collaboration to promote socio-economic development in Nepal.

Governance Lab (GovLab) at the Daayitwa Abhiyaan brings together policy-making researchers, leaders and entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and advocate for evidence-based policymaking to achieve sustainable development in Nepal. It has conducted research on various topics such as MSE growth, dignity of labor and COVID-19 related financial and health issues in order to support federal and provincial governments to make evidence-based policy decisions over the years. As a part of Purnima, a DFID-funded project, Governance Lab and Daayitwa have collaboratively conducted a market study geared towards developing contextualized solutions to the challenges of women-led MSEs and bridging the gap between women enterprises and BFIs and markets through capacity building. GovLab, in collaboration with Yale Economic Growth Center and with financial support from FCDO, has been conducting a 5-year research on ‘Political Economy of Inclusive Growth in Nepal’. Similarly, GovLab, in partnership with Daayitwa, has been supporting the Government of Nepal at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels to conduct policy analysis and support policy entrepreneurs in promoting evidence-based policy decisions. We have conducted policy research that aligns with government priorities in areas of youth employment, women’s economic empowerment, access to investment, entrepreneurship ecosystem, and governance reform. Some of our highlighted research work include ‘Insights from Nepal on UN High-Level Panel’s 7 Drivers of Change for Women’s Economic Empowerment’ (in partnership with Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens) and ‘Evaluation of Microenterprise Graduation in Lumbini and Madhesh Provinces’ (in partnership with Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies).

The Governance and Research Intern will work with the Governance and Research Coordinator at Governance Lab, and will provide assistance in conducting governance and public sector strengthening research, coordinate the outreach of GovLab with government and policy partners, and provide relevant support to other entities of Daayitwa Abhiyaan. The specific responsibilities include the following: 

• Work with the Governance and Research Coordinator and the GovLab team to successfully implement various aspects of the Economic Governance project.

• Assist with conducting policy research on various governance and public-sector development topics, including understanding the policy and practice gaps in municipalities in strengthening economic governance.

• Work with the Governance and Research Coordinator and the GovLab team to spearhead capacity development initiatives for various policy stakeholders, including public officials in municipalities and federal government organizations.

• Engage policy stakeholders, such as bureaucracy, politics, private sector, and civil society, for innovative evidence to policy implementation.

• Assist with planning and organizing policy dialogues and other outreach activities at local, provincial and federal levels.

• Increase efficiency in delivering results by liaising with the senior management team. 

• Work with the communication team to develop outreach and promotion of our governance work.

• Perform other duties as assigned. 

• Bachelor's degree in Psychology, International Affairs, Development Studies, Social Work, Business, Economics, Humanities, Communication, or other related fields. 

• Academic coursework and a keen interest in applied research, particularly in economics, public policy, and the social sciences.

• Ability to work effectively under pressure in a diverse, team-oriented environment.

• Strong motivation, self-starter, and organizational/time management skills.

• Proven ability to handle multiple tasks at a time within deadlines.

• Willingness to learn and work hard. A growth mindset is key.

• Open to travel when and where required.

• Excellent oral and written communications skills in English and Nepali.

Compensation: GovLab will provide a monthly stipend to the Intern. The rate will be mutually agreed upon, commensurate with the level of deliverables, qualifications and experience of the candidate.

Duration: 6 months

Apply Before: March 31, 2023

To Apply: Interested candidates must submit a CV and a cover letter.
Click on I'm Interested to send us your portfolio.

Please email humanresource[@]daayitwa.org or contact[@]govlab.com.np with the subject line “Governance and Research Intern” followed by your first and last name (e.g., “XXX – Jane Doe) and attach the following documents:

• Cover letter (maximum one page)

• CV

• Academic transcripts

**Only shortlisted candidates will be notified**