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Jimmy Carter, the 39th president of the United States, passed away at the age of 100, leaving behind an enduring legacy as a humanitarian, advocate for peace, and champion of human rights. His life was a testament to humility and service, symbolizing the principles of a true humanitarian. Carter’s most significant contributions came after his presidency, proving that former leadership roles can be harnessed for greater societal good.

In contrast to many global leaders who cling to power until their last breath, Carter chose a different path. In Nepal, politics is often seen as a lifetime occupation, with leaders reluctant to step away from the political stage. Carter, however, demonstrated that one's impact can extend far beyond the tenure of an official role. Despite facing numerous challenges during his presidency—including the energy crisis, Soviet aggression, and the Iran hostage crisis—he remained steadfast in his principles and commitment to service. His post-presidential work earned him global admiration, not just as a former US president but as a global humanitarian.

Nepali leaders could greatly benefit by emulating Carter's qualities: resilience, integrity, dedication, and adherence to personal principles. Carter provided a clear vision and skillset to create meaningful change even after leaving office, a lesson Nepali politicians should adopt.

Carter was not widely popular during his presidency, particularly when he sought re-election. The American public doubted his leadership during tough economic times. However, his unwavering resolve to serve humanity became his hallmark. Through the Carter Center, he addressed global challenges, including health care, democratic governance, and human rights. Even in declining health, he continued his mission to improve lives worldwide, exemplifying hope and resilience.

Nepali leaders, by contrast, often fail to contribute meaningfully outside the political arena. This stems from an identity crisis and an egoistic mindset that prevents them from engaging in other areas of service. Nepal has many academically and professionally capable former leaders who could contribute to nation-building through education, economics, or social initiatives. Yet, few follow Carter’s example of using their experience to serve the greater good.

Carter’s simplicity and discipline stand in entirely contrast to the materialism and extravagance that characterize many Nepali leaders’ lifestyles. His unwavering integrity, commitment to peace, and belief in human rights shaped his legacy. Nepali leaders often foster corruption and social inequality through their pursuit of luxury and power. Carter, on the other hand, will be remembered not for his presidential power but for his modest, principled life. The current fragility of Nepali society—marked by political dilemmas, misinformation, and populist agendas—calls for leaders who prioritize unity, social harmony, and fact-based solutions. Nepali leaders must abandon political biases and work towards strengthening democracy, ensuring justice, and promoting economic prosperity.

Carter came to office in 1976, offering a fresh alternative following the Watergate scandal. His administration emphasized transparency, human rights, environmental conservation, and historic achievements like the Camp David Accords, a historic peace agreement between Egypt and Israel. However, economic struggles and international crises overshadowed his presidency. Despite these setbacks, Carter never wavered in his honesty and commitment to his principles.

One of Carter’s most profound statements reflects his philosophy:

“I believe that anyone can be successful in life, regardless of natural talent or the environment within which we live. This is not based on measuring success by human competitiveness for wealth, possessions, influence, and fame, but adhering to God’s standards of truth, justice, humility, service, compassion, forgiveness, and love.”

Carter’s dedication to doing even small things with consistency and humility made him a leader for the people rather than for a party. Nepali leaders can learn from his legacy that serving the people and pursuing greater causes outweigh political ideologies or party loyalties. Jimmy Carter’s life is a reminder that leadership is not confined to holding office but is defined by one’s actions and principles. Nepali leaders must focus on building a legacy that future generations can admire. This is the time to act—to strengthen Nepal’s democracy, foster social justice, uphold the rule of law, and pursue economic prosperity. By embracing Carter’s values of service, humility, and integrity, Nepali leaders can transform their country into a more just and prosperous society. 

President Jimmy Carter exemplified humility, integrity, and a committed dedication to public service, with his most impactful accomplishments occurring after his presidency. Through his efforts to improve global health, uphold human rights, and promote peace, he demonstrated that true leadership extends far beyond the confines of political office. Unfortunately, many Nepali leaders remain fixated on retaining power and struggle to contribute meaningfully outside the political sphere, often constrained by personal ego. By embracing Carter's values of simplicity, resilience, and service to the greater good, Nepali leaders could strengthen democracy, foster social harmony, and build an enduring legacy that inspires many generations to come. The question remains: Will they rise to the challenge?

It has been more than six months since Nepal’s two major political parties, the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML, pledged to make amendments to the 2015 constitution. However, despite their promises, tangible progress remains elusive. A few weeks ago, they announced plans to form a two-party mechanism to address constitutional amendment issues. Yet, this initiative appears stalled, with little to no significant development.

Statements from Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli suggest that a constitutional amendment is not on the immediate horizon. In fact, it may not occur until after the 2027 national elections. Without giving away the specifics, Oli indicated that any potential amendment might only take place in 2030. Regarding the flaws in the constitution, he remarked, “There are some flaws in the constitution which need to be rectified, but it will take place only in 2030 because now we do not have the two-thirds majority required for it.”

The NC has remained notably silent about its position on constitutional amendments. There have been no substantial deliberations within the party, and it is unclear if there is any agreement between the NC and UML on key issues. Both parties appear to share an interest in reforming the current electoral system to ensure political stability, but dissenting voices from Madhesi and Janajati leaders within their ranks could complicate such efforts.

If the two major parties fail to take the initiative, constitutional amendments are unlikely to materialize. When the NC and UML announced their willingness to amend the constitution while forming the government in July last year, it prompted other parties to clarify their positions. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), which did not exist when the constitution was promulgated in 2015, has established a task force led by Chief Whip Santosh Pariyar to determine the party’s stance on constitutional issues. The RSP’s position on governance, federalism, and the electoral system remains ambiguous. The party’s decision not to field candidates for provincial assemblies in 2022 sparked speculation that it might oppose the federal structure. However, leaders like Pariyar have expressed support for federalism and related agendas.

Meanwhile, Madhes-based parties have begun consolidating their positions on constitutional amendments. These parties are working towards forming a loose alliance to present a unified stance. The first amendment to the constitution in 2016 addressed some of their demands, bringing an end to the Madhes Movement and lifting a four-month-long blockade imposed by India. However, the Madhes-based parties still advocate for further changes to fully address their grievances.

Constitutional amendment was also a key topic of discussion at the recently concluded Central Committee meeting of CPN (Maoist Center), the main opposition. The party has outlined three primary amendments: the introduction of a directly elected president, the adoption of a fully proportional electoral system, and ensuring 50 percent representation for women in state organs. Maoist Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal has championed these radical reforms, which could reshape Nepal’s political landscape if implemented.

The fifth-largest party, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), has also initiated internal discussions on constitutional amendments. The RPP’s agenda includes abolishing federalism, reinstating Nepal as a Hindu state, and reviving the monarchy. These proposals stand in stark contrast to the positions of most other parties and are unlikely to gain widespread support.

Despite these activities among smaller parties, the NC and UML’s lack of substantive discussion on constitutional amendments is striking. For instance, during a recent UML Central Committee meeting, there was no mention of the specific changes the party seeks to introduce. According to UML leaders, the party’s strategy is to prioritize constitutional amendments only after securing a majority in the House of Representatives.

The 2015 constitution is widely regarded as a product of compromise among four major political forces: the NC, UML, Maoists, and Madhes-based parties. While this consensus allowed for the constitution’s promulgation, it has also resulted in ambiguities and areas of contention that require resolution. The UML’s current stance appears to favor amendments tailored to its terms, further delaying the process due to the lack of cross-party consensus.

As Nepal approaches the 10th anniversary of the 2015 constitution, there has been no expert-led review of its implementation. A senior UML leader has emphasized that the government’s priority is to evaluate the constitution’s effectiveness before deciding on amendments. This cautious approach reflects broader hesitations within the NC, where internal dynamics and divergent views prevent the party from supporting UML’s amendment proposals wholeheartedly.

The road to constitutional amendment is fraught with challenges. Beyond the lack of political will among major parties, there are ideological divides that hinder consensus. For instance, the UML’s preference for amendments that align with its agenda clashes with the more inclusive demands of Madhes-based parties and Janajati leaders. Similarly, the Maoist party’s call for radical reforms faces resistance from parties advocating for minimal changes.

Furthermore, the failure to address constitutional issues risks deepening public disillusionment with Nepal’s political leadership. Many citizens view the 2015 constitution as a landmark achievement that needs refinement to better serve the nation’s evolving needs. The lack of progress undermines confidence in the political process and raises questions about the commitment of major parties to democratic principles and governance.

To move forward, Nepal’s political leadership must prioritize dialogue and consensus-building. A comprehensive review of the constitution’s implementation, involving legal experts, civil society, and diverse political voices, could provide a roadmap for amendments that address the nation’s pressing challenges. 

The Indian state of Odisha and India’s northern neighboring country Nepal are both seats of rich culture and are deeply rooted in heritage based on Hindu and Buddhist culture with close religious links. As the most populous country on the planet each state in India is a country in terms of numbers. Odisha is nearly 1.5 times Nepal in terms of its population. Strikingly, both Odisha and Nepal are heavily dependent on agriculture, highly vulnerable to climate change,and—being migrant donors—have experienced stand out reduction in poverty.  

Here are a few more common threads between Odisha and Nepal. Odisha recorded the largest reduction in poverty among India’s major states. Based on NITI Aayog’s 2023 Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report, the multidimensional poverty rate in Odisha decreased from 29.34 percent in 2015-16 to 15.68 percent in 2019-21. Nepal also made substantive progress in reducing MPI from 30.1 percent in 2014 to 17.4 percent in 2019. This progress suggests that Odisha and Nepal are headed in the right direction. However, in both cases, regional disparity based on geography and economic status and social identity and nutritional deprivations remain among the most significant contributors to MPI.

Given the structure of the economy in both Odisha and Nepal, a generalized reduction in poverty could be attributed to increased income from agriculture and its resilience. Having endowed with good cultivable lands, both have huge potentials to overcome poverty through agricultural development. As Odisha hosts an international high level policy forum in Bhubaneshwar for accelerating inclusive agriculture transformation on December 20th, it poses the question what does it mean for south-south learning and cooperation in our neighborhood? The agriculture transformation pathways are largely similar but the methods could be different and subject to learning.  

In the one and a half decade since 2000, agriculture in Odisha grew faster than the average of Indian states (4.5 percent versus 3.1 percent). Samrudhi agricultural Policy, 2020, aimed to capitalize on this momentum by focusing on social and economic wellbeing of the farmers (including sharecroppers and landless) while aiming to ensure the growth process as environmentally, economically and technologically inclusive. Nepal’s focus on rural transformation, for example in the Samriddi project, also aims to diversify the range of economic activities for rural households through promotion of self-employment and small businesses and microenterprises. Both these approaches emphasize the role of diversification and market linkages along with technology as key drivers of transformative strategies.

One of the primal policies has been digitization in agriculture. Inter alia it accounted for monitoring and information about several interrelated factors such as weather, inputs, policies that bear on agricultural outcomes. This mandated data collection and curation on multiple fronts. In 2017, Odisha created a data management system involving multiple sources that generated comprehensive real time data required for agri-food systems planning and execution. The decision support system also built in monitoring systems for projects and programs. With the comprehensive span of data and in real time, this portal became a valuable tool for inclusive agricultural transformation analytics and assessment. Something akin to this has been attempted in Nepal as Geo Krishi. In situations like those in Odisha and Nepal, there are multiple missing markets (credit and insurance), thus rationalizing bundling to provide for different needs. At a system level, for inclusive agricultural transformation, there have thus been bundled products.

As identified the main issue plaguing agriculture and its transformation have been the markets. The digital data platforms must get the scientific measure of market access which requires assessing all possible trade links (domestic, international, regional as a system) and trade costs. There are common products like cotton that are of relevance to both Nepal and Odisha. These platforms with their reach should be used for market exploration and monitoring of risks embedded in volatility brought about by market access. Most importantly they could be used for value chain integration where the Indian state like Odisha and India’s friendly neighboring country Nepal can position themselves in the value chain based on comparative advantage i.e. whether to specialize in raw cotton or yarn or fabric or apparel. Geographically proximate, in cotton and other products Odisha and Nepal could be benefited by becoming part of GVC. If tropical fruits from Odisha were to be processed in Nepal and apples from Nepal were to be processed in Odisha based on their comparative advantage, it would bring significant gains for both trading partners.

How policies have an attenuation or reinforcement effect on market access need to be assessed. The system of pricing in states has a direct spillover effect on other Indian states and Nepal. A system of goods and services tracking through formal and informal systems. Being part of linked value chains will also become the pathway for flow of information and knowledge. Having a similar transformative role of agriculture in poverty reduction and adoption of innovative platforms, the next frontier is to employ them for markets. Used as a risk management tool will facilitate the move towards inclusive agricultural transformation for both Odisha and Nepal where pivot for inclusiveness is managing risks as nothing differentiates and excludes more than a shock. The policy should emphasize the development of enabling market factors such as warehousing and quality testing infrastructure. These changes inter alia are risk-mitigating arrangements and the extent to which they absorb risk are by designing systems for inclusiveness.

“What is the priority here? Meeting the deadline is crucial, but missing details could cause problems. Should I ask Manisha, though she’s already overburdened?” 

These thoughts trigger a surge of anxiety. In desperation, you ask Suresh to help with the deadlines. Suresh hesitates and says, “It’s my day off tomorrow. [Suresh shakes his head] I will see what I can do, but it’s a little frustrating when you take my time for granted.”

Your heart sinks a little, realizing you overlooked something critical. Guilt and frustration take over and you regret your inconsiderate mistake.

This scenario illustrates how high-pressure situations can hinder effective communication with team members. High-stakes situations include decisions about roles, organizational changes, conflict mediation, or addressing grievances. Missteps can harm employee morale, relationships, and productivity, leaving people feeling undervalued and confused.

While the circumstances might be beyond our control, how we operate isn’t. Regulating how you communicate under pressure could prevent similar scenarios. Healthy communication begins long before words are expressed, with emotional awareness, organized thoughts, empathy, and clear information.

Emotion at the core of communication

Jim Beggs once said, “What we say is important, for in most cases, the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Beggs speaks about the influence of emotions on what we say and how we say it. Our emotional state—fear, frustration, appreciation, positivity, jealousy—is reflected through our words. Even when we suppress these emotional states, they seep into our tone of voice, selection of words, body language, and gestures. For instance, suppressed feelings of anger might manifest in the form of an overly direct order rather than a request. 

To avoid tension and misunderstandings, it’s important to regulate them before interactions. Taking a pause and reflecting on your emotions is a great way to ensure you have enough time for reflection. A common teaching in therapy and anger management is to change the emotion-inducing environment before resuming the conversation.

Practicing mindfulness with grounding and breathing techniques, gratitude journaling, and empathy helps cultivate positive emotions that reduce the impact of negative emotions, reduce stress, and improve creativity and decision-making. Active listening is an effective way to enhance empathy which is the second crucial component of healthy communication.

Active listening

Assumptions are ingredients that create misunderstandings. We, as human beings, rely on our assumptions to make sense of the world. The downside is that many believe assumptions are true. In reality, assumptions are wrong most of the time. A lack of understanding and information leads to assumptions. Unless a person listens actively, they might always be guided by it.

When we talk about active listening, we mean a genuine attempt to understand others with undivided attention. Active listening can look like asking questions to explore and understand the ideas shared by others. For instance, if your team member expresses their worry about the new leave policy, you might ask them “What specifically worries you about the leave?” rather than telling them to relax or not think too much. This makes the other person feel understood and acknowledged rather than dismissed. 

Active listening can also look like not being occupied in other activities (phone, videos, or other work) while listening. A better alternative is to inform them about your other priorities beforehand and tell them when you are available. It can also look like acknowledging their feelings rather than dismissing them. Remember that it’s  good to say less than to say something wrong. 

Organizing our thoughts

A better understanding results in a better response. But, remember, you don’t have to respond right away. Recall the part about pausing and, if needed, getting out of the environment for space to reflect. It’s an effective strategy for all sorts of emotions. Whether it be excitement, anticipation, curiosity, anger, guilt, anxiety, disappointment, hurt, or worry, taking time to reflect is highly suggested. In this time and space, we apply our third component which is organizing our thoughts.

There are two effective ways widely suggested for organizing our thoughts. One of them is writing or journaling—listing it down as it pops up, or creating a hierarchy of these thoughts. For instance, organizing task-related thoughts in a hierarchy reduces interference. Journaling helps you consciously grasp and explore troubling thoughts that cause emotional distress. For example, when you are randomly worried about the day going bad, you can journal to find out why you think or feel that way. Another way to help organize these thoughts and provide you with a new perspective is to discuss them with someone. Discussing your feelings and thoughts about an event, idea, or an individual can help organize your thoughts and give you a neutral perspective. You might find it helpful to ask for perspectives from trusted colleagues as well.

Finally, after regulating our emotions, actively listening to understand, organizing our thoughts, and gathering perspectives, we might be ready to communicate our ideas. 

Effective communication

Realize that listeners aren’t mind readers and won’t know what we want or feel. Defining the problem, stating factual information, or naming the feeling would be a good start. The use of ‘I’ statements is encouraged to avoid your statements coming across as blame, criticism, or sarcasm. “You” statements could cause tension and can be taken as finger-pointing. It’s suggested to be descriptive rather than critical and to refrain from bringing in older issues which diverts the conversation from professional to personal. 

Your body language and tone are key to getting your point across. While communicating concerns about behaviors, trainers suggest a neutral tone without a laugh or smile to cushion the blow (many people tend to do this). While receiving criticism or grievances, staying silent and attentively listening are suggested. 

Additionally, healthy communication for managers requires them to formally address issues, reports, updates, and grievances in formal languages and precise manner to higher-ups while maintaining semi-formal conversations and empathic relations with their teams.

People often get overwhelmed while applying these skills. However, once learned people tend to build it into their intuition. Participating in training and skill development programs can help you learn and practice in a simulated environment. 

The author is a psychosocial counsellor at Happy Minds