Nepal accepts most UPR recommendations made in Geneva

Kathmandu, November 7

Nepal has accepted at least 148 recommendations, while keeping 43 others under consideration or reservation during Nepal’s second Universal Periodic Review in Geneva.

Around 80 UN member-states had taken part in the interactive dialogue session of the UPR and made as many as 191 recommendations for needful consideration, according to Dipak Dhital, permanent representatives of Nepal to the UN in Geneva.

“We said we had already implemented 32 recommendations and the remaining 116 are being implemented or in the process of implementation,” Dhital told The Himalayan Times from Geneva over phone.

According to him, 43 recommendations have been kept under the consideration or reservation categories, keeping in mind various factors, including its implications in accordance with the existing rules, laws and values.

These suggestions made by the UN Human Rights Council in the interactive session of Nepal’s UPR are not mandatory for implementation, according to Permanent Representative Dhital.

“We have openly said what we have implemented and are in the process of implementing and 43 suggestions have been kept under consideration or reservation.”

The recommendations put under consideration include international Human Rights conventions and additional protocols, which Nepal has not become a party to so far, while 18 other recommendations, including ensuring the right to religious conversion have been rejected, according to a source.

Some countries had put forth this suggestion, which was rejected by DPM Kamal Thapa, who led the Nepali delegation to the UPR session.

Recommendations such as amendment to discriminatory citizenship provision and formation of judicial probe committee to investigate and prosecute excessive use of force and killings in the recent Tarai unrest are among the 116 suggestions that have been accepted.

Likewise, Nepal also took positively recommendations such as inclusion of marginalised people in state institutions, ending discrimination, and building broader ownership of marginalised communities over the constitution through peaceful means and amendments of the statute, Dhital added.

The UN Human Rights Council also recommended revising the Act in compliance with the Supreme Court verdict to uphold international standards relating to accountability for gross violations of international human rights and international humanitarian law, which has been kept under consideration.