DIMAPUR: State Commission for Persons with Disabilities (SCPD), in partnership with SELCO Foundation, organised a “workshop on Strengthening Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nagaland, Statutory Compliance, Financial Management and Organisational Systems” on August 18.
The workshop aimed to build the capacities of CSOs in Nagaland on key aspects of organisational governance, statutory compliance, financial management, internal systems and access to funding.
In his welcome note, Theodore Yanthan, secretary, SCPD and joint secretary, Social Welfare Department, welcomed SELCO Foundation and participating NGOs. He said the intervention was timely to help NGOs establish clear governance structures and strengthen their work for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) at the grassroots level. He encouraged participants to make full use of the opportunity in a practical manner, share experiences and challenges, and identify gaps to become more accountable and sustainable.
Delivering the keynote address, Tongpang L. Jamir, State Commissioner for PwDs, acknowledged the genuine and committed organisations, NGOs, societies and Disability Persons Organisations (DPOs) working tirelessly for the rights, welfare, inclusion and empowerment of PwDs.
However, he regretted that many of these organisations continued to face serious challenges in accessing financial resources, lacking adequate technical knowledge, institutional capacity or guidance to navigate compliance and funding requirements. He stressed that the cause of PwDs could not be addressed by SCPD or the Social Welfare Department alone, but required concerted and collaborative efforts from all stakeholders. “Strengthening the institutional and financial capacity of NGOs and DPOs is not merely an organisational concern-it is an essential part of strengthening the disability rights movement itself,” he added.
The technical sessions provided practical guidance on strengthening institutional processes, maintaining statutory and financial compliance, improving documentation and internal controls, and accessing CSR funding opportunities. Debasish Achajee from Seven Sisters Development Assistance (SesTA) facilitated sessions on compliance and organisational improvement, while Temjenmoa Jamir, CSR Manager, IDAN, spoke on accessing CSR funding.
The programme was moderated by Roseline S, State Lead, SELCO Foundation, while the vote of thanks was delivered by Kushem Yemjong, JSO, SCPD.
