KATHMANDU, JANUARY 23

The National Human Rights Commission has urged the Government of Nepal to implement the recommendations made by it earlier and those suggestions received from the international community in the course of Universal Periodic Review.

In the wake of the 37th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group on UPR, which took place on January 21, the Government of Nepal had spoken about its efforts to implement the civil and political rights, social and economic rights and other fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution. Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali had delivered a statement virtually in the session.

“Though the opinions of the Government of Nepal on its efforts towards implementing fundamental rights are praiseworthy, it has still more to do when it comes to implementation of the recommendations put forth by the NHRC and other suggestions received from the international community on various burning issues,” read a press release issued by the rights body.

The NHRC said it had taken the suggestions received from the countries around the world with regard to strengthening the human rights situation of Nepal seriously.

The suggestions forwarded by the international community are related to ending violence against women, racial discrimination, elimination of child labour, gender equality, prison reform, rights of migrant workers, trafficking in persons, human rights during pandemic, transitional justice, torture, right to food, rights of refugees, climate change, implementation of Sustainable Development Goals, implementation of human rights action plan, and financial autonomy and strengthening of the NHRC, among others.

The international community has also underscored the need to amend laws related to transitional justice in line with the NHRC recommendations and ratification of Rome Statue, International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families and Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances.

“We welcome the remarks of Minister of Foreign Affairs Gyawali related to the Government of Nepal’s take on human rights violation,” the release read. In his statement to UN Human Rights Council, Gyawali had said that Nepal’s transitional justice process was guided by the Comprehensive Peace Accord, the directives of the Supreme Court, relevant international commitments, concerns of the victims, and the ground realities. The government is steadfast that there would be no blanket amnesty in cases of serious violation of human rights.

However, most of the recommendations of the NHRC have yet to be fully implemented. According to the rights body, the status paper states that in the 776 recommendations made in 13 years, the percentage of full implementation is 15.21 per cent, implemented but yet to be removed from the list by NHRC is 16.88 per cent, partial implementation is 60.44 per cent and in the process of implementation of the recommendations is 4.47 per cent.