HUMAN RIGHTS NEWS PORTAL
27 February 2023
Regarding the suspicion that arose from the halting of the participation of the Head of the Human Rights Commission, in the United Nations Human Rights Council meeting.
Our attention has been drawn to the incident in which Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” halted Foreign Minister Bimala Rai Paudel, participation in the 52nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, (Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions- GANHRI) as the Nepalese delegation in Switzerland from 27 February to 30 March 2023. The Prime Minister’s last-minute decision to stop, contrary to the decision made by the Cabinet meeting under his leadership, increased the peril of the international human rights community’s suspicion towards Nepal.
In the context of the global network of National Human Rights Organizations recommending to downgrade the National Human Rights Commission, the Prime Minister’s unfair interference demonstrates Nepal’s indifference in high-level discussions on human rights. Official high-level participation of the Government of Nepal was necessary for the meeting as the delegation was elected to the Nepal Human Rights Council. However, it is regretful that the Prime Minister did not consider the importance of the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the meeting which would demonstrate the commitment to human rights on behalf of Nepal.
In the context of the violation of human rights, humanitarian laws, and abuses during the armed conflict, the victims haven’t had access to justice and compensation yet, and the process of transitional justice has not remained incomplete. It can be understood that the global forum of human rights is being ignored. We want to alert the Nepalese government that such an act, which seems to be hasty, owing to political disputes and hostility within the country, may harm the international image.
Dr. Kundan Aryal
Chairperson
