The Nepali Congress has announced a policy hackathon on the gig economy and climate action.

In a statement on Saturday, the party’s central office said the event is being organised on the occasion of International Youth Day as per the annual calendar of the party.

The participants have to present a paper on either of the two issues—gig economy and climate action.

According to the party, the participants presenting a paper on the gig economy should address various issues and submit a policy statement with ways to take ahead the gig economy in the country.

The paper should focus on how Nepal can address policy and regulatory gaps and ensure labour protection in the gig economy and their possibilities and challenges; how Neal can develop a comprehensive policy framework to promote fair and ethical practices of the gig economy; how to bridge the technological/digital divide to expand the benefits of the gig economy across the country; and how to utilise the potential of the gig economy to increase skills in human resources.

Similarly, participants presenting a policy paper on climate action should focus on ways to minimise the risk of climate change and its policy gaps; strategies Nepal can adopt to increase access to climate finance; ways Nepal can address the weaknesses of disaster risk reduction policies and strengthen them; and how Nepal can switch to renewable and clean energy.

The competition is divided into two phases. In the first phase, applicants have to submit a policy paper (concept paper) with 3,000-5,000 words in one of the two subjects. The party said 10 papers will be shortlisted and mentors will be assigned to each team. The teams should present their papers before a jury that will pick winners.

The winning team will get Rs300,000, the second Rs150,000 and the third Rs50,000.

The application opened on Saturday and will close at 1pm on August 20. A total of 10 finalists will be selected on August 22 and the finale will be held at the Nepali Congress central office in Sanepa on August 26.

The party said the top three papers will be discussed in the parliamentary party and the party will adopt them in the course of policy formulation.