Kathmandu: Nepal has been making significant strides in human rights protection, adopting periodic national human rights action plans for the past two decades, said Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba. Speaking at the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) High-Level Segment in Geneva, Switzerland, she highlighted Nepal’s ongoing efforts, including the preparation of its sixth human rights action plan.

Dr. Rana Deuba emphasized Nepal’s commitment to international human rights obligations, citing the recent ratification process for the ILO Convention on Freedom of Association and the submission of Nepal’s 7th periodic report to the CEDAW Committee. Additionally, she reaffirmed Nepal’s engagement in implementing recommendations from the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process.

She noted Nepal’s strong commitment to press freedom, civil society, and human rights defenders, highlighting that the National Human Rights Commission maintains ‘A’ category accreditation, ensuring its independence.

Regarding Nepal’s constitutional framework, the Minister stressed that the country provides a full spectrum of economic, social, cultural, civil, and political rights as fundamental rights, with extraordinary jurisdiction granted to the courts for enforcement. She hailed Nepal as a trailblazer in human rights protection and promotion.

A key milestone, according to Dr. Rana Deuba, is Nepal’s constitutional guarantee of one-third representation of women in federal and provincial parliaments and 40% representation in local governments. She pointed out that judicial committees, led by elected deputy mayors, mostly women, have enhanced access to justice at the local level. Additionally, mandatory inclusion of minority groups in political bodies has ensured human rights for all.

On Nepal’s peace process, the Minister highlighted the country’s nationally led approach, which ended a decade-long conflict (1996-2006) and strengthened the values of human rights and peace. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to concluding the transitional justice process, stating that Nepal enacted victim-centric laws in August 2024, aligning with international standards.

However, she acknowledged new human rights challenges, including climate change and digital privacy concerns. She announced Nepal’s initiative to lead discussions on climate justice through the upcoming Sagarmatha Sambad dialogue on “Climate Change, Mountains, and the Future of Humanity”, inviting international participation in Kathmandu this May.

Concluding her address, Dr. Rana Deuba formally announced Nepal’s candidacy for membership of the Human Rights Council for the 2027-2029 term, urging support from member states.