Kathmandu, December 8

The National Human Rights Commission today submitted its annual report to President Bidhya Devi Bhandari, stating that the overall situation of human rights in the country is not satisfactory.

The rights body said in its report that the enactment of laws relating to various commissions that could deal with the human rights issues had given a positive message as far as the promotion of human rights was concerned. “Despite all these efforts there are myriad challenges. The overall situation of human rights is not satisfactory,” he said and added that there were issues of jurisdiction between NHRC and various commissions.

The NHRC said that the term of two transitional mechanisms was to end without completing the assigned jobs which meant that the issue of transitional justice was not being addressed.

The rights body said that the government had not submitted some periodic reports to the UN Human Rights Committee. It said the use of force by the security personnel during protest and protesters’ violent activities against security personnel endangered the people’s right to life.

“Protesters violated their own commitment and vandalised NHRC vehicles which indicates that the political parties have deviated from their duties,” the rights body said.

The NHRC said people had not been able to use their rights guaranteed in the constitution due to prevalence of caste discrimination and lack of people’s access to health. It said that the state had not given due priority to the rights of deprived communities, indigenous nationalities, people with disabilities, Dalits, women, senior citizens and migrant labourers.

The rights body said that impunity continued to exist and the country was witnessing criminalisation of politics and politicisation of crime.

It said that its recommendations were not being acted upon and it was not getting expected help from the governement. The NHRC said despite several challenges, it was committed to do its duty.

The NHRC said parties’ participation in local polls and provincial and parliamentary polls were easing the implementation of the constitution. The report also contains the details about the reforms required to promote and protect human rights.

The rights body said that the formulation of national action plan relating to human rights and formation of various structures to implement human rights were some of the positive achievements. The report contains the details of complaints lodged at the NHRC, details of the probes and recommendations made to the government.