Ahead of Nepal’s national elections on 5 March, Amnesty International has launched a 10-point human rights charter, calling on all political parties and candidates to place human rights and the rule of law at the centre of their election commitments and governance priorities.
The charter makes recommendations for actions that any incoming government must undertake to address long-standing human rights concerns and bring Nepal into full compliance with its obligations under international human rights law.
It covers 10 key areas: the right to freedom of peaceful assembly; the rights to freedom of expression and association; the right to truth and justice for victims of past human rights violations; access to justice; non-discrimination and equality; the rights of women, girls and LGBTQI people; economic, social and cultural rights and climate justice; the rights of migrant workers; the right to freedom from torture and other ill-treatment; and the protection of civic space and human rights defenders.
“The upcoming elections are a defining moment for Nepal, taking place in the wake of last September’s ‘Gen-Z’ protests which laid bare the government’s serious failures of accountability, policing, and respect for human rights,” said Nirajan Thapaliya, Amnesty International Nepal’s Director.
“The upcoming elections are a defining moment for Nepal, taking place in the wake of last September’s ‘Gen-Z’ protests which laid bare the government’s serious failures of accountability, policing, and respect for human rights,”
Nirajan Thapaliya, Amnesty International Nepal’s Director
“This charter sets out a clear and practical roadmap for the next government to confront past human rights abuses, end ongoing violations, and build a future in which the rights, freedoms, and dignity of all people in Nepal are fully respected, protected, and fulfilled.”
Despite guarantees under the Constitution of Nepal and Nepal’s ratification of key international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), human rights are too often not enjoyed in practice. Political interference in independent institutions, lack of accountability, and ineffective justice mechanisms continue to undermine the rule of law and deny victims their rights to justice and to an effective remedy.
The charter urges political parties and candidates to make public commitments to:
- End impunity and strengthen the rule of law, including ensuring independent investigations into unlawful killings, unnecessary and excessive use of force, torture and other ill-treatment, and other serious human rights violations;
- Guarantee freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association, and repeal or amend restrictive laws used to silence critics, journalists, activists, and human rights defenders;
- Carry out urgent reforms to ensure truth, justice, reparations, and guarantees of non-recurrence for victims of the 1996–2006 armed conflict;
- Promote equality and non-discrimination, including effective enforcement of laws prohibiting caste-based discrimination and other forms of exclusion;
- Protect and advance the rights of women, girls, and LGBTQI people, including by preventing gender-based violence and ensuring meaningful participation in political and public life;
- Address climate change as a human rights priority, ensuring environmental policies protect communities from climate-induced disasters and promote sustainable development while upholding the rights to health, housing, and an adequate standard of living for all Nepalis;
- Safeguard civic space, ensuring journalists, human rights defenders, young people, climate activists, and civil society organizations can operate freely without harassment or intimidation.
“We call on all political parties to clearly reflect these human rights commitments in their manifestos and plans of action, and effectively implement them if elected,” said Thapaliya.
Background
Nepal has a history of serious human rights violations, including impunity for crimes committed during the 1996–2006 armed conflict and during major protest movements in 1990, 2006, 2007 and 2015, unlawful use of force during protests, restrictions on freedom of expression, and discrimination and violence against Dalits and other marginalized communities. Survivors and families of victims continue to wait for truth, justice, and reparations.
The elections represent a critical opportunity for Nepal’s next government to break with past practices, end impunity, and demonstrate genuine commitment to human rights.
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