KATHMANDU, JUNE 24

Speakers at interaction organised by the National Human Rights Commission have stressed the need to take a coordinated initiative among stakeholders to control corruption and ensure good governance and human rights.

The interaction dwelt on the role of stakeholders in controlling corruption and ensuring good governance and human rights in all sectors of the country. Chair of National Human Rights Commission Top Bahadur Magar said since the issue of corruption was directly related to the enjoyment of human rights, the rights body was committed to act on it with priority. He also informed that the NHRC would work in close coordination with the stakeholders to reduce the impact of corruption on human rights.

Former chief commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority Suryanath Upadhyay made a presentation on corruption, good governance and human rights and the challenges faced in their implementation. He said there were laws and structures in place for corruption control, but the anti-corruption laws had not been duly implemented due to inaction of the political leadership and administrative indifference. 'This is why, the constitution, laws and national and international commitments are limited to paper ,' he said.

Presenting one financial governance and its challenges, former Auditor General Tankamani Sharma opined that since corruption was becoming an epidemic in Nepal, a remedial system should be adopted accordingly.

Speakers at the programme expressed concern that political corruption was on the rise in the recent days and added that it was necessary to take coordinated initiative involving all the stakeholders, organisations and rights activists in the field of corruption control. They also raised the issue of victims not getting justice due to corruption in the judicial sector, development projects not being completed on time owing to corruption in development management, legislature not being able to enact laws on time and the weakening economic condition of the country due to policy corruption. They called on all the parties to control corruption and ensure good governance to ensure better service delivery to the people.

During the interaction, participants suggested that the NHRC form a committee consisting of experts and work in the field of corruption control and human rights.

The programme chaired by NHRC Chief Magar was attended by heads and representatives of various constitutional bodies, officers and employees of the NHRC and heads and representatives of governmental and non-governmental bodies.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 25, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.