CSD holds 16th Social Business Day Nepal Forum

LALITPUR: Centre for Self‑help Development (CSD) held the 16th Social Business Day, 2026 Nepal Country Forum under the theme ‘Social Business: The Language of Peace in a Fractured World’ in Lalitpur today. The forum aligned its discussions with Nobel Peace Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus’s 3Zero concept — Zero Poverty, Zero Unemployment and Zero Net Carbon Emission — and reviewed a revised two‑year action plan adopted at the previous Country Forum.

About 100 officials from government line agencies, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), microfinance institutions, cooperatives and non‑governmental organisations attended the event, which was held ahead of the global Social Business Day scheduled for June 27–28, 2026, at the Samajik Convention Centre. The global gathering is organised annually by the Yunus Centre in collaboration with the Grameen Group.

National Planning Commission (NPC) Vice‑Chairman Dr Gunakhar Bhatta inaugurated the programme by lighting the traditional lamp “Panas.” He said, “Poverty can be addressed through financial inclusion and entrepreneurship development.” He added that microfinance can also address women’s empowerment, social inclusion and poverty alleviation, and urged a collaborative approach among financial institutions, NGOs, NRB and civil society.

Shankar Man Shrestha, chairperson of the Forum Organising Committee and chairman of CSD, highlighted the role of profit‑sharing by microfinance institutions. “Even though microfinance institutions are profit‑oriented institutions after being categorised as ‘D’ Class financial institutions, we should focus on sharing the profits with the poor for socio‑economic transformation,” he said, citing Jeevan Bikas Hospital as an example where dividends helped build a Rs 2 billion hospital with more than 200 beds for disadvantaged people. He also emphasised poverty alleviation, youth employment and environmental protection through the promotion of 3Zero Clubs.

Executive Vice Chairman of Grameen Trust, Bangladesh, Abdul Hai Khan, urged a shift in youth employment dynamics. “Young people should be job creators and not job seekers,” he said, stressing the importance of 3Zero Clubs to promote youth self‑employment and arguing that prosperity through self‑employment can help reduce conflict and instability.

Plenary and breakout sessions reviewed progress on the revised two‑year action plan and covered topics including the concept of 3Zero and the state of 3Zero Clubs and youth entrepreneurship in Nepal, building environment‑friendly villages (eco‑villages), and promoting health services for the poor. Members of various 3Zero Clubs, including high school students, shared their activities and commitment to the environment and climate action, expressing hope that their collective efforts will contribute to achieving zero net carbon emissions.

The forum’s organising committee, chaired by Shrestha, comprises 14 members. The Country Forum concluded by endorsing a nine‑point action plan focused on youth employment, eco‑villages and healthcare for all, and committed to presenting the action plan and progress reports during the global event later this month.