Kathmandu, August 7

All local levels have been directed to take necessary steps to eliminate caste-based discrimination and untouchability in accordance with the recommendations made by the National Human Rights Commission.

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration asked the local levels to accord high priority for promotion and protection of human rights of Dalit community, in response to the July 12 letter of the rights body regarding implementation of the recommendations made to the local governments through a report, ‘Status of Rights against Caste-based Discrimination and Untouchability’.

As per a six-point recommendation by the National Human Rights Commission, the local levels will protect and promote human rights of the Dalit community by implementing the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights enshrined in the constitution as fundamental rights.

Caste-based discrimination and untouchability have deprived citizens of their basic human rights and caused adverse impacts on their life, liberty, equality and dignity.

“Local bodies will be responsible to incorporate ways to end caste-based discrimination and untouchability in their policies, plans, programmes and budget as it is not only a problem of the Dalit community, but of all communities,” the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration said.

The National Human Rights Commission recommendation said democracy, human rights and the rule of law would be meaningful and the vision of peace, development and prosperity could be realised only if such ill-practices were completely abolished from society.

“The local levels are also required to fully implement commitment made by Nepal against caste-based discrimination at the international level, provide training to law enforcement agencies and conduct awareness-raising campaigns to end all ill-practices in the country and work in coordination with the federal and provincial governments by forming anti-caste-based discrimination and anti-untouchability promotion mechanism to bring to book the guilty,” The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration stated.