Kathmandu, December 24

The National Human Rights Commission has made a 20-point recommendation for the Government of Nepal in relation to implementation of fundamental rights articulated by the constitution.

According to a press release issued by the rights body today, the recommendations are based on conclusion of separate discussions held with around 850 persons, including ministers of the federal government; chief ministers and ministers of provincial governments, speaker and deputy speaker, members of provincial assemblies, human rights activists, civil society and representatives from professional organisations in Kathmandu as part of marking the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The stakeholders had expressed their commitment on the implementation of the fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution. Recommendations made by the NHRC require the government to initiate the process of amending various acts endorsed in regard to implementation of fundamental rights with the participation of the rights body and other stakeholder agencies.

Other recommendations included formulation of rules and directives for full implementation of the fundamental rights related laws enacted by the government, allocating budget on priority basis through five-year plan, making annual action plan and arrangement of adequate resource to ensure effective implementation of some fundamental rights; conducting massive awareness campaign through the federal, provincial and local governments to disseminate information about fundamental rights and initiating amendment of laws related to health, education and security that are in conflict with the constitution.

The rights body has recommended to hire necessary employees or experts to fulfil the commitments made by provincial and local governments to implement fundamental human rights; ensure optimum utilisation of resource for implementation of economic, social and cultural rights; translate the commitments of all three tiers of government to ending the culture of impunity into action; prepare short-term and long term plans for implementation of recommendations by Universal Periodic Review and United Nations Special Rapporteur; develop rights-friendly infrastructure; ensure transitional justice in line with international standard and the Supreme Court verdicts; create an environment for freedom of press, civil society and rights defenders and guarantee representation of minorities in all state bodies on the basis of positive discrimination.

The NHRC has also recommended the federal government to accord high priority to the issues of fundamental rights while formulating and implementing human rights national action plan; strengthen crime investigation and bring to book the perpetrators of rights violation.