Human Rights Forum Nepal (HURFON) is a website presenting links to articles on Nepal's human rights issues as well as important background information. The link collection has been started in September 2016.

HURFON is a subsite of Nepal Research. Its name goes back to an organisation that had been founded in Germany in 1990 but that had to be dissolved some years later. Issues of the periodical of this earlier organisation that had been published under the name Nepal Forum have been archived on this website.

Sangita Rokaya vocals against Chhaupadi from Sagarmatha top (kh 30/05/2023)

Resham Chaudhary, the convict of Tikapur carnage, walks free : Chaudhary, who was convicted by district court, high court and supreme court and given life sentence, was given pardon on Sunday by President Ram Chandra Paudel (nlt 29/05/2023) [The families of the victims will be delighted in view of this principle of justice! Is this now a pattern for not punishing the crimes of the time of the insurgency?], President pardons Tikapur killings convict Resham Chaudhary : Rights activists decry the decision while Tharu campaigners hail the freedom from life imprisonment as justice for the community, by Binod Ghimire (kp 29/05/2023), 16th Republic Day: Government celebrates, people cry foul : As the government marked the day with various events, people have taken strong exception to the presidential pardon to the convict of 2015 Tikapur carnage (nlt 29/05/2023)

7 rights activists protesting against corruption taken into custody (kh 28/05/2023) [This is the state of the rule of law in Nepal: civil society protesters are arrested, convicted and sentenced murderers are released, potential rapists are courted and celebrated, women are not categorised as full and equal citizens, the historical and cultural identity of the majority of the population is disregarded in an authoritarian manner, disagreeable statements by parliamentarians are expunged from the record after the House of Representatives is blocked, etc.], President Paudel grants amnesty to 482 prisoners, including Resham Chaudhary (kh), Fringe parties, independent lawmakers complain of negligence in parliament (kh 28/05/2023)

Embrace women’s diversity : The experiences of women of historically marginalised groups aren’t discussed, by Sangmo Yonjan-Tamang (kp 28/05/2023)

Agitation against Koshi nomenclature escalates, government issues prohibitory order : Congress demands dialogue with groups agitating against the renaming of Province 1 as Koshi, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 28/05/2023)

Institutionalised inequality : The rich-poor gap in Nepal is state-sponsored violence, and is detrimental to stability and prosperity (nt 26/05/2023), Nepal’s tax system widens rich-poor gap : The new budget needs to overhaul the tax structure that favours the privileged, by Ramesh Kumar (nt 26/05/2023)

Govt starts preparations to grant clemency to Resham Chaudhary (kh 25/05/2023) [Article 276 of the Constitution opens the door to the arbitrariness of the political elite. Will we soon see something similar with regard to the accused in the current corruption scandal? Article 276 sets convicts free, but does not change their guilt. If Chaudhary is indeed innocent, this must be determined by a court. Then he would be entitled to adequate compensation for the injustice he has suffered! Now the procedure once again smacks of the manipulation of political power.], Government working on Republic Day pardon for Resham Chaudhary : Chaudhary has been serving life term after being convicted in the 2015 Tikapur massacre, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 26/05/2023), President’s Office sends back proposal to pardon Resham Chaudhary to Home Ministry (kh 26/05/2023), Government urges President to authenticate Citizenship Bill (kh 26/05/2023) [Why isn't a law passed that excludes politicians from any punishment for all time to come? Then the current corruption scandal would not have to be pursued any further as well. Politicians could go about their dirty business in complete openness and the cumbersome annulment of court rulings by the executive would be superfluous!], Wife of police officer killed in Tikapur incident files petition asking President not to grant amnesty to Resham Chaudhary (rep 26/05/2023)

3 years after Rukum West killings, kin still await justice : Dalit activists accuse major parties of weakening the case to protect the accused, who are non-Dalits, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 24/05/2023), Justice running late : The justice process in the Rukum West killings should blaze a trail for other caste-killing cases (kp 25/05/2023)

Teachers in politics : Most public school teachers in Nepal work with poor pay and perks, which makes them veer towards politics (kp 24/05/2023) [In no democratic country should citizens be excluded from political activity because of their profession. This is one of the fundamental rights of human beings! And why does the exclusion in Nepal, for example, not apply to rich businessmen, while an uprising is being rehearsed against poor teachers?]

Lal Commission report: Truth and lies : Shelving a report that could speak of security personnel’s wrongdoing will give rise to impunity, by Dipendra Jha (kp 23/05/2023)) [Anything that contradicts the interests of the ruling elite must not be published. People's fundamental right to information is being disregarded. This has been similar with regard to the social and cultural data of the latest population census.]

Government’s policies and programmes disappoint the Dalit community : Prime Minister Dahal had made lofty promises but the document barely mentions Dalits, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 22/05/2023)

How language reflects social and racial prejudices against Madhesh, by Sushant Nepali (rep 22/05/2023)

Cop terror in Tarai border points rampant, by Bal Krishna Sah (ht 22/05/2023)

Comprehensive sexuality education in Nepal : It is a game changer in reducing child marriage, gender-based violence and teen pregnancy, by Won Young Hong (kp 22/05/2023)

EC seeks clarification from political parties, university teachers (kh 21/05/2023) [It should be the basic right of every Nepali citizen to be politically active, regardless of their everyday occupation. The Political Parties Act is discriminatory in this respect, while on the other hand it grants authoritarian powers to party leaders!]

22-year-old woman killed for rejecting love proposal (rep 21/05/2023)

Why are Nepalis Leaving the Country?, by Hari Prasad Shrestha (rep 21/05/2023)

11-member panel to forge consensus on transitional justice law amendment : Parties must understand any process rejected by victims will have no legitimacy, says conflict victim leader (kp 20/05/2023)

When will the government make Lal Commission report public? Experts say parties fear releasing the report could antagonise security officials, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 20/05/2023)

Rastriya Prajatantra Party objects to State Department’s religious freedom report : In a letter addressed to US ambassador to Nepal Dean R Thompson, RPP chairman Rajendra Lingden has asked the State Department to revise the ‘one-sided’ and ‘biased’ report (nlt 20/05/2023) [The RPP's efforts to once again link the state with one of the diverse religions practised in Nepal contradict its claimed respect and freedom for all religions. Followers of these religions must be deeply hurt by these aspirations of the RPP, whose policies were supported by just five percent of the electorate in the elections! Whether such aspirations are actually supported by India, as the US report claims, is of secondary importance. What matters is the damage that the RPP wants to inflict on Nepal's multi-ethnic and multi-religious society!], Nepal sends diplomatic note to US regarding religious freedom report : The latest US report said right-wing religious groups associated with India’s ruling BJP have been providing funds to influential politicians in Nepal (kp 29/05/2023)

Cultural revolution needed : People don’t give up caste hatred even when they move from villages to more urban parts of Nepal, by Mitra Pariyar (kp 19/05/2023)

11-member sub-committee formed to discuss and prepare report on transitional justice bill (ae 19/05/2023)

Dahal says court barred release of Lal panel report : The prime minister claims his Maoist party didn’t misuse cantonment funds and offers to go to jail if found guilty, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 19/05/2023) [Obviously, Nepalis continue to be denied the right to information!]

US report: BJP pays politicians to lobby for Hindu Nepal : Pro-monarchy and pro-Hindu groups in the country dismiss the Department of State claims as baseless, by Anil Giri (kp 18/05/2023) [see report] [Those who turn the multi-ethnic, multi-religious, multi-cultural and multi-lingual state of Nepal into a unilaterally defined state, as the monarchy once did and as the RPP and similarly oriented groups want to restore in an intolerant manner, are violating basic human rights and destroying the harmony and internal peace of the country.], America portrays Nepal as soft on Tibetan Buddhists, hostile to Christians and supportive of Hindus : The report of the State Department also accuses India’s Bharatiya Janata Party and groups associated with it of pressuring and funding Nepali leaders to reinstate Hindu state in Nepal (nlt 18/05/2023), International Religious Freedom Report categorically fails to provide evidences on several allegations against Nepal: Rabinra Mishra : RPP Senior Vice President Mishra claims that Nepal has been experiencing one of the fastest religious conversion rates in the world (nlt 19/05/2023) [statement] [For centuries, the Shah monarchy negated Nepal's religious diversity and multi-ethnicity and tried to turn the country into a Hindu unitary state. This had an adverse impact on Nepal's centuries old rich cultures and civilisations, Mr Mishra! The discriminatory hierarchical thinking of Hinduism is probably the main reason why many people are turning away! In the West, for example, many more people are turning away from the religion they were born into than in Nepal, because they can no longer tolerate its maladjustment in the modern world.]

Law amendment aims to drop conflict-era cases, human rights commission claims : High possibility of the draft aiming at withdrawing cases by giving them a political colour, says Top Bahadur Magar, commission chair, by Binod Ghimire (kp 18/05/2023)

Peace Initiative Bhutan demands swift action to punish the perpetrators of fake refugee scam : The organized crime orchestrated by high-ranking Nepali politicians and bureaucrats has caused immense harm to legitimate Bhutanese refugees and undermined the integrity of the refugee resettlement process, the US based organization said, by Arjun Pradhan (nlt 18/05/2023)

Top court upholds Resham Chaudhary’s life sentence : He was handed life term by lower courts for links to the Tikapur lynchings in which 8 people were killed in 2015, by Binod Ghimire (kp 17/05/2023), Resham Chaudhary is a revolutionary: Baburam Bhattarai (kh 17/05/2023) [??? When revolutionaries kill, it is a heroic act, when state forces do the same, it is a crime? By the way, dastardly crimes from the time of the insurgency, both those of the Maoists and those of the security forces, must be punished at all costs if the rule of law is to be secured!]

Political parties urged to not disrupt investigation into fake Bhutanese refugee scam (ae 17/05/2023)

Mitini Nepal marks International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOTB) 2023 (ae 17/05/2023)

'UK's seasonal agriculture visa scheme exposes migrant workers to serious risk of abuse' : This year, 45,000 visas are available under the scheme (ht 17/05/2023)

Journalists and civil activists commit to give priority to issues of marginalized, by Lalit Bista (rep 15/05/2023)

Parties revive deal to give momentum to Parliament : A subcommittee will iron out the differences among the major parties on the disputed transitional justice bill, by Binod Ghimire (kp 15/05/2023)

Rape accused vandalizes the victim's house (rep 14/05/2023)

Bhutanese languishing in camps decry Nepali leaders’ deceitful substitution of genuine refugees : Refugees living in Jhapa and Morang districts of eastern Nepal lament those in power are trying to profit from their miseries, by Parbat Portel (kp 13/05/2023)

GBV Hinders Economic Development, by Madhavi Singh Shah (rn 12/05/2023)

Challenges To Freedom Of Expression, by Prabal Raj Pokhrel (rn 12/05/2023)

Madan Rai, founder of Subhadra Madan Foundation, arrested on child sexual abuse charge : On Thursday, Setopati, a Nepali language news portal, published a story exposing how Rai has been sexually harassing children who are in the shelter of the foundation run by himself (nlt 12/05/2023), Madan Rai arrested over sexually harassing girls studying at his foundation, by Shova Sharma (Setopati 12/05/2023) [see also  बालिकामाथि यौन दुर्व्यवहार गरेको आरोप लागेका मदन राई पक्राउ (Setopati 11/05/2023)]

Government registers bill to ease path to amnesty in crimes : Human rights activists say withdrawing cases related to heinous crimes will promote impunity (kp 12/05/2023) [This is a consequence of the proximity of politics and crime in Nepal. Leading politicians often do not even consider it necessary to respect the constitution and laws or they manipulate them!]

Civic Initiatives For Charitable Services, by Mukti Rijal (rn 11/05/2023)

Why does government often fail to address the problems of urban squatters?, by Niyati Shrestha (nlt 11/05/2023)

Pound foolish : The government should cut its unnecessary costs while maintaining essential health services (kp 10/05/2023)

Starving Saipal residents crying for food (kh 09/05/2023)

Uterine prolapse epidemic in Bajhang worsened by poverty and lack of treatment : In Thalara Rural Municipality alone, over 200 women suffer from the condition, by Basanta Pratap Singh (kp 09/05/2023)

Inclusive participation of women in all levels, structures of State demanded (rn 09/05/2023),
Women Forum demands inclusive participation of women in state structures : The Forum concluded with 14-point declaration which calls for proportional inclusive representation, taking the transitional justice to conclusion, and increasing access of women and all marginalized communities to justice (nlt 09/05/2023)

Don’t let them down : The loan sharking problem will not go away without addressing the financial vulnerabilities of the poor (kp 09/05/2023)

Refugee Crisis Is Far From Over, by Uttam Maharjan (rn 09/05/2023)

Police team attacked in Kalikot (ae 09/05/2023)

RSP’s Bindabasini Kansakar appointed HoR member (ae 08/05/2023)

Rape offense is not just rape offense, do not normalize it : Our society tends to demotivate and defame the victims and further victimize the victims if the perpetrators are powerful people, by Shreena Nepal (nlt 08/05/2023)

Victims doubt loan shark ordinance’s implementation : High-level panel reports harassment of victims of unscrupulous lending in some districts, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 08/05/2023)

The news-knowledge divide : Press freedom should be about more than just defending the media from political interference, by Dharma Adhikari (kp 08/05/2023)

Police get beaten while trying to arrest rape-accused (rep 08/05/2023)

Eruption of Dalit rage : Political parties have little interest in resolving the pressing problems of the Dalit communities, by Mitra Pariyar (kp 07/05/2023)

Nepali, Indian stakeholders stress joint effort to curb human trafficking : Human trafficking that was rife after the 2015 earthquakes further increased during the pandemic, by Rajesh Mishra (kp 07/05/2023)

New President can authenticate citizenship bill, legal experts say : Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal seeks suggestions from representatives of Nepal Bar Association on the bill’s status (kp 07/05/2023) [And what are the consequences of his predecessor's unconstitutional behaviour? After all, this had far-reaching consequences, not only for the persons concerned.]

Loan-sharkers to be imprisoned up to 7 years (kh 05/05/2023)

NHRC calls for improving rights of people with HIV (kh 05/05/2023)

Dalit Network objects demolition of Badi people’s huts (kh 04/05/2023)

Rainbow over Nepal : We have become a society more accommodating of differences than could be imagined earlier, by Deepak Thapa (kp 04/05/2023)

Deprived of timely care, Karnali mothers die untimely deaths : Seventeen pregnant women, mostly between the ages of 15-25 years, lost their lives in the last fiscal year, by Krishna Prasad Gautam and Tripti Shahi (kp 04/05/2023)

Field notes from Nepal’s single-kidney village : In Hokse of Kavrepalanchowk, poor and unemployed people have been lured into selling their kidneys, by Bijaya Shrestha (kp 04/05/2023)

Can more inclusive media support peace in Nepal? Media stakeholders in Nepal recognize that inclusion needs to be addressed. By capitalizing on this opportunity, Nepali media can thrive, facilitate a healthy democracy and contribute to a truly sustainable peace, by Rabina Shrestha (nlt 03/05/2023)

Vital registrations of refugees on cards : IDs will help them with essential tasks like school enrolment and opening bank accounts, by Anil Giri (kp 03/05/2023)

Budget cuts in maternal health carry serious risks, experts warn : Antenatal and postnatal care, institutional delivery, verbal autopsy of maternal deaths, and training will be impacted, by Arjun Pudel (kp 02/05/2023)

ACC Men’s Premier Cup: Sandeep Lamichhane declared best player of tournament (kh 02/05/2023) [And what about his still unresolved rape allegations? What about the potential victim? A sportsman should only be reinstated and celebrated after he has been cleared of the charges!]

Debating the discourse of discrimination against Dalits with JB Biswokarma : ‘The state must be inclusive, society needs to respect every member of the society equally regardless of gender, caste and ethnicity, and create an environment where everyone can have a dignified life’, interview by Simone Galimberti (nlt 02/05/2023)

Saving National Human Rights Commission : The decision to downgrade the NHRC’s status raises questions over our commitment to human rights, by Bijay Raj Gautam (kp 30/04/2023)

Absence of law is denying conflict victims of sexual violence access to justice: Report. While no official figures are available, there are an estimated 1,500 victims of sexual violence from the insurgency era (kp 29/04/2023)

Rajapur municipality distributes monthly allowance to conflict-victim families (kh 29/04/2023)

Children from Karnali families are falling prey to fraudulent foster homes : Nearly a hundred children from Karnali are rescued from children’s homes in various cities every year, says activist, by Tularam Pandey (kp 29/04/2023), Get them out of there : It is vital to address the root cause behind why children are forced to languish in shady care homes (kp 04/05/2023)

Civil Society calls for scaling up Child Grant (kh 28/04/2023)

Court denies interim order against KMC’s eviction notice to squatters : Lawyers on both sides have interpreted the order as a decision in their favour, by Anup Ojha (kp 28/04/2023)

Dahal’s arbitrary rule and docile Congress (ae 28/04/2023)

Ensure Labour Rights Of Journalists, by Umesh Pokharel (rn 28/04/2023)

Perspective On Nepali Women's Journey, by Sadhana Dahal (rn 28/04/2023)

When will Nepal become a child labor free country? Abolition of the worst forms of child labor is a national as well as international priority. But Nepal still has a long way to go to achieve the goal, by Helina Rai (nlt 27/04/2023)

Depoliticizing schools: Kathmandu Metropolis decides to ban political activities at the premises of public schools : Nepal’s political parties have long been using students of public schools to expand the cadre base of their student wings. The latest decision of Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah can be a crucial move toward making schools a zone of peace (nlt 28/04/2023)

Dalit freedom hinges on religious reform : The incompatibility between caste rituals and anti-caste laws has caused inevitable friction in Nepali society, by Mitra Pariyar (kp 27/04/2023)

NCRC asks child homes to acquire permission (kh 26/04/2023)

The politics of emotional control : The polls have diverted the national attention away from some of the more pressing issues of political economy, by CK Lal (kp 26/04/2023)

Parties agree on House panels’ leadership, key bills : Congress, Maoist Centre and UML to discuss the disputed transitional justice bill in a special committee, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 25/04/2023), TRC Bill to get a special panel push (ae 25/04/2023), Big 3 reach understanding on TRC Bill : They have also worked out issue of sharing parliamentary panels' leadership (ht 25/04/2023)

Transitional justice in limbo : Callous injustice to the victims, by Pushpa Raj Joshi (ht 24/04/2023)

NWC receives 42 percent complaints of mental violence in nine months (ae 24/04/2023)

Code of conduct: Only for women? It is important for the state to realise that restrictive borders and policing the so-called ‘dignity of Nepali women’ is not the solution to existing problems, by Swasti Gautam (kp 24/04/2023)

Ensure Justice To Conflict Victims, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn 23/04/2023)

Teachers miss out on Chaitra pension as pay for ex-combatants gets priority : Around 18,000 retired teachers failed to receive monthly pay owing to budget shortfall, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 22/04/2023)

Vehicular movement along Prithvi Highway to be allowed tomorrow : Local roads to remain closed tomorrow (April 23) (kh 22/04/2023) [What is this? Such a measure prevents the elderly and disabled, for example, from reaching the polling stations.]

Ensure Voting Right For All Nepalis, by Lokdeep Thapa (rn 21/04/2023)

Birth registration laws need amendment (ht 21/04/2023)

Refugees in Nepal to be included in the country’s vital registration system (rep 21/04/2023)

Civil society activists stage ‘human rights march’ : The march was staged against the police brutality on loan shark victims at Shantibatika on Monday (kp 20/04/2023)

'No eligible Nepali will be without citizenship' : DPM Shrestha also assured the problems of usury victims would be addressed (ht 19/04/2023) [The question is, who is considered eligible? So far, children are only considered eligible if the father has Nepali nationality. Only when women are seen as fully equal citizens can the problem with citizenship be solved!]

Nepal’s queer community watching India with interest : Supreme Court of Nepal in 2007 ordered the government to recognise same-sex marriages, but there’s no law yet, by Anup Ojha (kp 19/04/2023)

Govt scraps the procedure of awarding personal details to private companies, by Tapendra Karki (rep 19/04/2023)

Difficulty in passing Transitional Justice bill (rep 18/04/2023)

Police use batons and water cannons on loan sharking victims (rep 17/04/2023), NHRC concerned over use of force against victims of shylocking (kh 18/04/2023)

Rabi Lamichhane’s supporters becoming increasingly anarchic, by Arun Bam (rep 17/04/2023)

Prime minister renews voting pledge to Nepali citizens residing abroad : Experts say enabling Nepali citizens working or studying abroad to exercise their franchise is easier said than done, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 16/04/2023) [So far, these have only been hollow promises by politicians, although the Supreme Court has long obliged the government to apply this right of Nepali citizens!], Difficult but doable : The political parties should do more than pay lip service to give voting rights to Nepalis living abroad (kp 17/04/2023)

Dahal backtracks on responsibility for 5,000 conflict deaths : In a statement to court, the prime minister says his remark was political, and cannot be an issue of judicial concern, by Binod Ghimire (kp 14/04/2023) [Deciding this is the exclusive task of a court of law and not that of a possibly responsible perpetrator!]

Year 2079 BS remained additionally challenging for Press: FNJ (kh 14/04/2023)

NHRC’s recommendation to govt to ensure human rights of migrant workers (rep 14/04/2023)

Sex-selective abortions rampant, resulting in decreasing number of baby girls, by Sharad Sharma (rep 13/04/2023)

Sexual violence cases against male street children increase (rn 13/04/2023)

Cash-strapped government renews push to dole out money to disqualified fighters : Ministry goes ahead with plan to pay Rs200,000 to each of the over 4,000 unverified conflict-era Maoist recruits, by Anil Giri (kp 13/04/2023) [??? Many of them were minors, a serious war crime by Dahal and his Maoists!]

Poor internet services in Karnali adding to people’s hardships : Unreliable connection has affected government services, small businesses and students’ performance. It has also kept residents outside the digital ecosystem, by Krishna Prasad Gautam and Raj Bahadur Shahi (kp 13/04/2023)

Inclusion of Dalits, disadvantaged groups still negligible : Experts demand amendment to election laws to ensure inclusiveness as envisioned by the constitution, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 12/04/2023) [And please democratise the Political Parties Act at the same time, which in its present form only serves the authoritarian power of the incompetent party leaders!]

Child homes are far from trafficker-proof, by Ajabi Poudel (ae 12/04/2023)

Police arrest a woman from Nuwakot for forcing Nepali girls into flesh trade in India (nlt 12/04/2023)

One injured in police firing in Rautahat (rep 12/04/2023)

Home Minister pledges to revive the Citizenship Bill (kh 11/04/2023)

PM Dahal, Deuba and Oli agree to make TJ and TRC bills ‘widely acceptable’ (kh 11/04/2023) [Almost 6,000 days after the November 2006 peace agreement, still none of these failed political "leaders" wants to give absolute priority to justice for the victims!], Will UML help the coalition on transitional justice bill? As the ruling parties want to fast-track the bill, the role of the second-largest party is being keenly watched, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 11/04/2023)

Arrests expose scam involving migrant workers compensation : The mechanism for paying financial assistance to the workers and their families needs to be made easier, said experts, by Pawan Pandey (kp 11/04/2023)

How to Stop Corporal Punishment?, by Rajeeb Shrestha (rep 10/04/2023)

Department of Civil Registration revises provision about non-marital child (kh 10/04/2023)

How proposed Telecommunication Bill violates people’s right to privacy : If the government has unchecked access to citizens' private phone calls, it can use the information gathered to suppress dissenting voices and punish individuals who speak out against the government, by Anjila Shrestha (kp 09/04/2023)

Speaker discusses TRC Bill with top brass of three parties (ht 09/04/2023), Oli objects to PM on fast-track passage of transitional justice bill : Ruling allies Dahal and Deuba meet opposition leader at Speaker’s initiative, first time since the change in alliance, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 09/04/2023)

Four youths arrested for protesting against PA member Rai (rep 09/04/2023) [Freedom of expression and protests are obviously not wanted in Nepal!]

Voice for the voiceless: How the loan sharks fleece the poor in Tarai and what may be done to stop it, by Jivesh Jha (nlt 08/04/2023)

Gender Violence: A Problem In Nepal : Numerous young girls describe hearing similar tales. Both within and outside of the house, strangers might engage in sexual harassment, by Malena Villa (sp 07/04/2023)

Right activists demand climate justice : Participants in Regional Environmental Policy Dialogue said that secure land rights are key to climate justice (nlt 07/04/2023)

Differences stall House committees’ formation : A reason for delay is the intent of some to pass transitional justice law amendments without adequate discussion, by Binod Ghimire (kp 07/04/2023)

United for opportunism: “Upendra Yadav is indispensable for the nation and parliament,” says former PM Madhav Nepal : Both leaders have been already tested and failed to deliver. But it is not the end of the story. They keep on indulging in clumsy appreciation of each other for the sake of perpetuating their hold onto power (nlt 06/04/2023) [And urgent recommendations of the NHRC are once again disregarded in this context! A failed generation of politicians is fighting to stay in power by hook or by crook!]

Civil Registration Department adds new provision for birth registration (rep 06/04/2023) [Despite this slight improvement, discrimination against women and their descendants explicitly remains!]

Women and indigenous rights activists call for focus on gender justice (rep 06/04/2023)

PM Dahal urged to own movement for ethnic identity (kh 06/04/2023)

UK halts removal of Nepalese security guards who worked at British embassy in Kabul (rep 06/04/2023)

Where are women in academia? One can only wonder why women disappear as they advance academically, by Aarati Baral (kp 05/04/2023)

Master of the 64 squares : The winner of Nepal’s first women’s chess championship, Monalisha Khamboo, reflects on the many hardships she has faced over the years simply for being a female player, by Apecksha Gurung (kp 05/04/2023)

Examining Nepal's Male-Dominated Legal System, by Bhawana Ghimire (rep 04/04/2023)

Two successive Nepali prime ministers addressed the Summit for Democracy and lied to the world : Deuba and Prachanda claimed they were working to resolve transitional justice issues by taking into account the concerns of the victims. The truth is they are trying to ram down a law that is feared to benefit the war-time perpetrators instead of the victims, by Mahabir Paudyal (nlt 04/04/2023)

People’s suffering peaks but Nepali lawmakers’ focus is on their honorific titles : Parliamentarians of all major political parties band together to prioritize order of precedence at a time when the people are facing hardships, by Kishor Dahal (nlt 04/04/2023)

Freedom of expression in Nepal: The false prototype, by Pushpa Raj Joshi (ht 03/04/2023)

Dalit man insulted for joining feast for ‘upper-caste’ guests : Various political parties, their sister organisations and several social organisations deplored the incident and demanded legal action against the guilty, by Deepak Pariyar (kp 03/04/2023)

Conflict victims’ families meet PM Dahal, demand equitable compensation (kh 02/04/2023)

‘Every child has the right to survive, learn and be protected' : ‘As the Country Director for Save the Children Nepal and Bhutan, I aspire to do something meaningful for the children, and try to always remember the humanity that inspired me to join the non-profit sector.’, interview with Heather Campbell, Country Director, Save the Children (nlt 02/04/2023)

Behind births of fewer girls than boys : Preference for sons, which leads to female foeticide, is among the suspected reasons, by Arjun Poudel (kp 02/04/2023) [Only males are full Nepalis. This is what is written in the constitution and laws and especially in the minds of the patriarchal machos!]

Challenging the Primate Dominance Hierarchy, by Bimal Pratap Shah (rep 02/04/2023)

Musahar man kills self amid looming eviction : Twenty-four families of Musahars have been living on a piece of land at Kawilasi for the past five decades. They have now been ordered to move out, by Om Prakash Thakur (kp 31/03/2023)

End child marriage : Legal provisions apart, education is the only way to eradicate child marriage (ht 31/03/2023)

All in the name : The protests in Koshi show that the agenda of ethnic identity is very much alive and should be addressed politically (kp 31/03/2023) [The male Khas Arya elite arrogantly ignores the historical, ethnic and cultural realities of the country in the context of the federal state since 2010 at the latest!]

2021 Census: How inclusive is the Nepali state?, by Karl-Heinz Krämer (kh 30/03/2023), Why population data matters: It is an integral part of policy formation for the future, by Young Hong (ht 30/03/2023), All in the name : The protests in Koshi show that the agenda of ethnic identity is very much alive and should be addressed politically (kp 31/03/2023)

Conflict victims divided over amendment bill : While most victims insist on amendment, a section calls for speedy passage of the disputed bill (kp 30/03/2023)

TRC: Holding Balance Is The Way Out, by Mukti Rijal (rn 30/03/2023)

Amnesty International’s 2022 report exposes Nepal government’s failures to safeguard people’s rights : The annual report has documented cases of violation of freedom of expression and assembly, right to truth, justice and reparation, right against torture and other ill-treatment, indigenous peoples’ rights, women’s rights and right to food and housing among others (nlt 29/03/2023)

Economic Empowerment Of Women, by Namrata Sharma (rn 29/03/2023)

Nine trafficked women rescued, three allegedly involved in trafficking arrested (rep 28/03/2023)

Amend the bill : As a stakeholder, the conflict victims too have the right to be consulted about the content of the bill (ht 28/03/2023)

National Census 2021: Significant shift in the lifestyle and usage of amenities in Nepali households (ae 27/03/2023) [see National Report Volume 01] [Obviously, this report does not include any data on ethnicities/castes, languages, religions, etc. Suppressing data on such issues had been the concern of the monarchy during the Panchayat period to pretend to be a culturally unitary state. If this data is not provided, this will be by far the most worthless census after 1990.],
New census results : Vital For Taking Informed Decisions, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn 28/03/2023)

Future of 1.7 million children uncertain as they fail to get citizenship from their mother’s name (rep 27/03/2023)

Hundreds of Nepali women dying from preventable causes every year : Census report lists heavy bleeding and hypertension as top reasons for maternal deaths, by Arjun Poudel (kp 27/03/2023)

Nepal needs robust data protection legislation : Such a law should cover aspects like the data subjects’ right to access, correct, and delete collected data, and to receive compensation for violation of rights , by Harsha Man Maharjan (ae 27/03/2023)

Lawmakers against passing transitional justice bill as it is : Ruling Congress is divided with a section seeking revision even as the chief whip says it should be passed urgently, by Binod Ghimire (kp 27/03/2023), Opposition slam TRC Bill, ruling alliance soft on it (ht 27/03/2023)

No need to give relief to alleged rape victim in Sandeep Lamichhane related case: District Court (kh 26/03/2023)

Nepal is ageing as children’s share in population shrinks : Final census report does not break down population based on ethnicity, language, religion, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 25/03/2023) [Welcome back to the thinking of the Panchayat period when Mahendra and Birendra negated the multi-ethnicity, multi-lingualism and religious diversity of the country and propagated Nepal as a Hindu state of the Khas Arya minority?

Male-female ratio at birth widening (rep 25/03/2023) [This points to manipulation, which is likely to be related to the disdain for females in Nepali society and politics!]

“Victims of conflict may forgive, but they will never forget”, interview with human rights activist Mandira Sharma (nt 24/03/2023)

From serf to solicitor : Urmila Chaudhari pursues a law degree to provide former bonded labourers like herself legal support, by Santosh Dahit (nt 24/03/2023)

International rights bodies raise serious objection to Nepal’s transitional justice bill : Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists have said that transitional justice bill needs to protect victims, not abusers adding that proposed law disregards domestic and international legal standards (nlt 24/03/2023), International rights groups slam bill on transitional justice law : The bill, if adopted in its current form, will not adequately provide for the effective prosecution of serious crimes under international law, the groups say (kp 25/03/2023), New bill needs to protect victims, not abusers (ht 25/03/2023)

Women’s Trafficking: Nepal Fights Back (rep 24/03/2023)

Nepali state’s commitment to free speech in doubt : Two recent incidents have made people question Dahal government’s sincerity to protect constitutional freedoms, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp 24/03/2023)

Concerns after tainted cop’s promotion : Basanta Bahadur Kunwar, who has been promoted to AIG, is reportedly a front-runner for Nepal Police chief, by Binod Ghimire (kp 24/03/2023), Basanta Kunwar is the new Nepal Police chief : Other AIGs Tek Prasad Rai, Deepak Thapa, Shyam Lal Gyawali and Kiran Bajracharya were also in the race for the top post (kp 24/03/2023)

What will it take to end child marriage?, by Anushka Nepal (ae 23/03/2023)

United States’ 2022 country reports on human rights practices find faults with Nepal on several fronts : The report mentions Nepal's failure to address transitional justice issues, curb corruption and ensure rights of the Tibetan refugees, among many others (nlt 22/03/2023) [see report on Nepal]

Status of South Asian Children, by Rajeeb Shrestha (rep 23/03/2023)

National Assembly passes resolution to end caste discrimination : The 19-point motion aims to pressure the federal government to work effectively towards ending discrimination and oppression against Dalits (kp 23/03/2023), Caste-based prejudice (ht 23/03/2023)

PM Dahal to dole out Rs 9 billion to party cadres (rep 22/03/2023), Can’t buy justice : Dahal is trying to whitewash a grave rights violation: Employing child soldiers in insurgency (kp 23/03/2023)

Vulnerable Nepali girls forced into prostitution in India : On Saturday, Delhi Police rescued nine Nepali teenagers who were forced into sex work in the city, by Rajesh Mishra (kp 22/03/2023)

NA lawmakers call for safe society for daughters (kh 22/03/2023)

Govt urged to recruit employees on the basis of ethnicity to implement proportional inclusion (rep 22/03/2023)

Resolution discussed in National Assembly to end discrimination against Dalits (rep 22/03/2023)

‘Can the police shut the mouths of citizens?’ (rep 22/03/2023)., Indecent behavior case filed against three youths who chanted slogans against PM (rep 22/03/2023)

Dahal accused of trying to appease conflict victims : The government recently announced a new cohort of martyrs and cash relief for former child combatants, by Binod Ghimire (kp 22/03/2023)

History of women lawmakers : To ensure women’s rights, their presence is necessary in Parliament and the law-making process, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp 22/03/2023)

Dr. Koirala protests against proposed phone-tapping provision (kh 22/03/2023)

Another transitional justice blunder, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae 21/03/2023), No hope from new amendment bill, interview with Suman Adhikari (ae 21/03/2023)

Human rights is the business of businesses also, by Santosh Sigdel (ae 21/03/2023)

As many as 42 conflict victim groups of Nepal raise objections to the faulty transitional justice bill : The victim community has appealed to the Human Rights Commission, Civil Society and Human Rights community, the media, and the international community for solidarity and cooperation in their fights for justice (nlt 21/03/2023) [Justice is not desired on the part of the political power fighters who consider themselves indispensable!]

Social Workers in Juvenile Justice system of Nepal, by Biswash Chepang (kh 21/03/2023)

Book on political representation of Dalit unveiled in Kathmandu (kh 21/03/2023)

Law to record conversations being introduced!, by Tapendra Karki (rep 21/03/2023)

Child protection in Nepal: Majority of local governments fail to take child rights measures : Out of the total 753 local levels, only 238 have formed a Child Rights Committee, and 246 have deployed a Child Welfare Officer (nlt 20/03/2023)

Disputed bill to revise transitional justice law lands in House : Plans to endorse the bill through a fast-track process, but the opposition insists on a detailed discussion, by Binod Ghimire (kp 20/03/2023), Lawmaker Shahi picks holes in TRC bill, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht 20/03/2023), Transitional Justice A Difficult Road Ahead, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn 21/03/2023)

Nepal stands out in South Asia in human rights and liberal values, says Dr Juergen Martens, President of Liberal International
‘We will be supporting Nepal and Nepali political parties in further enhancing human rights and liberal values’ (nlt 19/03/2023) [This interview contains a few statements that do not correctly reflect the Nepali reality!]

Transitional justice is not revenge : We need to know the truth about what happened during the Maoist conflict that ran from 1996 to 2006, by Mohna Ansari (kp 19/03/2023)

A prolonged transitional justice process : Lack of proper law is among several reasons obstructing the process, a major component of the peace accord, by Binod Ghimire (kp 19/03/2023) [Justice for the victims has never been the intention of the top politicians!]

Decriminalise abortion: Rights activists, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht 19/03/2023)

Names of National Martyrs published in Nepal Gazette (kh 18/03/2023) [And when will the names of (potential) perpetrators be published in the Nepal Gazette?]

Should Deepak Manange be in jail?, by Bhasa Sharma (rep 17/03/2023) [Also a case of the great proximity of politics and crime!]

John F Kennedy and consumer rights: Its relevance to Nepal at present, by Samrat Dhungana (ht 17/03/2023)

Nawalparasi jail facing challenges due to overcrowding (kh 17/03/2023)

Girls who marry early face abuse and health issues, by Anushka Nepal (ae 16/03/2023)

Women survivors silenced : The transitional justice mechanisms cannot make the survivors of sexual violence invisible, by Binita Poudel (kp 16/03/2023)

Violence against women on the rise : Experts working in women’s rights point out the patriarchal mindset of people, taking the woman as second class citizen, rise in reporting of the incidences and use of various social media as some of the causes for a rise in the number of cases of violence against women, by Sabitri Dhakal (ae 15/03/2023)

Once sold in Kuwait, she still lives in pain back home : Sanimaya’s tale represents countless Nepali women who are taken to various Gulf countries on visit visas and then are made to work in virtual slavery, by Anup Ojha (kp 15/03/2023)

Haruwa-Charuwa demand rehabilitation program (kh 15/03/2023)

Human Rights Watch urges Bhutan government to free ‘political prisoners’ : While the total number of political prisoners in Bhutan remains unknown, Human Rights Watch said it collected information relating to 37 current prisoners who were first detained between 1990 and 2010 (kp 15/03/2023)

Conflict victims complain of not getting justice yet (kh 14/03/2023), Crime and punishment: Rights body in Nepal cries foul at the faulty transitional justice bill : The Accountability Watch (AWC) has condemned the government's move to re-register the amendment to the transitional justice law without fulfilling the demands of victims and stakeholders (nlt 14/03/2023)

The Meaningless Maoist Attack on Judiciary (rep 14/03/2023)

Complete Transitional Justice Process, by Uttam Maharjan (rn 14/03/2023)

CLARISSA research reveals pathways to, abuse and exploitation faced by children in the worst forms of child labor
The life stories of the research reveal different abusive and exploitative practices, including harassment and bullying, against children in child labor in the adult entertainment sector by both customers and employers (nlt 14/03/2023)

Fighting Sexual Abuse In Public Transport, by Writika Rijal (rn 14/03/2023)

Political Impunity: What Politicians Need to Know, by Diwakar Dhakal (rep 13/03/2023)

Amendment of TRC bill becoming controversial again, by Devesh Jha (kh 13/03/2023), ‘Regular justice system in play when transitional justice bodies are defunct’, Human rights and constitutional lawyer Raju Prasad Chapagain on ways to take the transitional justice process forward (interview) (kp 13/03/2023)

Conclude Peace Process In Earnest, by Ballav Dahal (rn 13/03/2023)

Missing Dalits in research institutions : The issues of Dalits won’t be taken seriously when nobody is in the team to put them forward, by Sagoon Bhetwal (kp 12/03/2023)

Stop the Misuse of Presidential Power of Pardon, by Ravi Nayak (rep 12/03/2023)

Glorification of rape-accused: How fair?, by Aishworya Shrestha (kh 11/03/2023)

Underage pregnancy still high in Makawanpur : Campaigns to end child marriage have become ineffective amid higher elopement rate, by Pratap Bista (kp 11/03/2023)

Prosecuting MaoistsFollowing the issuance of an order by the Supreme Court, Nepal’s PM faces a court hearing into deaths during the Maoist insurgency (sp 10/03/2023)

Cries for justice in Nepal: Conflict victims protest in front of the Supreme Court : Victims of war-era crimes have united to exert pressure on the state institutions to deliver justice on extra-judicial killings. Meanwhile, the government is preparing to endorse a law that can provide amnesty to even those involved in murder, by Kalpana Ghimire (nlt 10/03/2023)

Gender pay gap in construction sector is huge. It's not seen closing anytime soon : Women workers say despite being skilled, they only get paid close to a third of the wages paid to male, by Prakash Baral (kp 10/03/2023)

TRC should settle conflict-era cases, not courts: Maoist factions : To hold press conference on March 12; interaction on March 14 (kh 10/03/2023) [But this has been denied for years by all political leaders. The laws in this regard are completely inadequate and are not oriented towards justice for the victims. It is time for the judiciary to take over!], Nepal bill says murder is not serious rights violation : The government registers the new bill at the Parliament Secretariat to amend controversial transitional justice law, by Binod Ghimire (kp 10/03/2023)

SC gives precedence in writ against PM Dahal : Orders to submit a written reply within 15 days (kh 10/03/2023)

Child marriage rate drops in three municipalities of Kalikot, by Lalit Bista (rep 10/03/2023)

The devastating effects of child marriage, by Anushka Nepal (ae 09/03/2023)

Haunted by the past : The Maoists of various stripes are betraying their lack of commitment to transitional justice (kp 09/03/2023)

Behind the mask of happiness : In many Nepali households, men continue to make financial decisions, including how women’s earnings are spent, by Mimamsha Dhungel (kp 09/03/2023)

Long fight against culture of rape and impunity : Women know the battle for justice won’t be easily won but refuse to give up. They vow to speak up louder, by Anshrica Dewan (kp 08/03/2023), More than 5,700 victims of violence against women and girls (rep 08/03/2023)

Many Achham parents favour boys over girls for schooling : Parents don’t put much effort into educating their daughters since they think that girls will someday leave them and go with their husbands, by Menuka Dhungana (kp 08/03/2023)

Evolving gender equations : Women should speak up for justice notwithstanding concerns of family reputation or social pressure, by Sushila Karki (kp 08/03/2023)

In Nepal, farm women are becoming entrepreneurs : Women are experiencing increased responsibilities and workloads, especially in situations where there is climate-driven out migration of men and young people, by Subin Adhikari (kp 08/03/2023)

Bridge Digital Gender Gap, by Namrata Sharma (rn 08/03/2023)

Supreme Court to begin hearing petitions against Dahal tomorrow : NHRC expresses concern over unresolved issues, 16 years after the peace accord, by Binod Ghimire (kp 08/03/2023), Eight Maoist groups close ranks as judiciary takes up war-era cases : Vow to counter ‘any attempt by court to go against peace process and political change’, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 08/03/2023) [17 years of empty promises by politicians are enough! It is high time that justice is done for the victims!]

Empowered Nepali women : Things will change when men who do not do dishes at home stop lecturing on women’s empowerment, by Sujeev Shakya (kp 07/03/2023)

Women’s participation in state’s bodies being ensured: Speaker Ghimire (kh 07/03/2023) [With a few exceptions, the women involved only play backstage roles! More than the 33 per cent of women parliamentarians prescribed by the constitution are not involved anyway. In the Council of Ministers and other institutions, not even this is achieved!], It is difficult to take women to key positions according to legal system: Speaker Ghimire (rep 07/03/2023)

A proposed Buddhist college in a district bordering China creates heated debate in Nepal’s political sphere : Former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli dubs the proposed Buddhist college in Mustang as a “deceitful move against China”. The government assures investigation into the issue (nlt 07/03/2023) [Higher educational institutions in the non-Hindu areas of Nepal violate China? Mr Oli, what kind of bullshit is this? Your statements deeply hurt the non-Hindu population of Nepal!]

NHRC urges govt to Conclude transitional justice as soon as possible (kh 07/03/2023)

Mishandling of transitional justice process, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (ae 06/03/2023), Nepal’s Maoist does not want Supreme Court to decide the fate of war-time crimes : Maoist want the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to conclude the pending cases of war-time crimes. The commission, according to observers, has been highly politicized and cannot go against any powerful leaders (nlt 06/03/2023), Eight Maoist factions warn of countering activities against CPA and political change (kh 07/03/2023) [In other words: 17 years after the end of the Maoist insurgency, the Maoist top politicians still do not want a legal reappraisal of the crimes of that time!], Writ filed against Prachanda at Supreme Court (kh 07/03/2023), SC to proceed writ filed against PM Dahal from Wednesday (kh 07/03/2023), Parties in Maoist stream to confront all activities against peace pact (kh 07/03/2023) [Without these activities there will never be an implementation of the peace pact!], Maoist stream parties' meeting decides to confront activities against peace pact (rn 07/03/2023) [Significantly, a meeting of 17 exclusively male politicians, very predominantly Khas Arya!], Will Nepali Congress band together with Maoist forces in transitional justice issues? Following the Supreme Court order to register a case against Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, war-era Maoist leaders have come together against the decision. Nepali Congress has also indicated to stand in favor of Maoist forces (nlt 07/03/2023) [In the time of the insurgency, the NC was repeatedly in charge of the government before King Gyanendra seized power and appointed confidants from the RPP. All of them, including Gyanendra, bear responsibility for the crimes committed by the security forces at that time and must be held accountable just like the Maoist leaders!]

PM Prachanda goes berserk: Threatens to bring thousands of Maoist cadres to the streets : PM Prachanda and his war-era Maoist colleagues are making one after another aggressive statements following the Supreme Court's order to take writ petition against him for deaths during Maoist insurgency (nlt 06/03/2023), TRC should deal with “People’s War” cases, not court: Dr. Bhattarai (kh 06/03/2023) [The civil war ended 17 years ago, but nothing happens, Mr Bhattarai! All the leading politicians lack any will to do so!], Nine parties speak up as court opens way for Dahal’s criminal trial : A bill to amend transitional justice law, in line with court orders, will be tabled in current House session, they say, by Binod Ghimire (kp 06/03/2023)

Nine parties decide to submit Transitional Justice Bill to Parliament as per SC direction (kh 05/03/2023

Under provincial name Koshi, currents of discontent still flow : Madhesh is the only province named on identity basis. Many blame erosion in Maoist ideology, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 04/03/2023) [The fairy tale of social inclusion has long been forgotten! The male Khas Arya minority suppresses any historical and non-Hindu ethnic reference in terms of state ideology and nationalism.], Maoist Center objects SC order to register writ against PM Dahal (kh 05/03/2023) [As far as I remember, PK Dahal indicted himself when he took responsibility for 5,000 deaths during the uprising. Politicians do not enjoy special rights, on the contrary!], Petitions holding PM Dahal accountable for Maoist War deaths and destruction: What next?, by Akhilesh Tripathi (rep 05/03/2023)

Handle Human Rights Issues with Care, by Randhir Chaudhary (rep 04/03/2023), Supreme Court orders its administration to take petitions against Prime Minister Dahal : The petitions by two advocates demand legal action against Dahal, the chief of the Maoist Centre, for publicly claiming responsibility for 5,000 insurgency-era deaths (kp 04/03/2023)

Orphanage administrator sentenced for child sexual abuse : Among the victims, is a 14-year-old girl suffering from mental illness, who was fed medicines to forcibly terminate her pregnancy, by Bhawani Bhatta (kp 04/03/2023)

Beset by poverty at home, Banke women face horror abroad : Several debt-ridden Nepali women who illegally visited Gulf nations for jobs are in captivity and crying for help, by Rupa Gahatraj (kp 03/03/2023)

Justice For Dilip, by Bini Dahal (rn 03/03/2023)

Child marriage; still prevalent and on the rise, by Anushka Nepal (ae 02/03/2023)

Nepal Police's Slide toward Autocracy : Assessing the conduct, investigations, technology, and human rights defense of Nepal Police, by Kanchan Jha (rep 02/03/2023)

Musahar children in Saptari village are still deprived of education : Lack of government identity cards and deprivation are forcing Musahar parents to keep their children away from schools, by Abdhesh Kumar Jha (kp 02/03/2023)

In Geneva, Nepal pledges justice for the atrocities committed during conflict : Fed up with repeated promises, insurgency victims say, by Binod Ghimire (kp 01/03/2023) [Nothing but hollow promises! The former perpetrators sit partly in highest state offices and have no interest in justice for the victims!], PM Dahal’s troubling message (rep 01/03/2023), Lies going global : Govinda Bandi’s representation at the Human Rights Council signals Nepal’s failure on transitional justice (kp 02/03/2023) [This reflects the real aspiration of PM Dahal!], Bandi rallying global support for transitional justice process, but victims unconvinced : As he pushes the agenda of legal amendments, stakeholders suspect he is complicit in Prime Minister Dahal’s bid to wrap up the process without punishing perpetrators, by Binod Ghimire (kp 03/03/2023), SC orders to register writ against PM Dahal (kh 03/03/2023)

Displaced families of October floods and landslides in Mugu languish in flimsy tents : Resettlement is not in sight while survivors face a shortage of food at their makeshift homes, by Raj Bahadur Shahi (kp 01/03/2023) [Nepal's politicians have no time to worry about such unimportant things!]

People with albinism: Rights neglected and denied, by Simone Galimberti (ht 01/03/2023)

Call for better surveillance amid rising maternal deaths : More than 90 maternal deaths have been reported across the country in seven months, by Arjun Poudel (kp 28/02/2023)

Calls grow for gender equality in foreign jobs m: The restrictive policies over the years, regarding labour mobility of women, have made them vulnerable to trafficking and forced labour, observers say, by Pawan Pandey (kp 28/02/2023)

Durga Prasai forwards 11 points demands, urges abolition of republicanism, federalism (kh 28/02/2023) [If the CPN (UML) does not distance itself from this Hindu fundamentalism and Prasai's unconstitutional demands and underlines that Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural secular state, the rule of law attitude of this party must be doubted! The failures of the high-caste male politicians, which primarily include the chairman of the CPN (UML), must not be used as an excuse to question the few hard-won democratic achievements!]

SC grants Sandeep Lamichhane permission to go abroad : 'No need to re-incarcerate Lamichhane' (kh 27/02/2023), CAN preparing to send rape-accused Lamichhane to UAE today (nlt 01/03/2023) [And what about the possible victim?]

Prime minister stops foreign minister from flying to Geneva : The development comes as a new ruling coalition minus the CPN-UML is in the making in Kathmandu just ahead of the presidential election (kp 27/02/2023), Gobinda Bandi, who drafted controversial TJ bills, leading Nepali delegation at the UNHRC as PM’s advisor (rep 27/02/2023) [Once again the disinterest of Nepali politics in justice for the victims of the insurgency becomes clear!!!!]

Nepal, be kind to foreigners : Nepal is desperate for foreign investment but the legislation governing the visa of foreign workers is extremely complicated and unfriendly, by Simone Galimberti (nlt 27/02/2023)

PM Dahal promises to recognize people’s war victims as martyrs (kh 26/02/2023) [Being a martyr does not mean justice for these victims, while the perpetrators bask in wealth and position!]

Foreign Minister Paudyal leaving for Geneva to attend UNHRC session (kh 26/02/2023)

The Masculine Hold on Politics, by Rishsika Dhakal (rep 26/02/2023)

Nepal Children’s Organization’s land scam: Will parliament be able to conduct a meaningful deliberation on the issue? Nepal Children’s Organization had acquired the land with the aim of providing child friendly shelters and spaces. Now the land is being used by a business group with support from office bearers appointed by powerful politicians (nlt 26/02/2023)

Insurgency-era victims of sexual crimes still unheard : Most victims are from marginalised communities and lack of faith in the system deters them from coming forward, by Binod Ghimire (kp 25/02/2023)

Parents wait for missing son, two decades since his disappearance : In November 2000, Maoist rebels took a grade five student and several other young boys from their school. That was the last the parents saw their 13-year-old son, by Prakash Baral (kp 25/02/2023)

Ruffling on Religion: Mission or Fashion?, by Atindra Dahal (rep 24/02/2023) [A lot of palaver by this male Bahun, but no discernible rationale why in multi-religious, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual Nepal the state should be linked again solely to Hindu culture, religion and social thinking after only a few years of interruption. Discriminatory casteism, patriarchy and the sense of superiority of men from a few Hindu castes have been responsible for the exclusion of the majority of people and discrimination against large sections of the population for centuries and continue to this day. Hindu state and monarchy have been responsible for these aberrations long enough. Why should Nepal return to the mistakes of the past again? The combination of state and religion has never paid off positively anywhere in history.]

Local government rule requiring its permission to marry draws flak : Kapurkot defends new rule enforced to tackle underage marriages and teen pregnancies, by Biplab Maharjan (kp 24/02/2023) [related to Karnali province]

State of the minorities in South Asia : Nepal's dominant Khas Arya minority reaps disproportionate benefits of their status, by Deepak Thapa (kp 23/02/2023) [see report]

The price of not having a place to play, by Cilla Khatry and Anushka Nepal (ae 23/02/2023)

Taplejung district prison houses six times prisoners against capacity (kh 22/02/2023) [This is a serious violation of basic human rights!]

Bajhang flood victims struggling for justice for over two decades : Around 165 families were relocated to Kailali but 20 years later, they are still landless, by DR Pant (kp 22/02/2023) [One of many cases of denial of assistance by government and administration!]

When will women lead big political parties? Bibeksheel Sajha recently elected Samikchya Baskota as party chief while Ranjita Shrestha heads another new party, the Nagarik Unmukti Party, by Purushottam Poudel (kp 21/02/2023)

Ensure Fundamental Right to Education in Mother Tongue, by Randhir Chaudhary (rep 21/02/2023)

Achham women deprived of treatment as cases of uterine prolapse rise : Women suffering from uterine prolapse due to multiple pregnancies and poor care depend on health camps but the district hasn’t seen one in the past four years, by Menuka Dhungana (kp) 19/02/2023), Rural women’s woes : One-off health camps are unlikely to bring lasting solutions to systemic neglect of women’s wellbeing (kp 21/02/2023)

Govt has not prioritized completion of peace process related tasks: Speaker Ghimire (kh 19/02/2023)

Why media should have the access to court proceedings : Media plays a crucial role in ensuring that the public is informed about what is happening in the courts. This is essential to the functioning of democratic society, by Bivek Chaudhary (nlt 19/02/2023)

Downgrade-wary NHRC asks for help to right itself : Court delay in settling appointment row, which influenced the global body’s punishment, concerns experts, by Binod Ghimire (kp 18/02/2023)

Police rescue 26 women, four children trafficked to different countries in a month (rep 18/02/2023)

President pardons 395 convicts including ex-Maoist involved in killing Ujjan Shrestha : Only on January 25, Supreme Court had convicted Pushkar Gautam in the insurgency-era murder (kp 18/02/2023) [Pardoning criminals from the times of the Maoist insurgency is the opposite of the justice due to the victims of these crimes! President Bhandari is once again neglecting her constitutional duty!], 395 jail birds, including parliamentarian Chaudhary given amnesty (kh 18/02/2023)

Women in lead : Nepali society is more open to women’s leadership than established parties would have us believe (kp 17/02/2023)

Hundreds of petitions sent to Bhutanese monarch demanding release of political prisoners : Global Campaign for the Release of Political Prisoners in Bhutan (GCRPPB) has urged the international community to condemn Bhutan's continued imprisonment of human rights activists (nlt 17/02/2023)

Murder hearing against Maoist leader Sapkota deferred for 45th time : Victims and rights activists say the top court’s deferrals are deliberate attempts aimed at protecting the accused, by Binod Ghimire (kp 16/02/2023) [A case that raises reasonable doubts about the Nepali legal system and gives impetus to the suspicion of unconditional impunity for well-known politicians! The fact that people who have been on trial for capital crimes for many years run for elections and are repeatedly appointed to high state offices is evidence of a non-existent political morality!]

Three convicted in murder of environment activist Dilip Mahato : Dhanusha District Court Judge Chitra Bahadur Gurung found Bipin Mahato, Jitendra Mahato, and Munindra Mahato guilty of the crime (kp 16/02/2023)

Children with absent fathers struggle for citizenship : Officials say their hands are tied on provision for women to pass on citizenship to children when fathers are absent, by Rupa Gahatraj (kp 15/02/2023) [Nothing has changed, PM Dahal! Nepal remains a patriarchy dominated by male delusion. Only men are true citizens. Without them, women are nothing! It is a big security risk for Nepal when women have absolutely equal rights!? What was actually celebrated there the day before yesterday?]

Activists end protest after agreement (ht 15/02/2023)

High school dropout runs flourishing eatery in Delhi : Trends show that nearly 1 million Nepalis will leave the country this fiscal year for better jobs abroad, apart from those going to India, officials say, by Mimamsha Dhungel (kp 15/02/2023) [This is thanks to the extremely successful and committed employment policies of Nepal's incredibly competent top politicians!]

Essential flaw : Those who joined the essential services knew full well what they could and could not do (kp 15/02/2023)

Public holiday today to commemorate “People’s War” (kh 13/02/2023) [And what about justice for the many victims of crimes committed by Maoists and state security forces? As with Prithvi Janayanti, only the positive effects are celebrated, not the negative ones!], Insurgency victims' kin protest Feb 13 holiday, by Bal Krishna Sah (ht  14/02/2023), People's War, an epoch-making event in Nepali history: PM (ht) [Yes, let the suffering of the victims of this conflict never end! Why this ridiculous call for justice? Everything has changed since then in this previously socially non-inclusive state. I am the PM and I am a male Bahun. All political parties are under the control of male Khas Arya. All is well with the world, that's something to celebrate, isn't it!]

When has Nepal’s media not been questioned? It has always been under scrutiny. ‘Not only the marginalised people but the more privileged middle-class ones are also disenchanted with the democratic system.’, interview with Hari Sharma (kp 13/02/2023)

Bibeksheel Sajha sets a strong message of gender parity in politics : Despite ups and downs, Bibeksheel Sajha Party has reemerged in Nepal’s politics with a strong message of gender equality (nlt 12/02/2023)

Time ripe to rethink archaic VVIP convoy protocol : Friday’s assault of a doctor by police deployed to clear the road for the presidential convoy could be the turning point, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp 12/02/2023) [The President obviously sees things differently. For this reason, she has not yet taken a stand or even apologised to the beaten-up doctor. Presumably she wants to enjoy the royal privileges for her last days in office!]

Police baton-charge a doctor during President’s motorcade : The Nepal Medical Association (NMA) has given a 24-hour ultimatum to the government to take action against the police responsible for the incident (nlt 10/02/2023) [This has something to do with the fact that politicians see themselves as heirs to the monarchy and want to be courted as such, instead of serving the people as their representatives!], Police beat up doctor for walking during presidential escort (rep 11/02/2023), President should apologize: Gyanendra Shahi (rep 11/02/2023), Police constable involved in beating up Dr Singh suspended (rep) [Suspension is not enough! What is needed is appropriate punishment  and compensation and, above all, the eradication of the attitude of politicians and security forces that underlies this crime!]

An integrated social registry for Nepal : Social protection programmes cover about a third of the population but are yet to reach all the poor and vulnerable, by  Faris Hadad-Zervos and Lynne Sherburne-Benz (kp 10/02/2023)

Armed Conflict and Conflict of Interest : Rabi Lamichhane’s rant was Trumpian populism, an anti-media ‘drain the swamp’ whataboutery (nt 10/02/2023)

The Media and Fight Against Corruption in Nepal, by Rajendra Prasad Koirala (rep 10/02/2023)

Renewed push for transitional justice Act amendment : Revisions will be based on court’s verdict and international practices, government representative say, by Binod Ghimire (kp 09/02/2023)

The troubling rise of ‘revenge porn’ in Nepal : In the past six months, 680 such cases have already been registered with the police, by Anup Ojha (kp 09/02/2023)

Government preparing to push long-awaited citizenship bill : Prime Minister Dahal plans to pass around 20 bills over the next one-and-a-half months, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 08/02/2023)

Press Freedom Under Threat, by Namrata Sharma (rn 08/02/2023)

Covid-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected trafficking survivors: Report. The report recommended the local governments address the impacts of Covid-19 on the livelihoods and physical and mental well-being of the trafficked survivors and returnee migrants (kp 08/02/2023)

Nepal Police suspect a girl was being smuggled into India for ‘human sacrifice’. Here is a horrifying tale : In what police suspect is an attempt of human sacrifice, a racket of traffickers in Nepal took a young girl to India, holding her hostage for a month in Kathmandu, by Narayan Adhikari (nlt 07/02/2023)

Social justice moving backwards : The leaders of the political parties are the biggest obstacles to achieving social justice, by Pradip Pariyar (kp 06/02/2023)

Ubiquitous protests : The ruling class should be mindful : When people see no hope, they take matters into their own hands (kp 06/02/2023)

Kathmandu District Court sentences Manoj Pandey to 7 years imprisonment in human trafficking case (kh 06/02/2023)

Orientation to religious leaders to check child marriage (kh 05/02/2023)

Rabi Lamichhane and dual citizenship in Nepal : No constitutional provision for dual citizenship, but state offers limited citizenship rights for non-resident Nepalis, by Binod Ghimire (kp 05/02/2023)

12 women rescued from India in two months (kh 04/02/2023)

Business practices in Nepal: Uncovering human rights concerns, by Niyati Adhikari (nlt 04/02/2023)

Poverty Imperils Human Rights, by Lok Nath Bhusal (rn 03/02/2023)

Teenage girl trafficked to India for 'sacrifice' rescued (rn 03/02/2023), Trafficked teenage girl rescued from India : According to police, tantriks in India are demanding young girls—5.4 feet high and without scars or tattoos, by Anup Ojha (kp 04/02/2023)

Lack of citizenship pushes Musahars deep into poverty : In 40 households of Shobhapur, more than 50 individuals above the age of 16 do not have citizenship certificates, by Bharat Jargha Magar (kp 02/02/2023)

Landmark bill to boost women candidacy in polls : Election Commission is drafting a bill to increase women’s candidacy in all three tiers of government by a third, by Binod Ghimire (kp 02/0/2023), Hope amid despair : The proposed bill to field more directly elected women candidates is a silver lining (kp 03/02/2023)

Underpaid Nepali nurses set their sights abroad : The monthly salary of nurses in most private hospitals in Nepal is in the range of Rs10,000 to Rs15,000, insiders say, by Subin Adhikari (kp 02/02/2023)

Nepal’s social protection system reinforcing inequality: HRW (rep 02/02/2023) [see HRW report]

Role Of Informed Citizens In Democracy, by Mukti Rijal (rn 02/02/2023)

UML’s Constitutional Council dominance worries Maoist party : UML nominees head major constitutional bodies including those related to elections, corruption and human right, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 01/02/2023) [The decline of democracy and the rule of law is guaranteed with KP Oli, as evidenced by his machinations of 2020/21, which he continues to refuse to admit! He is also mainly responsible for Nepal's degradation at GANHRI!]

Attorney general challenges high court on cricketer’s release : Demands ex-captain be investigated in judicial custody (kp 01/02/2023), CAN lifts suspension of rape-accused cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane : The executive committee meeting of the nation’s cricket governing body held in Pokhara on Tuesday decided to lift the suspension on Lamichhane, by Pratiksha Kafle (kp 01/02/2023) [Another example of disregard for the rule of law!], What about ‘Gaushala 26’? The survivor has been rendered invisible ever since she filed the case against Sandeep Lamichhane (kp 02/02/2023), Govt moves SC challenging release of cricketer Lamichhane on bail (kh 02/02/2023), Cricket: Sandeep Lamichhane included in national team (kh 02/02/2023) [????? Nepal increasingly an unjust state!], Lamichhane’s place in cricket training camp sparks outrage : The 22-year-old was included in the 20-member closed camp for ICC World Cup League 2 Triangular Series, by Prajwal Oli (kp 04/02/2023), CAN's decision on Sandeep Lamichhane draws flak, by Bal Krishna Sah (ht 04/02/2023), Police arrests Tara Baral for allegedly trying to disrupt peaceful demonstration against CAN decision (Photo Feature), by Prasan Gurung (rep 04/02/2023)

Nepal moves up corruption index, slightly : Transparency International report shows the country continues to remain among most corrupt nations, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 01/02/2023) [see CPI]

Ruby Khan: An unrelenting fighter for justice, by Anushla Nepal (ae 31/01/2023)

Nepal is a champion country for fair recruitment, but on paper only, observers say : Migrant workers are still paying a huge amount for recruitment fees despite laws to prevent such expenses (kp 31/01/2023)

Fresh bid to withhold information draws flak : Calls grow for revoking decision of chief secretary-led panel that could curtail people’s right to information, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 30/01/2023), Govt's decision to repeal RTI Act condemned (ht 30/01/2023), Government backtracks on information classification : Experts say it happened just because the drafters tried to incorporate unnecessary issues instead of pinpointing certain matters or documents, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 31/01/2023), Not for your eyes : The government tried to curtail the people’s right to know by stamping certain information as confidential (kp 01/02/2023)

Trap of trafficking: How women and girls are lured into trafficking by their own relatives : According to police, a significant number of girls sold into brothels are trafficked by their own family members or acquaintances, by Sushmita Aryal (nlt 30/01/2023)

Man kills son, injures wife by setting fire sprinkling petrol (kh 30/01/2023), Condition of woman allegedly burnt by husband remains stable (kh 31/01/2023)

Post-menopause healthcare : As the population continues to age, support for middle-aged women has become crucial, by Dushala Adhikari (kp 30/01/2023)

Rabi Lamchhane acquires Nepali citizenship again (kh 29/01/2023) [This sounds extremely fast! Millions of young people have been waiting in vain for this for years!]

Migrant workers risk their lives in hopes of better life : Lured with promises of good jobs, Nepali youths fall into human traffickers’ traps, by Rajesh Mishra (kp 29/01/2023)

Man attempts self-immolation in Pokhara (kh 29/01/2023), Two injured as a man tries to self-immolate in Pokhara, woman's condition critical, by Santosh Pokharel (rep 29/01/2023)

Victims’ voice weakened in media: Press Council Chairman Basnet (rep 28/01/2023)

Eternal wait : The Nirmala Kurmi case is yet another instance of the state’s indifference to the plight of its citizens (kp 27/01/2023)

Man arrested on charges of trafficking four Nepali women to Kuwait : They were allegedly sold for 900 dinar for two years and were made to work without pay for 20 hours daily (kp 27/01/2023)

Distressed by debt, yet another businessman kills himself : A note left by the 57-year-old man from Biratnagar mentions failing in business and an inability to clear loans as reasons for suicide, by Binod Bhandari (kp 27/01/2023)

End Corporal Punishment In Schools, by Bijaya Karki (rn 26/01/2023)

Victims of last November’s Doti earthquake spend cold winter months under flimsy tarp : Thirty-four people from eight families have been living under one tarpaulin tent in Uparkada, by Mohan Shahi (kp 26/01/2023)

Unheard plights of street vendors in Kathmandu : Despite their irrefutable contributions to the economy, street vendors are often overlooked and undervalued by policymakers, law enforcement agencies and the general public, by Anjila Shrestha (nlt 25/01/2023)

A painful case: Prem Prasad Acharya’s suicide exposes ills of private sector business, corrupt political system and indifferent state : In his heart-wrenching Facebook status posted before self-immolation, Prem Acharya has stated how the deep rooted cronyism, nexus between businesses and politicians and corruption in the system led him to end his life (nlt 25/01/2023), ‘It’s a murder, not suicide’ : Self-immolation by a young man, who accused the state of failing him repeatedly, could be the tip of a much bigger social problem, experts say, by Anup Ojha (kp 26/01/2023)

Rape-accused Pandey found guilty (rep 25/01/2023)

Rape convict arrested after 23 years (rep 25/01/2023)

Are Police Defying Home Minister’s Orders? (rep 25/01/2023)

If children with disabilities aren’t educated, they won’t be able to participate in society : ‘When we work in inclusive education we have to target the government, the children, the teachers and also the communities’, interview with Pauline Nadim Ducos, Regional Director, Humanity & Inclusion (nlt 24/01/2023)

Lakshmi Ghimire: A powerful presence in province assembly, by Tara Chapagain (ae 24/01/2023)

UNFPA partners with NHRC to advance women’s rights in Nepal (kh 23/01/2023)

Street drama performed to demand justice for Nirmala Kurmi (Photo feature), by Prasan Gurung (rep 23/01/2023), Rights activists staging street drama demanding justice for Nirmala Kurmi arrested, by Upendra Lamichhane (rep 23/01/2023),
Activists demanding justice for Nirmala Kurmi in police net : Days after Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane promised investigation, police arrest Ruby Khan and her friends demanding justice for the disappeared Banke woman (nepalminute 23/01/2023)

Gupsipakha residents move out due to water shortage : Water supply at the integrated settlement built for earthquake survivors has been disrupted since mid-December due to extreme cold weather conditions, by Hariram Upreti (kp 22/01/2023)

Journey of a mother figure to children of prison inmates (ht 22/01/2023)

65 persons acquire naturalized citizenship in Solukhumbu (kh 22/01/2023) [Only Nepali men are considered real citizens by the patriarchal nationalists. Therefore, their foreign wives are given the opportunity to acquire Nepali citizenship. Nepali women are no longer considered real Nepalis if they marry foreigners. Therefore, their foreign husbands are usually denied the opportunity to acquire Nepali citizenship!]

Nepal has mixed record on LGBT rights: Report (ht 22/01/2023)

The agony of a stateless citizen : Being without a citizenship at 21 has cost me my ambitions that I had dreamed of since I was 16, by Vivek Baranwal (kp 21/01/2023)

Ruling coalition fails to ensure inclusiveness in Cabinet : Political parties won’t ensure inclusion, unless it’s made mandatory by amending the constitution, says expert, by Tika R Pradhan (kp 21/01/2023) [This reflects the basic non-inclusiveness of all political parties! Nepal is still not a democracy, but an oligarchy dominated and controlled by male Khas Arya.]

Students of Hulakdanda see no recourse but to quit studies after Grade 8 : The closest secondary school from Manthali Municipality Ward 6 is at least three hours walk and daily commute is impossible, students say, by Tika Prasad Bhatta (kp 21/01/2023)

Delayed bill: Crash victims’ kin miss out on millions : As per the proposed law, domestic airlines must pay a minimum of $100,000 for injury or death of a passenger, by Sangam Prasain and Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp 20/01/2023) [Obviously, since then, Messrs. Oli, Dahal and Deuba have been more concerned with their political intrigues than with the ratification of this bill!]

Building gender-responsive policies : Policies fail to address gender inequalities if they are developed with a ‘gender-neutral’ mindset, by Labisha Uprety (kp 20/01/2023)

Step at a time : Politicians and ministers should take practical steps to wean the state off remittance (kp 20/01/2023)

Such a long wait for justice : The new Parliament must take concrete steps to conclude the transitional justice process, by Suman Adhikari (kp 19/01/2023) [One should not expect anything. The parliamentarians are only forced into absolute obedience to their incompetent party leaders.]

“Freedom of Expression should be utilized in national interest”, interview with Rekha Sharma (kh 19/01/2023)

26pc women in new Cabinet, by Bal Krishna Sah (ht 18/01/2023) [All of them are Khas Arya. Only four of them are full-fledged ministers, i.e. 20 per cent. This is again a clear violation of the inclusion provision of the Constitution in several respects. Moreover, most of the male ministers are also Khas Arya!]

Rural women turning self-reliant (kh 18/01/2023)

aitadi local unit changes names of Dalit settlements to assuage caste discrimination : Residents say name change is a good step but attitudes towards Dalits have not changed, by Basanta Pratap Singh (kp 17/01/2023)

Parties snub inclusion principle in top provincial posts : All chief ministers are male. Constitution is silent on what should be done if the authorities fail to ensure proportional representation, by Nishan Khatiwada (kp 16/01/2023) [This is not a trivial offence, but a serious violation of the Constitution, the fundamental law of the land, and should be punished accordingly. In an increasingly conscious society, the social balance is in danger!]

Uphold Spirit Of PR Election System, by Sangita Subedi (rep 16/01/2023)

Space of exclusion: No women, no Dalits, no Janajatis in chief ministers of Nepal’s provinces : Experts say the tendency of the political parties to repeatedly undermine constitutional obligation to proportional inclusion could pose a threat to federalism itself, by Dhanu Bishwakarma (nlt 14/01/2023)

Journalists who perished in the Maoist armed conflict in Nepal, by Nagendra Upadhyaya (rep 14/01/2023) [The one who claimed responsibility for many of these crimes has just become PM for the third time!] Resolve transitional justice at the earliest (rep)

Lack of care, alcoholism contributing to high infant mortality in Raute community : In Karnali, almost half the Rauti children die in infancy, according to the provincial planning body, by Tripti Shahi (kp 14/01/2023)

Nepali media need to integrate human rights in election reporting: Study (ae 13/01/2023) [see report by Media Action Nepal]

US rights group says President Bhandari’s inaction deprived many Nepalis of citizenship : The Human Rights Watch expresses concerns over lack of progress in transitional justice process (kp 13/01/2023) [The President's "inaction" was a deliberate breach of the Constitution and should be named as such!]

Dahal government faces global pressure to right war-era wrongs, by Pratik Ghimire (ae 13/01/2023)

Nepal sees no progress in Transitional Justice: Report. “Nepal restricting free assembly, expression rights of Tibetans under Chinese pressure” (kh 12/01/2023) [see Nepal: Events of 2022, HRW World Report 2023], New government, new commitment on transitional justice : Successive administrations have listed transitional justice among their top priorities but the delivery is dismal, by Binod Ghimire (kp 12/01/2023) [The one who declared to be responsible for the death of 5,000 people during the time of the uprising without drawing any consequences is PM again. What should we expect?], 16 years since conflict ended, Nepal not serious in investigating wartime crimes, abuses : “Women and members of marginalized communities, including Dalits, are disproportionately the victims of rights violations, and also find it hardest to seek redress” (nlt 12/01/2023),
Int’l community keenly interested to see Nepal’s transitional justice process moving forward: US envoy, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep 12/01/2023), They still hope : All that the conflict victims are now looking for is a sense of respectful closure (kh 13/01/2023) [Nepal continues with the rule of unlaw!], HRW report paints dismal picture of rule of law (ht 15/01/2023)

Human rights issues inadequately covered during elections (ht 12/01/2023)

No public transport for Nepalis living with disabilities : For disabled-friendly transport to become a reality, state help is a must, commuters say (kp 12/01/2023)

Ward chair accused of committing racial discrimination (kh 11/01/2023)

Red Cross Society initiates constructing makeshift houses for quake victims (kh 11/01/2023)

I have given instructions to arrest ‘fugitive’ MP Mahato: Home Minister Lamichhane (rep 11/01/2023), Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane directs police to arrest lawmaker Laxmi Mahato Koiri : On Tuesday, Home Minister was criticized for his indifference to arrest the murder-accused lawmaker Laxmi Mahato Koiri though the latter was present in the parliament (nlt 11/01/2023)

Unopposed PM: Maoist chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal wins vote of confidence from nearly all members of parliament : Addressing the house session before the confidence vote, PM Dahal dubbed the support as 'unprecedented' and justice done to him by political parties (nlt 10/01/2023) [And what about justice for the victims of the Maoist insurgency?]

‘We have failed to build pressure on transitional justice’ : Mandira Sharma, a senior international legal advisor at the International Commission of Jurists, on the state of transitional justice in Nepal, interview with Mandira Sharma (kp 09/01/2023)

Women activists stage protest demanding justice for Nirmala Kurmi in capital (ht 09/01/2023)

NHRC recommends investigation against 130, including Upendra Yadav in 2007 Gaur carnage (kh 07/01/2023), Rights body recommends Yadav, others be probed for 2007 Gaur killings : As many as 27 individuals linked with the Maoists were killed and 115 others left injured, by Binod Ghimire (kp 08/01/2023)

NEST to organize mass protest on January 9 against KMC’s harassment to street vendors (rep 07/01/2023)

Nirmala Kurmi disappearance: A probe going nowhere : The woman was in her 40s when she went missing, but an Indian death certificate obtained by police as hers shows the deceased was in her mid-30s, by Pinki Sris Rana (kp 07/01/2023)

Power sharing, inclusive politics in Nepal: Honour the constitutional principle, by Yagya Bahadur Karki (ht 06/01/2023) [When will the arrogant high-caste macho males at the top of the state and political parties finally be punished for their constant disregard of the constitution and laws? A permanent ban from political office should be the minimum punishment! This is not a trivial offence, but malicious intent!]

Improved but unstable : While there has been an increase in news media outlets, there has also been a surge in fake news, by Bhanu Bhakta Acharya (kp 06/01/2023)

Court clears six people of rape charge, by Khagendra Adhikari (rep 06/01/2023)

Two Indians arrested in connection with Nirmala Panta rape and murder case (rep 06/01/2023)

Rinzin Wangdi: A Bhutanese political prisoner from Sharchop community : Initially Wangdi was sentenced to 25 years and three months imprisonment but later seven years and three months were added as punishment for being in contact with another dissent prisoner, by Ram Karki (nlt 06/01/2023) [This is obviously part of Gross National Happiness!]

Why can't CIAA probe Cabinet decisions, asks apex court, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht 05/01/2023), Govt and CIAA : The govt must take policy decisions only in the public interest confined to the existing laws (ht 06/01/2023)

Harsh laws, stiff penalties : Multiple loopholes need to be closed to prevent trafficking of Nepali women and girls (kp 04/01/2023)

Nepali recruitment agency directors handed slavery order by UK court (rep 04/01/2023), UK’s court hands slavery and trafficking risk order to a Nepali agency : Resham Gurung and Pravin Rimal, the directors of a recruiting agency, denied the accusations saying they do not have a licence to send workers to the UK, by Pawan Pandey (kp 06/01/2023)

Three Nepali women escape their coercive Chinese employers in Laos. They still feel unsafe back home : The women were previously taken to Laos to work at a call centre. More than two dozen Nepalis are still languishing at the centre, police say, by Anup Ojha (kp 04/01/2023)

Living on the margins amidst a harsh winter, by Govinda Mahato (ae 04/01/2023)

Mass Communications Academy concerns threat against journalist Mahato (kh 04/01/2023)

Bhaktapur Municipality adjusts entry fee in line dollar price (kh 02/01/2023) [Such entry fees are questionable if tourism is to be promoted, but making the amount of the fees dependent on the visitors' country of origin is discriminatory!]

Identity politics going through a churn : The November elections were not in favour of the parties that have long relied on it, by Binod Ghimire (kp 02/01/2023)

53 cases of press freedom violation (ht 01/01/2023), Nepal reports 45 cases of press freedom violations in 2022 : In the last one year, a total of 45 incidents of press freedom violations occurred in Nepal, where 120 journalists were directly affected, according to a report (nlt 03/01/2023)

444 women, girls from western Nepal go out of contact after reaching India, third countries (rep 01/01/2023)

2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Nepal, by US Department of State, 15 May 2023

Amnesty International Report 2022/23, Nepal, March 2023)

2022 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nepal, by US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, March 2023

South Asia State of Minorities Report 2022 : Weakening Human Rights Commitments
and Its Impact on Minorities. The South Asia Collective, February 2023

Nepal’s Social Protection System Reinforces Inequality: Expand the Child Grant; Include Informal Workers, by HRW, 1 February 2023

Media, Elections and Human Rights : A Study on Media Coverage of Elections from Human Rights Perspectives, by Media Action Nepal, 2023

Nepal: Events of 2022, HRW World Report 2023

GLOBAL ALLIANCE OF NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS (GANHRI).
Report and Recommendations of the Session of the Sub-Committee on Accreditation (SCA)
Geneva, 03 - 07 October 2022

State of Gender Equality and Climate Change in South Asia and the Hindu Kush Himalaya, by ICIMOD et al., 29 September 2022

What German Football Can Do to Remedy Abuses in Qatar : Football Association Pledges to Press FIFA to Compensate Migrant Workers, by David Fischer, HRW (12 August 2022)

Nepal: Amend Transitional Justice Bill : New Draft Falls Short of Promised Reforms to Protect Victims’ Rights. Statement by AI, HRW, ICG and TRIAL, 22 July 2022

From Exclusion to Inclusion : Crafting a New Legal Regime in Nepal, by Bipin Adhikari et al. Kathmandu: Social Science Baha 2022

2021 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nepal. US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, 12 April 2022

The State of the World's Human Rights. Amnesty International’s Annual Report 2021/22, Nepal chapter, March 2022

World Bank. Women, business and the law 2022. Nepal data.

World Report 2022 - Nepal chapter, by Human Rights Watch

Gender Sensitivity in Nepali Media, report by Media Action Nepal, 2022

2020 Civil Society Organization Sustainability Indey for Asia, by USAID, November 2021 (Nepal, pp. 38ff)

Media in Nepal : Safety of Journalists, Sustainability and Gender Inclusiveness, report by Media Action Nepal, 2021

Misleading News in Media : A study of newspapers and online news portals of Nepal, report by Media Action Nepal, 2021

Code of Conduct : Improving conflict sensitive reporting & journalist safety in South Asia, report by Media Action Nepal, 2021

Vulnerability to Human Trafficking in Nepal : From enhanced regional connectivity. World Bank Group, December 2021

COVID-19 pandemic worsens disparities in young children’s development and learning in Nepal : One out of five children developmentally off track, press release bi UNICEF, 19 December 2021 [see also Child and Family Tracker, ECDI Survey, UNICEF, August 2021]

Impacts of protecting life in global health assistance policy in Nepal. Report by CREJHPA, September 2021

Unprepared and Unlawful: Nepal’s Continued Failure to realize the right to health during the COVID-19 pandemic. Briefing paper by International Commission of Jurists, 13 September 2021

Nepal Multidimensional Poverty Index 2021, by NPC et al., 18 August 2021

Violations in the name of conservation : "What crime had I committed by putting my feet on the Land that I own?" Amnesty International, 9 August 2021

Challenges for Dalits in South Asia’s Legal Community. Chapter I: Dalit Justice Defenders in Nepal, by American Bar Association - Center for Human Rights (18/06/2021)

Nepal: "Struggling to breathe".  The second wave of Covid-19 in Nepal, by Amnesty International (14/06/2021)

HRW report “I Must Work to Eat” - Covid-19, Poverty, and Child labor in Ghana, Nepal, and Uganda, by Human Rights Watch (26/05/2021)

South Asia: Urgent action needed to combat deadly COVID-19 surge across region (Amnesty International 13/05/2021)

Youth Anxiety, Aspiration, and Activism: Survey Report, by Niti Foundation and ILO, April 2021

Nepal Child Labour Report 2021, by International Labour Organisation and Central Bureau of Statistics, Nepal

Nepal 2020. Excerpt from Amnesty International Report 2020/21 (07/04/021)

2020 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nepal. US Department of State, 30 March 2021

Nepal Human Rights Year Book 2021, by INSEC, Kathmandu 2021

Annual Report 2020, by NHRC. Lalitpur, February 2020

Nepal: Human Rights Commission’s Integrity in Jeopardy : Lack of Transparency in Appointments Undermine Effectiveness, Public Confidence, common statement by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and International Commission of Jurists, 1 March 2021

World Report 2021 : Nepal - Events of 2020, by Human Rights Watch, January 2021

Report on Employment Relationship Survey in Nepal. UNICEF, January 2021

Nepal Human Development Report 2020, UNDP and NPC, 13/12/2020

The Government of Nepal has been using the Covid-19 Pandemic to Exercise Control, to Commit Human Rights Violations and to Deny Justice to Victims of Human Rights Abuses, by AHRC, 09/12/2020

राष्ट्रिय मानव अधिकार आयोगको वार्षिक प्रतिवेदन (२०७६–२०७७), National Human Rights Commission, 07/12/2020

No Law, No Justice, No State for Victims : The Culture of Impunity in Post-Conflict Nepal. Report by Human Rights Watch. 20/11/2020

Nepal : Justice stalled for conflict victims. Amnesty International submission for the UN universal periodic review, 37th session of the UPR working group, January 2021 (Amnesty International 23/10/2020)

आयोगको २० वर्ष आयोगका सिफारिशहरु र कार्यान्वयन अवस्था (२०५७ जेठ–२०७७ असार), National Human Rights Commission, 15/10/2020

The NHRI Nepal Joint Submission for The Third Cycle Universal Periodic Review of Nepal, 2020. Submitted by National Human Rights Commission, National Women Commission and National Dalit Commission, March 24, 2020 (revised 07/09/2020)

Child & Family Tracker: Tracking the Socio-Economic Impact of COVID-19 on Children and Families in Nepal. Baseline Findings, by UNICEF Nepal and Sharecast, August 2020 (Powerpoint presentation)

Costing Study on Early Childhood Education and
Development (ECED) in Nepal: A Case for Investment in ECED, by UNICEF Nepal and The World Bank, 2020

Human Rights and the Rule of Law in a Federal Nepal: Recommendations from an ICJ High-Level Mission, by ICJ: Geneva, July 2020

Nepal’s Universal Periodic Review: Human Rights Review Should Address Broken Commitments, Impunity, by Human Rights Watch, 16/07/2020), see submission report by HRW (15/07/2020)

Lawyers at risk: Law Society submits joint UPR report on Nepal, by The Law Society of England and Wales, 13 July 2020 (see also factsheet and submission)

2019 Trafficking in Persons Report: Nepal, by US Department of State

2019 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, by US Department of State, 11 March 2020

Rule of Law Index Nepal 2020, by World Justice Project, 11 March 2020

Nepal Human Rights Year Book 2020, by INSEC, Kathmandu 2020

Annual Report: Synopsis 2018/2019, by NHRC. Kathmandu: January 2020

Sexual Exploytation of Children in Nepal, by ECPAT International 2020

Nepal 2019. In: Human Rights in Asia-Pacific. Review of 2019. Amnesty International, 29 January 2020

Nepal: Recent Steps Undermine Transitional Justice, by ICJ, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and TRIAL International, 25 January 2020

Nepal: Events of 2019, by Human Rights Watch, January 2020, pp. 418-422

Lawyers’ Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP)

Human Development Report 2019: Inequalities in Human Development in the 21stCentury. Briefing note for countries on the 2019 Human Development Report: Nepal. New York: UNDP 2019

Nepal: 13 Years On, No Justice for Conflict Victims. Joint statement by ICJ, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch (HRW) and TRIAL International, 25 November 2019

Nepal: New NGO Law Should Protect Rights
Government’s Recent Moves Have Restricted Activists, by Human Rughts Watch, 14 November 2019

Nepal: Release Report on 2015 Protest Violence: Suppressing Lal Commission Findings Denies Justice to Terai Victims, by Human Rights Watch, 1 October 2019

All work, no pay: The struggle of Qatar's migrant workers for justice, Amnesty International, 19 September 2019

Torture and forced child labour: UN experts find Nepal violated human rights, by OHCHR 27/08/2019,  including full text of the UN document]

On the Occasion of International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, by Advocacy Forum - Nepal, 26 June 2019

2019 Trafficking in Person Report: Nepal. by US Department of State, June 20, 2019

Regressive Laws, Mounting Violations, report by Freedom Forum, 3 May 2019

The Legal Stranglehold, by International Federation of Journalists, 3 May 2019

Nepal: To End Hunger, Strengthen and Implement Right to Food Law, Amnesty International, 04 April 2019

Nepal 2018 Human Rights Report, by US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor

Human Rights Yearbook 2019, by INSEC, 17 February 2019

Fighting inequality in Nepal: The road to prosperity. OXFAM report, 11 January 2019

Media Freedom Deteriorating. Annual media freedom report 2018 by Freedom Forum

Preliminary Comments: Draft Bill to Amend the Act on Commission on Investigation of Disappeared Persons, Truth and Reconciliation, 2014], by Amnesty International, ICJ and TRIAL International, 20 July 2018

Preliminary Comments of Conflict Victims’ Common Platform (CVCP) on proposed TJ draft bill to amend Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances, Truth and Reconciliation Act, 2014, 17 July 2018

Nepal: Transitional Justice Reform an Urgent Need; Current Draft Law Does Not Meet International Standards on Prosecuting Worst Crimes, by Human Rights Watch, 7 July 2018

Rule of Law Index 2017-2018 - Nepal, by World Justice Project

Nepal 2017 Human Rights Report, by US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor

Amnesty International Annual Report 2017/2018 on Nepal, 22 February 2018

Nepal: Events of 2017, by Human Rights Watch, January 2018

Human Rights Yearbook 2018, by INSEC, 20 February 2018

Nepal: Transitional Justice Proving Elusive Term Extensions do not Cure Act’s Fundamental Problems. Joint press statement by ICJ, HRW and AI, 13 February 2018

Nepal’s Transitional Justice Process: Challenges and Future Strategy. A Discussion Paper, by International Commission of Jurists, August 2017

Trafficking in persons. National report 2015/16, by NHRC, June 2017

Amnesty International. Turning people into profits: Abusive recruitment, trafficking and forced labour of Nepali migrant workers. London, 6 June 2017

New Fronts, Brave Voices: Press Freedom in South Asia 2016-17, by International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), 3 May 2017 [Nepal on pages 72-77]

“Building inequality": The failure of the Nepali government to protect the marginalised in post-earthquake reconstruction efforts (Amnesty International 25/04/2017)

"What I want is for the government to help". Nepal: Ensure the right to adequate housing for the marginalised in post-earthquake Nepal (Amnesty International 25/04/2017)

Serious Crimes in Nepal’s Criminal Code Bill, 2014. A Briefing Paper by International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), March 2017

National Human Rights Commission Nepal (NHRC)

Nepal 2016 Human Rights Report, by US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, 3 March 2017

Nepal 206/17, report by Amnesty International, 22 February 2017

Nepal: extending transitional justice commissions without granting real powers betrays trust of victims, by International Commission of Jurists (10 February 2017)

NHRC. Varshik Prativedhan 2072/73 (yearly report), 13 January 2017 (in Nepali)

Human Rights Watch, World report 2017, Nepal chapter (January 2017)

Nepal: Decade After Peace, Scant Progress On Justice; Political Parties Fail to Deliver on Promises, by Human Rights Watch, 18 October 2016

Global Gender Gap Report 2016 - Nepal data, by World Economic Forum, Geneva, October 2016

Statement on the CIAA and reports on investigation of Social Science Baha (SSB) and Alliance for Social Dialogue (ASD) (BNAC 01/10/2016)

“Our Time to Sing and Play”: Child Marriage in Nepal, by Human Rights Watch, 7 September 2016 [see also video]

Nepal - Torture and Coerced Confessions, by Amnesty International, 19 July 2016

The Torture and Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment (Control) Bill, 2014. A Briefing Paper by International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), June 2016

Nepal 2015 Human Rights Report, by Department of State • Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, Washington, 14 April 2016

Nepal 2015/16, by Amnesty International, 24 February 2016

Nepal’s police in Madhesi-hunting spree (Asian Human Rights Commission, 24 February 2016)

INSEC Yearbook 2016 (19 February 2016)

Earthquake Recovery Must Safeguard Human Rights, by Amnesty International 1 June 2015

Human Rights Watch: Silenced and Forgotten  Survivors of Nepal’s Conflict-Era Sexual Violence. September 23, 2014

International Commission of Jurists (ICJ): Justice denied: The 2014 Commission on Investigation of Disappeared Persons, Truth and Reconciliation Act. Geneva, May 2014

U.S. Department of State: Nepal 2013 Human Rights Report

Human Rights Watch. Under China’s Shadow: Mistreatment of Tibetans in Nepal. 1 April 2014

THRD Alliance. Continuing extra-judicial executions in the Terai (March 2014)

Amnesty International. The dark side of migration: Spotlight on Qatar's construction sector ahead of the world cup, London: AI, 18 November 2013

Nepal: Is the Government Unable or Unwilling to Prevent and Investigate Torture?, report by Advocacy Forum (26/06/2013)

Human Rights Watch: World Report 2013, Nepal chapter (01/02/2013)

Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC): The State of Human Rights in Nepal in 2012 (10/12/2012)

Torture of Women: Nepal’s Duplicity Continues, rebort by Advocacy Forum (26/06/2012

Torture of Women in Detention: Nepal’s Failure to Prevent and Protect, by Advocy Forum (26/06/2011)

Right to Information Rules, 2065 (2009)

Right to Information Act, 2064 (2007)