Discrimination at workplace must be eliminated: Justice Phuyal

Kathmandu, June 25

Justice of the Supreme Court Hari Phuyal stressed that all forms of violence and discrimination at the workplace should be eliminated and that all stakeholders should work for the same.

Speaking at ‘National Dialogue on Business and Human Rights (BHR)’ organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in collaboration with LAHURNIP in Kathmandu on Wednesday, he said, “Workers should be considered as partners in profits and be well treated.”

According to him, it is equally important to protect the rights of future generations to natural resources. Humans don’t have exclusive rights over natural resources. Phuyal also said that the functioning of business should not impact the community, culture and lives negatively.

Likewise, Dipak Kafle, secretary of the Ministry of Youth, Labour and Employment, said that the Ministry will work with the stakeholders in implementing the BHR National Action Plan.

NHRC chairperson Top Bahadur Magar stated that more sensitivity towards human rights is needed in both the public and private sector corporations. “There should be greater dialogues among the stakeholders so that BHR is not compromised,” he said.

Sita Ghimire, deputy director of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, said that about 90 per cent of the businesses in operation in Nepal are micro-small-medium enterprises, so they should be facilitated in implementing the rights of workers, communities and environment while protecting their business interests. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 26 June 2026.   

PM reiterates human rights commitment

Kathmandu, Feb. 24

Prime Minister Sushila Karki has reiterated to the international community that Nepal is committed to concluding the transitional justice process in a credible, inclusive and victim-centric manner.

In her virtual address to the 61^st regular session of the Human Rights Council, held in Geneva on Monday, as the head of the Nepali delegation, PM Karki said that transitional justice is an integral part of the conclusion of the decade-long armed conflict through a homegrown and nationally-led peace process.

“As a move towards the conclusion of the last mile works of the transitional justice, the government of Nepal reconstituted the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons last year,” she said.

In addition, Nepal has been consistently contributing to international peace and security. “Today, Nepal is the number one troop-contributing country in different UN Peacekeeping missions. Through these missions, Nepali women and men have defended peace, protected civilians, and upheld human rights,” stated the Prime Minister Karki.

According to her, this is a critical time and the world is facing several crises— some conventional and some emerging. Climate change, increasing conflicts and severe disasters are to name a few. “And, most importantly, these crises are not stand-alone. They are intertwined and complex,” said the Prime Minister.

She said that Nepal’s national commitment to human rights is still strong and unflinching, and all must uphold the universality of human rights despite several odds and uncertainties.

According to PM Karki, Nepal is committed to protecting and promoting human rights.

Nepal has taken several measures— policy, legal and institutional— to reflect this commitment in practice.

“Now, our priority is to institutionalise human rights and make it a culture - that respects each other, and ensures human dignity and equality, makes the state responsible for protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms, and fosters decent living without compromising basic needs and services,” she said.

PM Karki also stated that Nepal’s constitution protects the rights of women, children, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, Madhesis, Tharus, Muslims, Dalits, marginalised communities, as well as sexual and gender minorities. It upholds rights to education, health, employment, food, and a clean environment, among others.

The country is party to 24 human rights instruments, including seven core human rights conventions and eleven ILO conventions.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 25 February 2026.     

Minister Sinha underscores risk minimisation in business

Kathmandu, Dec. 3

Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Anil Kumar Sinha has expressed serious concerns over capital flight and said that risks for business should be minimised to encourage investment within the country.

"Investors want security and good return on investment. But various risks existing within the country have discouraged local investment," he said while addressing a seminar on 'National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (BHR) for responsible business conduct and good governance' organised by the National Business Initiative (NBI) in Kathmandu on Wednesday.

According to him, some investors have said that although they wanted to invest in Nepal, prevailing uncertainty and insecurity had forced them to take the capital out of the country and expand business in other countries.

"Businesses must earn profits. There won't be any business without profit but it should be reasonable and guided by ethics and social responsibility," he said.

Minister Sinha said that although the country has formulated the National Action Plan on BHR, its sincere implementation is challenging.

He stated that it is a national agenda and common responsibility of all to conduct business responsibly with consideration to labourer, society, environment and quality of products.

He appreciated the private sector for its steady contribution to employment and economic growth during various political and natural challenges including the armed conflict, earthquake and COVID-19 pandemic.

"We are putting efforts to create positive and conducive environment not only for election but also for investment and business. I would like to urge the private sector offer donations remaining within rules and ethics," he said.

Stating that BHR is economic and strategic policy, Minister Sinha said, "Where there is lack of good governance and transparency, trust erodes and risk to investment and security increases."

Earlier, the human rights were limited only between the state and its citizens but now it has entered the domain of business. This is the need of time as it guides the business relations with the community, consumer, workers and environment, said the Minister.

President of the NBI Kush Kumar Joshi said that businesses must have rights to run peacefully and must be responsible to the society.

"Prosperity is not possible without peace and without peace prosperity can't be sustained," he said while adding that the recent political turmoil has reinforced that good governance must be promoted everywhere and serious attention should be paid to the demands of the youth.

Joshi said that Private sector has employed more than 5 million people and has moved ahead together with the government during the difficult times including natural disasters but it is yet to earn the respect and prestige

"We want to support the government in the upcoming elections wholeheartedly but we must be protected from the forceful donations and extortions in the name of election and political campaigns," he stated.

Deputy Resident Representative of UNDP in Nepal Julian Chevillard said that currently livelihood and long-term investments are at risk in Nepal. "However, it is encouraging to see the progress on BHR NAP so far especially coinciding with the graduation of Nepal from an LDC to a developing nation," he said.

Chief Commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission Top Bahadur Magar stressed that the rights of all stakeholders must be protected while there should be minimal damage to the environment.

"The state and business both should be proactive to the protection of the right of indigenous communities," he said.

Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) Nischal Raj Pandey said that following recent vandalism on businesses, there is a realisation that they should be proactive in risk mitigation rather exhibiting reactive initiatives. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 4 December 2025.

ILO and NHRC sign MoU to promote labour rights

Kathmandu, Mar. 26

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance collaboration in promoting and protecting fundamental labour rights in Nepal.

Labour rights are fundamental human rights, ensuring dignity, equality, and protection for all workers, the ILO said in a statement on Wednesday.

The agreement was signed by Numan Özcan, Country Director of the ILO Country Office for Nepal, and Murari Prasad Kharel, Secretary of the NHRC.

"It marks a crucial step towards ensuring decent work conditions and fostering social justice in Nepal," read the statement.

Recognising the intrinsic link between labour rights and human rights, the MoU aims to advance the objectives outlined in international labour conventions and recommendations. According to the ILO, the partnership will focus on promoting fair and inclusive employment practices, protecting migrant workers, and reinforcing national mechanisms for monitoring and enforcing labour standards.

Strengthening NHRC’s ability to monitor and investigate labour rights violations under national laws and ILO conventions and developing initiatives to support human rights defenders, and other stakeholders in advancing labour rights and gender equality are the priorities of the MoU, according to the statement. 

Likewise, implementing the fundamental labour rights in Nepal, safeguarding the rights of Nepali migrant workers and conducting studies on labour and migrant workers' rights and ensuring compliance with fundamental labour rights are the other priorities.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Kharel reaffirmed NHRC’s commitment to strengthening labour rights as an essential component of human rights.

Likewise, Özcan said, "The MoU is a commitment to work together to protect the rights of workers and ensure that labour rights are treated as human rights. When people are denied fair wages, forced to work in unsafe conditions, or silenced, it is not just a labour issue but a human rights issue."

Chairperson of NHRC, Top Bahadur Magar, emphasised that the MoU aims to promote and implement fundamental labour rights. He pointed out that Article 34 of Nepal’s Constitution guarantees every worker the right to fair labour practices, dignity, fair treatment, and social security, reinforcing the shared commitment of NHRCN and the ILO in these areas.

The MoU, set to remain in effect for five years, signifies a strategic effort to foster sustained economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all. This collaboration underscores the shared vision of NHRC and the ILO in advancing labour rights, reducing inequality, and ensuring the well-being of workers, particularly those in vulnerable sectors such as migrant labour.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 27 March 2025.    

It is essential to integrate human rights into business: Minister Bhandari

Lalitpur, Mar. 19

Minister for Labour, Employment, and Social Security, Sharat Singh Bhandari, said that to fully integrate human rights into its business landscape, a multilateral approach is essential.

"Collaboration, accountability, and strong commitments from both the public and private sectors will be key in aligning Nepal’s business practices with global human rights standards,” he said at the national dialogue on business and human rights jointly organised by the National Business Initiative (NBI), United Nations Development Programme and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Lalitpur on Tuesday.

Minister Bhandari reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to implementing the action plan by working with stakeholders at all levels, from the federal to the local government.

Addressing the event, Attorney General Ramesh Badal has said that arresting the accused is not the only solution.

"So, we have directed the police not to arrest persons who are likely to get less than three years' term in jail if proven guilty. Mediation is promoted in such cases whenever possible," he said.

Badal also said that the number of cases regarding cheque dishonour has risen so massively that it would need human resource four time the current number if they were to be settled.

According to him, in today’s world, businesses cannot progress at the expense of human dignity. The protection and promotion of human rights is not solely the government’s responsibility, the private sector must also play an equally crucial role.

The dialogue was organised with the participation of stakeholders, including the government, national human rights institutions, the private sector, civil society organisations, and international development partners to discuss the measures to accelerate the implementation of Nepal’s National Action Plan (NAP) on Business and Human Rights.

It deliberated on responsible business conduct, ethical supply chains, corporate accountability, regulatory frameworks, and the government’s role in promoting human rights-friendly business practices.

Vice President of the NBI, Sukuntalal Hirachan, emphasised the importance of collaboration in addressing challenges and identifying opportunities for businesses to support human rights.

“This dialogue provides us with an opportunity to identify challenges and explore innovative solutions and best practices. Business success cannot be separated from its broader social impact,” he said.

Experts at the dialogue highlighted the necessity of integrating human rights into business operations, advocating for the prioritisation of human rights in business conduct based on the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs), and emphasising the private sector’s decisive role in promoting responsible business practices.

Christopher Bahuet, Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), stressed the importance of multistakeholder engagement for effective implementation of the business and human rights framework.

The President of the NBI Kush Kumar Joshi expressed the private sector’s commitment to upholding human rights, promoting fair labour practices, protecting the environment, empowering marginalised groups, engaging with stakeholders, and ensuring transparency and accountability.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 20 March 2025.    

Geneva visit is fruitful: FM Rana

Kathmandu, Feb. 28

Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has described her week-long visit to Geneva as successful and fruitful.

Sharing her reflections upon her arrival from the 58^th High-Level Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva on Friday, she said that she had requested the international community to vote for Nepal’s candidacy for the Human Rights Council and received assurances of support.

During her visit, FM Dr. Rana addressed the High-Level Session of the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday. The session was attended by foreign and human rights ministers from member states, as well as individuals working in the field of human rights.

Upon her return, FM Dr. Rana highlighted Nepal’s long-standing commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights and informed the global community about Nepal’s candidacy for membership in the Human Rights Council for the term 2027-2029.

She urged all UN member states to support Nepal’s bid, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) informed in a statement on Friday.

Nepal has also announced its candidacy for membership in the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the term 2029-2031 and as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the term 2037-2038. Minister Dr. Rana called on all UN member states to support Nepal’s candidacies for these positions as well.

She shared that during her visit, she also held discussions with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, and briefed him on the status of human rights and transitional justice in Nepal.

Likewise, she held bilateral meetings with counterparts, delegations, and leaders from countries including Switzerland, Norway, Spain, Slovakia, the Philippines, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mexico, and discussed matters of mutual interest and concern.

She also attended a welcome reception hosted by the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the UN in Geneva, where she engaged with heads of missions and representatives from over 100 countries, as well as officials from various international organisations, seeking their support for Nepal’s candidacy.

FM Dr. Rana led a six-member Nepali delegation to Geneva, departing last Saturday. The delegation was scheduled to return to Kathmandu at 10:30 am on Friday, but due to adverse weather conditions, their Qatar Airways flight from Doha was diverted to Kolkata, India. They eventually returned to Kathmandu in the afternoon, informed the MoFA.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 1 March 2025.   

FM Dr. Rana seeks global support to Nepal’s UNHRC candidacy

Kathmandu, Feb. 27

Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has called on the international community to vote for Nepal’s candidacy for membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC). While addressing the 58^th High-Level Session of the UNHRC in Geneva, she urged ambassadors and representatives of various countries to support Nepal’s bid, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) informed in a statement on Thursday.

Speaking at a reception hosted by Nepal’s Permanent Mission in Geneva on Wednesday evening, FM Dr. Rana highlighted Nepal’s commitment to human rights promotion and protection despite its limited resources.

She appealed for support based on Nepal’s efforts and achievements in this field. The event was attended by over 100 ambassadors, permanent representatives, and officials from international organisations, according to the MoFA.

"The Government of Nepal remains steadfast in its commitment to peace, democracy, and human rights. We have been actively working in this area for a long time. With the same dedication, Nepal has submitted its candidacy for UNHRC membership for the 2027–2029 term," said Dr. Rana while urging all UN member states to support Nepal.

She further said that Nepal has set an example in the global peace process, ensuring a smooth transition from the armed conflict.

She informed the audience that Nepal was working diligently to finalise transitional justice by enacting necessary legal frameworks.

Similarly, she highlighted Nepal’s recent achievements in protecting the rights of children, women, and minorities, as well as the government's commitment to upholding the independence of the National Human Rights Commission.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Dr. Rana had addressed the UNHRC High-Level Session, where she engaged with foreign ministers and human rights experts from UN member states.

Leading a six-member Nepali delegation, she had reached Geneva on Saturday. She is scheduled to return to Nepal on Friday morning.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 28 February 2025.  

BHR policy stressed to ensure fair business

 Kathmandu, Jan. 3

Stakeholders have said that the Business and Human Rights National Action Plan (BHR-NAP) should be implemented to ensure fair business for all.

Speaking at a workshop organised in Kathmandu on Friday by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and UNDP, they highlighted the issues like quality control mechanisms, human rights practices, and protection of minority groups at the workplace.

"The three aspects of the BHR – Protect, Respect, Remedy – should be adopted by all businesses," they said.

Nepal is implementing its first five-year action plan on BHR starting in 2024 and concluding in 2029.

The BHR policy includes six major sectors of business and human rights - labour, consumer, women and children, migrant workers, environment and indigenous people, and gender equality and non-discrimination. 

The BHRs are based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) which are the most authoritative and widely adopted set of principles for responsible business, endorsed in 2011.

Hansa Ram Pandey, an expert on BHR, said that the NAP highlights the private sector's commitment to respecting and promoting human rights. This commitment is expected to enhance the presence of Nepali businesses in international markets and make it easier to access benefits from developed economies.

"To ensure the smooth implementation of the National Action Plan, the United Nations office in Nepal is providing support through various means. As part of this effort, it is assisting stakeholders in preparing an informative guidebook on business and human rights for the private sector," he said.

The National Action Plan, developed by the Government of Nepal, encompasses rights related to workers, migrant workers, consumers, environmental protection, indigenous peoples, women, children, non-discrimination, and social inclusion.

Pushpa Pokharel, another expert on BHR, suggested conducting stakeholders' consultation for the BHR due diligence. Such consultations should be conducted with persons or groups who have interests that are or could be impacted by the enterprise’s activities, and it should be meaningful.

"It requires engagement into HRDD processes so that companies can detect potentially negative impacts early and develop collaborative grievance mechanisms to help companies ensure compliance with their HRDD obligations," she said. 

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 4 January 2025. 

National action plan on business and human rights launched

Kathmandu, Jan. 23

The Ministry Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) has launched the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP-BHR), which is termed as a significant milestone in promoting responsible business and strengthening human rights standards in Nepal.

Sharat Singh Bhandari, Minister of the Labour, launched the National Action Plan (NAP) at a programme organised by the Ministry and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which provided technical support for the formulation of the action plan.

The NAP-BHR was initially endorsed by the government on 27 December 2023. "It is a clear commitment from the Government of Nepal to promote economic development while safeguarding the rights of its citizens and the environment," said the Minister.

“The private sector affects the daily lives of every individual in Nepal, For this reason, it is important to ensure that businesses respect human rights throughout their operations,” he added.

The NAP was developed in alignment with national provisions and commitments to human rights, as well as international human rights standards like the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) – the most authoritative and widely adopted set of principles for responsible business, unanimously endorsed by the UN Human Rights Council in 2011.

It outlines expectations and duties of the government and businesses in Nepal to respect, protect, and fulfil human rights through a comprehensive set of actions to across six thematic areas – labour rights, migrant workers’ rights, consumer protection, environment and Indigenous People’s rights, women and children’s rights, and non-discrimination, gender and social inclusion.

During the launch event, there was a unified call for collaboration and coordination for the successful implementation of the NAP.

“This milestone presents a clear opportunity for diverse stakeholders to come together to enhance responsible business through a collaborative process over the next five years,” said Ayshanie Labé, UNDP Resident Representative for Nepal. “UNDP remains committed to supporting the Government of Nepal in implementing the National Action Plan,” she said.

The National Action Plan aims to support companies in managing human rights risks within their operations and supply chains, ensuring they are prepared for an accelerating global shift toward responsible business conduct.

Increasingly, leading global economies are taking action to promote responsible supply chains, for example through the Government of Japan’s Guidelines on Respecting Human Rights in Responsible Supply Chains or the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. The adoption of the National Action Plan by the Government of Nepal sends a strong narrative to investors that Nepal is a good place to do business.

The National Action Plan is the outcome of collaboration between MoLESS, UNDP in Nepal, and other partners, supported by the Government of Japan and the Government of Norway.

This collaborative effort adopted a rigorous, participatory approach, including a series of consultation workshops, focus group discussions, and technical working group discussions to solicit feedback from businesses, civil society organizations (CSOs), international experts, and others on drafts of the action plan to ensure its quality and effectiveness, said the MoLESS. 

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 24 January 2024.     

Nepal finalises Business and Human Rights Action Plan

Kathmandu, Aug. 19

Nepal has finalised the draft of the Business and Human Rights National Action Plan (BHR-NAP) to make businesses sensitive and accountable to the human rights of labour, staff and consumers.

The BHRs are based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) which are the most authoritative and widely adopted set of principles for responsible business, endorsed in 2011. They call on both governments and companies to identify, prevent, mitigate, and remedy actual and potential human rights abuses, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The BHR policy includes six major sectors of business and human rights - labour, consumer, women and children, migrant workers, environment and indigenous people, and gender equality and non-discrimination.

The BHR-NAP is formulated as per the commitments of the Government of Nepal at various conferences on business and human rights. Likewise, the fifth national action plan of human rights (2020-2025) of the government has announced to prepare a separate national action plan for the business and human rights on the basis of UN Guiding Principles, which would be implemented in all businesses and industries.

Although the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security (MoLESS) began the process to develop the BHR-NAP in September 2020 with the aim to conclude it in two years, the process has been delayed due to various reasons including the coronavirus pandemic and need for additional consultation with the stakeholders. The MoLESS completed the draft of the NAP earlier this year.

The first ever policy initiative is in the final stage to be submitted to the Cabinet for the final approval but the MoLESS is in the mood to conduct a fresh round of discussion with the leaders of the private sector business associations including the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) and Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC).

Secretary of the MoLESS, Kewal Prasad Bhandari, informed that all necessary consultation regarding the finalisation of the BHR-NAP has been completed and the draft is ready for the submission to the Cabinet.

But as the two large national associations of businesses – FNCCI and CNI – have got new leadership, the ministry wants to hold a final round of consultation with them.

"A team at the ministry is busy with the final consultation with the businesses. It is necessary in order to have their ownership in the policy document as well as to create environment for its effective implementation," Bhandari told The Rising Nepal.

Earlier, the FNCCI organised awareness and consultation meeting in four provinces to educate the business community and solicit their opinion on the proposed policy. Assistant Director of FNCCI, Sita Ghimire, who coordinated with various agencies for the meetings, said that businesses have been sensitised on the matter.

"The action plan has almost been approved from the business sector but we have been informed that there would be a final round of consultation soon," she said. The UNDP had supported the FNCCI in consultation. Likewise, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has also been supporting the initiative as it is working with the government as well as the private sector on the issues of Labour Act and Social Security Act.

The BHR has three major pillars – protect, respect and remedy. The NAP defines concrete and actionable steps, needed to fulfill the requirement for these pillars, for governments and businesses. It is the duty of the government to protect the human rights while all concerned should have easy access to the remedy, and businesses should respect the human rights. 

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 20 August 2023.   

Nepal to refine strategy of LDC graduation at Doha meet

 Kathmandu, Feb. 26

Nepal is set to share and refine the draft of the LDC Graduation Strategy at the fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) being held in Doha, Qatar from March 5-9 this year. 

The government has been planning to hold a special exhibition and sideline activities jointly with Bangladesh and Laos PDR – the countries that are to be graduated to the ‘developing’ status along with Nepal in 2026. Nepal is graduating from the LDC club after 55 years since it was included in it in 1971. 

The three countries will discuss their LDC graduation strategies, future course and challenges. 

“A joint side event will be organised at the conference which will be jointly chaired by the representatives of three countries. A joint statement will also be issued after it,” said Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr. Bimala Rai Paudyal, at a press interaction organised at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singha Durbar, on Sunday.

PM's visit cancelled 

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has cancelled his Qatar visit citing the election of the president, according to PM’s press coordinator Surya Kiran Sharma. The PM was scheduled to attend the conference leading Nepali delegation. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Narayankaji Shrestha will attend the conference leading Nepali delegation, Sharma informed. 

FM Paudyal said that the conference holds high importance for Nepal as the country is designing its strategy for the post-graduation scenario. 

Any country that wishes to graduate from the LDC to a developing one should fulfill two of the three parameters – per capita income (PCI), human development index (HDI), and economic and environmental vulnerability index (EVI). The UN Committee for Development Policy (CPD) is the body to decide the ‘graduation’ of each LDC. Nepal’s performance in HDI is better than other LDCs while its PCI and EVI are below the LDC average. Nepal has met the graduation criteria in income and human aspects. 

There are growing concerns in the country especially in the private sector about the possible ‘opportunity loss’ in the post-graduation period as Nepal could lose the ‘preference’ to export its good to the developed countries like the USA, Australia and European nations. According to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, the government has been in communication with the European Union and other devel-oped nations to sustain the facilities such as zero customs duty and general system of preference being offered to Nepali products in their countries. 

A facility review

Spokesperson for the MoFA Sewa Lamsal maintained that the LDC summit in Doha would provide a platform to Nepal to review the facilities, challenges and opportunities after the graduation. 

Nepal will participate in three round tables at the conference. Draft speeches for the round tables have been prepared, she said. There will be eight round table discussions during the conference. 

Meanwhile, the 52nd regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council is being organised from February 27 to April 4 in Geneva of Switzerland.

Speaking with the journalists Sunday morning, she said that this is the final year for Nepal as the member of the UNHRC in Geneva so this session holds high importance for the country. 

According to her, Nepal will present the progress the country made in the areas of transitional justice and others, achievements and activities organised. Nepali delegation will participate in general debate and a few bilateral meetings. 

“We have made very good preparations to show our achievements in human rights sector. Nepal is among a few countries that have made a good progress,” said Minister Paudyal while maintaining that the meetings at the session are suitable platforms to present the country’s national commitment and progress. 

Responding to the queries of journalists about the issue raised by the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI) over the appointment of the commissioners of the NHRC and the threat to downgrade the national human rights watchdog to the ‘B’ status, she said that although the issues was a ‘political and technical’ one, the government was effortful to sustain the current ‘A’ status.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 27 February 2023.  

Watch women issues, FWLD tells NHRC

 Kathmandu, Mar 30

Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD) has drawn the attention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on women-related cases during the lockdown period.

"Domestic, sex-related and other forms of violence should be monitored," Executive Director of the Forum wrote to the Chief Commissioner of the NHRC Anup Raj Sharma in a letter on Wednesday.

The forum has suggested the rights-body to monitor the regularity of sex and reproductive health service in the time of crisis, biases in relief distribution on the basis of sex, sexual minority, marital status, disability, caste, religion or age.

Similarly, it has asked to include the condition of refugees, migrant Nepali workers who had returned from foreign countries and people without legal identity.

The forum also drew the attention of the commission to mandatorily include women in all committees and teams formed to monitor human rights situation.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 1 May 2020. 

Fighting COVID-19 difficult in conflict-hit countries; ICRC

Kathmandu, Apr 1

It will be nearly impossible to fight COVID-19 in countries already devastated by conflict unless a concerted response by states and humanitarian organisations is launched immediately, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned.

It said that plans to prevent and respond to the virus must urgently move forward before it gains a foothold in conflict zones.

"COVID-19 represents a major threat to life in the countries with strong health systems. But the threat is even greater in places where health systems have been ravaged by war, where people uprooted by conflict live in close proximity, and where life-saving resources like clean water, soap and medicine are in short supply," read a statement of the international humanitarian organisation.

Additionally, health systems weakened by conflict have reduced capacity for detection, management and the follow-up of cases of sickness, which in turn increases the risk of transmission, according to the ICRC.

“COVID-19 has overwhelmed advanced health care systems. Many of the places where we work lack even basic health care infrastructure, let alone intensive care capacity. Our fear is that unless urgent action is taken to curb the spread of the virus, it will devastate some of the world’s most vulnerable communities,” said Peter Maurer, president of the ICRC.

The ICRC fears the worst for people in prisons and displacement camps around the world. Health systems in conflict zones in places such as Syria, Yemen, South Sudan, northeast Nigeria, and Afghanistan are simply not prepared to handle a flood of COVID-19 cases without a surge in support, it said. 

COVID-19 does not have to be catastrophic for war-torn countries with weakened healthcare systems, but it does require the international community to scale up support.

Last week the International Red Cross and Red Crescent launched an appeal for 800 million Swiss francs, a call for States to boost resources for countries with limited capacity to respond to this urgent threat.

In displacement camps, physical distancing is not possible, and it will be impossible to stop the spread of coronavirus once it enters a camp. ICRC is active in various conflict-affected countries like Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan, Iraq, Burkina Faso, Myanmar, Armenia, Congo, Colombia, Palestine, El Salvador, Somalia and Lebanon.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 2 April 2020. 

FM Gyawali to leave for Geneva on Friday

 Kathmandu, Feb. 20

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali is leaving for Geneva on Friday leading a Nepali delegation to the High-Level Segment of the 43rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council to be held from 24 February 2020.

He is scheduled to address the High-Level Segment of the Council on 25 February, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in a statement on Thursday.

The Foreign Minister will interact with the diplomatic community in Geneva in a reception being hosted in his honour by Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations Office in Geneva Mani Prasad Bhattarai.

While in Geneva, Gyawali will have a meeting with the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. On the sidelines of the session, he will also have bilateral meetings with his counterparts from various countries.

Nepali delegation comprises of the senior officials from the Prime Minister's Office, MoFA and the Permanent Representative and other officials from the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations in Geneva.

The Foreign Minister will return home on 28 February 2020.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 21 February 2020. 

Nepal's hunger status satisfactory in South Asia

Kathmandu, Dec. 5

The Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2019 has concluded that Nepal has 'Serious Hunger' status with 20.8 point in severity scale.


A global study of the Welthungerhilfe and Concern Worldwide has ranked Nepal in the 73 position among 117 countries. According to the study, score from 0 to 9.9 is considered as low hunger, 10 to19.9 moderate, 20 to 34.9 serious, 35 to 49.9 alarming and above 50 extremely alarming.


Nepal's situation is rather satisfactory as it has slightly crossed the threshold of moderate scale that has 19.9 points ceiling, said Dr. Balaram Thapa, Executive Director of Local Initiatives for Biodiversity, Research and Development (Li-Bird) Nepal, which partnered with the Welthungerhilfe in launching the report here on Thursday.


The report was officially launched in October in Germany, and Nepal special results were announced in the capital on the occasion. Member of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr. Krishna Prasad Oli launched the report in Nepal.


In South Asia, Nepal's position is better than Bangladesh, Pakistan, India and Afghanistan and worse than Sri Lanka while Bhutan and the Maldives are not included in the study. China is ranked at 25 and India 102 positions.


Nepal was ranked at 72 in the previous study, though the study is not comparable to the previous years, Nepal's situation in the past year was not degraded rather other countries have also improved their situation.


According to the report, Nepal's score in 2000 was 36.8 which went down to 31.3 in 2005 and 24.5 in 2010.


Likewise, Nepal has made a significant improvement in the areas of proportion of undernourished in population with the proportion coming down to 8.7 per cent in 2018 from 22 from 2001. Similarly, prevalence of wasting in children under five year is 9.6 per cent now which was 11.3 per cent in 2001, prevalence of stunting in children under five years has come down to 36 per cent from 57.1 per cent in 2001 and under-five mortality fell to 3.4 per cent from 8.2 per cent then.


The GHI has used the up-to-date data available for each of the GHI indicators, meaning that the scores are only as current as the data. For the calculation of the 2019 scores, undernourishment data are from 2016-18, child stunting and child wasting data are from 2014-18, with the most current data from that range used for each country, and child mortality data form 2017, said Fraser Patterson, Policy Advisor of Welthungerhilfe.  


The index has used data from various United Nations and other multilateral agencies.
Undernourishment data came from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), child mortality data from UN Interagency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UNIGME), child wasting and child stunting data from the joint database of UNICEF, World Health Organization and the World Bank.

The report stated that for some countries, high scores are driven by high rates of undernourishment, reflecting a lack of calories for large swathes of the population.


For others, high scores result from high levels of child wasting, reflecting acute under-nutrition, child stunting, reflecting chronic under-nutrition, and/or child mortality, reflecting children's hunger and nutrition levels, as well as other extreme challenges facing the population.


Patterson said that at the subnational level in Nepal Karnali State has high level of stunting.


He also said that climate change might impact food production and availability, access, quality, utilisation, and stability of food system which might reinforce the existing gender inequalities as well.

Deputy Regional Director for Asia and Latin America of Welthungerhilfe Anja Schroeder said that the organisation was focusing on the impacts of climate change on hunger.


"The report has shown progress in terms of reducing hunger globally. Conflict and climate change have created risks to the vulnerable communities in the countries in the south," she said.

About 95 million people were affected by climate change related incidents globally and their food consumption was affected.


According to Schroeder, the index was launched to initiate new partnership and dialogue with different actors like government, private sector, civil society and the media.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 6 December 2019. 

Dr. Mahat calls for a promotion and protection of human rights

Kathmandu, Mar. 1: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat has emphasized on the universal, indivisible, interrelated and interdependent nature of all human rights and called for a holistic look for better promotion and protection of human rights everywhere.

Addressing the 34^th session of the Human Right Council in Geneva on Wednesday, he said that there should be no selective preference to one set of rights over others, said the Permanent Mission of Nepal in Geneva in a press statement.

"The right to development should be mainstreamed and be treated on equal footing as civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights," said the Minister.

While highlighting the profound importance of the right to development for many developing countries like Nepal, he stressed that the realization of this right should be an integral part of the implementation of the SDGs and other internationally agreed development goals.

He outlined the equitable, non-discriminatory and inclusive provisions enshrined in the Constitution of Nepal, and mentioned that efforts to internalize Nepal’s international human rights obligations through domestic laws and enforcement measures were ongoing.

"Commitment of the government of Nepal to addressing the issue of transitional justice and expressed that the government is fully committed to provide all support to the effective functioning of both the Commissions established for this purpose," said Dr. Mahat.

Updating the Council on the recent political developments in Nepal, he said that the Government is committed to implementing the Constitution, including through holding of democratic elections for all three tiers of the federal set-up, and the elections for local bodies have already been scheduled.

He informed the international community about Nepal’s candidature to the Human Rights Council for the term 2018-2020, which shows our sincere desire to contribute to the work of the Council.

"He had a meeting with Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, Minister for International Development and the Pacific of Australia Tuesday afternoon during which discussions were held on mutual cooperation in multilateral mechanisms and strengthening Australian cooperation of technical and vocational education/trainings to Nepali nationals, among others," read the statement.

Similarly, he met with Mustafa Ramid, Minister of Justice of Morocco, Zahid Hamid, Federal Minister for Law and Justice of Pakistan, Peter Szijjarto, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary and Francis Gurry, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). 

Nepal-Swiss agree to promote common interests

Kathmandu, Feb. 28: Nepal and Switzerland have agreed to promote multilateral issues of common interests for common benefits and cooperate in multilateral forums.

In a meeting held on the sidelines of the 34^th Session of the Human Rights Council, that is ongoing in Geneva, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat and his Swiss counterpart, Head of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs Didier Burkhalter have agreed on promoting issues of common benefits along with cooperation in human rights issues and managed migration.

Dr. Mahat requested Didier for the support of the Swiss for the candidature of Nepal to the Human Right Council, said the Permanent Mission of Nepal in Geneva.

"Various aspects of cooperation between the two countries, and the multilateral issues of common interests were discussed during the meeting. The Swiss Foreign Minister underscored the need to make the assistance result-oriented and beneficial for Nepalese people, and assured the Swiss development assistance to Nepal would continue in future," read the statement.

Dr. Mahat had reiterated that Nepal was in need of more support and promotion of investment in infrastructure development activities to improve connectivity.

Dr. Mahat also met with UN High Commissioner for Refugee Fillippo Grandi at UNHCR office and discussed the issue of Bhutanese refugee sheltered in Nepal.

He clearly stated that it was the responsibility of Bhutan to take back the Bhutanese who are not resettled in third countries.

"It was an inalienable right of the Bhutanese refugees, wherever they have been settled, to go back to their homeland," he said.

"The High Commissioner noted that he was clear about the position of Nepal on the Bhutanese refugees and would do his best, within his means, in further continuing the third country resettlement, and exert moral pressure for voluntary repatriation. He also said that UNHCR would continue supporting the remaining refugees in the camps," read the statement.

Dr. Mahat reached Geneva on Sunday and is accompanied by Rajib Gautam, Secretary at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Ambassador/PR as well as officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Mission of Nepal in Geneva.

The Human Rights Council session will continue until 24 March 2017.