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Press Release
06 June 2024
UN Resident Coordinator handover Secretary General invitation to Rt Hon Prime Minister of Nepal for the Summit of the Future: meaningful youth mobilization a key focus of the summit
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26 May 2024
24th Anniversary of the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal
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23 May 2024
2586 Buddha Jayanti Celebration - 23 May 2024, Lumbini
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The Sustainable Development Goals in Nepal
Nepal committed to the SDGs early on, and this commitment has been reaffirmed in key policy documents, such as the current 15th Development Plan and the 25 Year Long-Term Vision 2100 that internalises the Goals. SDGs codes are assigned for all national development programmes through the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework. Further, Nepal has prepared the SDG Status and Roadmap to localize the SDG indicators with baselines and targets for 2030. Other key documents are a SDGs Needs Assessment, a Costing and Financing Strategy, and additional SDGs Localization Guidelines. Finally, Nepal has conducted a Development Finance Assessment (DFA) to provide an overview of development finance flows and institutions and policies that can align finance with national development priorities. These are the goals the UN is working on in Nepal:
Story
03 July 2023
UN Nepal Piloting PSEA Integration into Development Programming and UNSDCF Implementation
To prevent Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) at all levels and to ensure SEA is addressed as the top priority, the PSEA co-chairs in Nepal-UN Resident Coordinator Office and UN Women with the support from WHO- organized the first of its kind workshop on June 21-22 for the UN agency key focal points to capacitate them to integrate PSEA into the UN Sustainable Cooperation Framework (CF).
The workshop piloted by the UN in Nepal brought together 32 participants from the PSEA Working Group and the CF Outcome Working Groups. Jointly the participants identified opportunities for PSEA to inform and be integrated into CF outcomes, processes, and tools. The participants also prioritised a set of key actions and recommendations for the Outcome Working Groups, PSEA Network and the UNCT.
The 1.5-day workshop was facilitated by Lian Yong, Asia Pacific inter-agency PSEA Coordinator, together with Tej Maya Dangol, Nepal PSEA Coordinator and UN RCO and UN Women staff members.
Feedback from the workshop was positive, as it enabled key agency focal points time and space to think deeply about opportunities within their own agencies as well as collectively for the UNCT.
Lessons learned from this workshop will be taken and applied both at the regional Asia/Pacific level as well as globally. It is hoped that this pilot can be replicated in other contexts supporting the UN’s move from PSEA at the policy level to concrete actions at the ground level.
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Press Release
03 December 2020
Oped : The challenges people with disabilities face
Richard Howard
The year 2020 has thrown unprecedented challenges at all of us, both in Nepal and globally. The pandemic has also impacted people disproportionally. Persons with disabilities that make up 15 percent of the world population, or one billion, are among the hardest hit by Covid-19. One in every five women is likely to experience disability in her life, while one in every 10 children is living with a disability. Of the one billion population of persons with disabilities, 80 percent live in developing countries. These numbers provide a backdrop for thinking about our response to Covid-19 and how we make a dedicated effort to ensure that people with disabilities are not left behind. We must ensure their inclusion in our response and recovery efforts.
Some disabilities are not visible. Chronic pain, mental illness, chronic fatigue are a few types of invisible disabilities that control people’s lives but do not show in obvious ways. These are people who are regularly told that their disabilities are not real, are made up for sympathy or only imagined and could not possibly be a real medical condition since they walk free from canes or crutches, have functioning limbs, and can seemingly move their bodies just like the rest of us. Society needs to be built so that it is accessible to everyone, including those with less visible disabilities.
Nepali society, like most societies, should promote greater understanding and increased accessibility for people with disabilities, who are often treated differently or excluded from the opportunities and conversations open to others. They are pressed to navigate a world that is not built for them. Kindness, compassion and consideration are a good start to ensure that we see and support those who may struggle and suffer in normal times and in times of crisis.
When this pandemic passes, the world must be a different place, and it is a chance to reimagine a society in which people with disabilities have better lives; where they do not have to fight to be seen and included, and where they are not merely an afterthought. People with disabilities should participate in our response and recovery from Covid-19 at all stages, and they should hold us accountable to deliver on our promises.
On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I hope that we can all begin to envision a society that everyone can participate in, one that changes how we see and interact with disabilities as equal partners, particularly those with invisible disabilities. It is a chance to build back better and challenge inequalities at every step.
A big step in the right direction is to break the silence, speak up and wipe away the biases held against people with disabilities, to banish the stereotypes, and slowly dissipate the stigma facing people with disabilities. These changes start with each of us making a commitment. There are myriad ways in which the world can transform to remove obstacles for people with disabilities to access the opportunities the rest have, from access to economic opportunity and healthy workspaces to accessible infrastructure and health services.
Richard Howard
Howard is the UN Resident Coordinator ad interim in Nepal and is the Director of ILO Nepal
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Story
12 October 2020
Young Girls in rural Nepal are choosing early marriage to escape poverty and discrimination
The zinc sheet roofs, mud huts and wooden pillars of Namuna Basti shows poverty reigns. Namuna Basti is a labyrinth of lanes with 55 closely packed housing units inhabited by impoverished Badi community- the poorest and most marginalized groups (Dalits) in Nepal who are also considered the “untouchables”. It lies just out of eyesight from the nearest bigger town in the Karnali Province. In the community, young women with children are a common sight. About 90 percent of the women from Namuna Basti are married before the age of 20, which speaks to the alarming prevalence of child marriage here.
An Arial view of Namuna Basti.
Child marriage in Nepal is driven by a complex web of factors., Key among them is caste-based and gender-based discrimination, especially when combined with poverty.
In Nepal’s rural communities, parents often choose marriage for girls because, once married, daughters customarily leave their homes to enter into their husbands’ household and cannot financially support their parents like their sons. It leads families to prioritize education and even basic survival needs, such as food, for boys over girls, which is one of the reasons why child brides and their children are more likely to be malnourished.
Due to the existence of a deeply embedded patriarchal norms and unequal power relations, Nepal has a high prevalence of deeply-rooted traditional practices such as caste-based discrimination, chhaupadi and menstrual restrictions, child marriage, dowry, and witchcraft accusation and persecution. These practices often create significant barriers to the realization of human rights, particularly for women and persons from excluded groups. Despite significant advances in legislative and policy frameworks made over the past few years, these practices continue to pervade in Nepal.
In 2018, in recognition of these practices being barriers to realizing the UN’s commitments to Agenda 2030 and the principle of Leaving No One Behind, the United Nations Country Team in Nepal with the support of DCO innovation funds carried out a Perception Survey on five of the above-mentioned practices. The survey, conducted in 16 districts within Province 2, 6 and 7 covering 4,000 respondents, was led by the United Nations Resident Coordinators Office in Nepal.
Rama (name changed), a 22-year-old girl from Namuna Basti was born into a Badi family. Due to poverty her parents could not afford her education. She started working in India as a full-time maid at the age of 13.
She had to spend more than 12 hours a day doing household chores, and she was desperately looking for an escape from her everyday hardship. With the hope to live a better life, seven years ago, she married the person she loved at the age of 15, despite the minimum age requirement for marriage being 20 years old under the Nepali Law. Her husband was 25
Rama’s husband belonged to the so called “upper-caste” Kshetriyas (also called Chhetris). In Nepal, the influence of caste — a social order rooted in Hindu scriptures and based on an identity determined at birth — cannot be disregarded.
In the perception of caste hierarchy, Brahmins and Chhetris remain at the top and Dalits, who make up almost 13.6 percent of Nepal’s population of more than 27.33 Million, are at the bottom. Due to this perceived hierarchy, discrimination based on caste remains pervasive. From the Perception Survey carried out by the UN, among the 4,000 respondents from 16 districts, 97% indicated that they have accepted the prevalence of caste-based discrimination in their locality.
Following their marriage, Rama returned to Nepal with her husband and began living with her in-laws. Being a Dalit woman, Rama was at high risk of experiencing both caste- and gender-based discrimination at her husband’s house. Fortunately, however, Rama’s husband protected her and facilitated her to be accepted as a member of the family.
Rama became pregnant almost immediately after her marriage. Knowing that pregnancy could be risky for Rama at her young age, her husband insisted to abort the baby. But she remained adamant and gave birth to their first child when she was just 16.
Within just five years of her marriage, her life took an unexpected turn, when a tragic road accident killed her husband.
Following the death of her husband, her in-laws began verbally abusing her and forced her to work endlessly. Rama left her husband’s house along with her children and began living with her mother in Namuna Basti.
Rama is now a 22-year-old widow and is a sole bread winner for her family. With poverty, lack of education and discrimination based on her caste that she faces every day, giving a decent life to her children is a constant struggle.
In the same Basti, Seema Badi (name changed) lives two houses apart from Rama. Seema, just like Rama, is a child bride who chose to get married on her own. She eloped with her boyfriend, who was two-class senior to her in school, when she just became a teenager.
Her mother initially brought Seema back from her boyfriend’s house and asked her to focus on her education and wait until she gained some maturity. To her mother’s dismay, Seema left the house for the second time to be with her boyfriend.
And what drove her to do that?
“To escape from poverty, discriminatory social norms and a desire to avoid a forced marriage to a stranger” was her answer.
“My mother was giving birth every other year. I had to support her either by babysitting my siblings or supporting the household chores. At school, I faced discrimination from my peers and my teachers for being a ‘Badi girl’” lamented Seema.
Recalling one of the incidents in school she said, “one day a big commotion took place in my class when I accidently touched my classmate’s tiffin box. Since she belonged to the upper-caste, my teacher thrashed me in front of my peers. That very moment, I lost faith in our education system and I tore my books in front of my teacher and left the class. I never returned to the class again.”
Seema, who is 21 and a mother of an 8-year-old girl, shares she is content with her present life. Her husband is working in the gulf country to make the ends meet for the family and pay for their daughter’s education.
“Together Forever” says Seema with happiness as she shows the initials of her husband and daughter's name inked on her left hand.
She however feels she could have achieved more had she listened to her mother and not eloped for the second time. But the societal pressure was one of the factors that constrained her from staying with her mother. “The rumor about me eloping with my boyfriend has already spread in the community. So, the only choice I had was to go back to the person I love because no one would have accepted me as a wife later,” shared Seema.
Seema does not want her daughter to repeat her same mistakes. She wants to invest in her daughter’s education so that her daughter can achieve her full potential. But the growing trend of voluntary “love marriages” among teenage children in marginalized communities, often prompted by the desire to escape poverty and discrimination, scares Seema.
Seema’s fear is not unfounded. The Perception Survey showed that 90% of the 4,000 respondents acknowledge that voluntary love marriage (Bhagi Bibaha) among minors is prevalent in their locality, while 19% indicated the continued prevalence of an arranged marriage (Magi Bibaha) among minors.
According to UNICEF, 15 million girls are married as children globally each year and Nepal has the third highest rate of child marriage in Asia, after Bangladesh and India.
The trend of young girls like Seema and Rama choosing early love marriage to cope with poverty and discrimination not only exposes them to a vicious cycle of inequality and insecurity, but also perpetuates the practice of child marriage, creating an obstacle to global development.
A 19-year-old girl from Dailekh district with her two children.
Child marriage is a core development and human rights issue which is directly linked with eight of the seventeen Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are Goals 1 (poverty), 2 (food security), 3 (health), 4 (education), 5 (gender equality), 8 (economic growth), 10 (inequality), and 16 (peace). Ending child marriage and investing more into the child’s future is therefore an indispensable responsibility of Nepal to ensure that it fully achieves the SDGs.
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Story
29 September 2023
From where I stand: “Do not wait for others to hand you your rights”
Her drive to fight for those rights comes from growing up in the far west of the country with a physical disability herself.
My lived experience as a woman with a disability is what drove me to become a disability rights activist. I grew upwatching society discriminate, insult, and shut away people with disabilities. Determined to overcome theseinjustices, I knew that a community was only as strong as its members who are furthest behind.
When I first started working on the rights of persons with disabilities, I found it difficult to speak up: I couldnot express myself well, I hesitated to talk in public. However, little by little, I gained confidence and learnedto raise my voice.
It is with this voice I say:
To women with disabilities: We have rights, and we must demand these rights. Do not wait for others to give you yourrights, take them yourself. Actively participate in life and advocate for yourself. I am with you – I will notstop working to increase public awareness of your rights, I will advocate for your participation in society, I willsupport you to pursue opportunities to generate income and be independent. We are equal as individuals, and powerfulwhen we speak with a united voice. Put your hesitations aside, and know that behind you is the strength of womenwith disabilities everywhere.
To the community: We can be stronger if we worked together. We, people with disabilities, know that we can contributeto the community, just as abled persons contribute. The difference between women and women with disabilities is inthe way that you treat us – there is no difference in terms of the value of our contributions. Let us worktogether to realise and recognize the contribution of persons with disabilities, and to put an end to shame andsilencing. Only when we work together can the community move forward together.
To the parents, guardians, and caretakers of children with disabilities: Let’s empower the next generation ofpersons with disabilities through education. Government and private schools allocate scholarships for children withdisabilities. I am advocating with schools to ensure these scholarships are realized. Talk to your local schoolabout enrolling your child and getting them involved in school clubs. As a mother, guardian and caretaker myself, Iknow it is hard to see your child leave the home, especially if they have special needs. But the education yourchild will receive and friendships they will make will carry them forward in the future.
To the government: Take additional measure to provide women with disabilities with legal identity cards, for this isthe key to accessing government services and support. Identity cards are doubly important for women withdisabilities as they have a greater reliance on government services and support, such as healthcare, subsidies,legal aid, and more, due to their lower income and ability to afford alternative services. Additionally, ensurebudgets are allocated and spent in support of persons with disabilities. Don’t think that we don’t knowabout the policies and programmes – we know them very well.
For my part, I will continue to fight for the rights of persons with disabilities, and to promote awareness andunderstanding within communities. Yesterday, people feared telling others they are living with a disability; familymembers hesitated to support relatives with a disability to participate in festivals and weddings; and societyside-lined persons with disability from participating in community life. Tomorrow is a new day, and anotheropportunity to move forward in support of a new lived experience for women with disabilities; one that is just, fullof opportunity, and celebrates everyone’s contribution, no matter their ability.
UN Women with support from the Government of Finland and United Nation Partnerships on the Rights of Persons withDisabilities has been supporting gender-responsive and inclusive sub-national governance in Nepal’sSudurpaschim Province. Sharada Bista was a participant of this initiative.
UN Women promotes the rights of women with disabilities, in line with the United Nations Convention on theElimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Conventiononthe Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other multilateral agreements. The InternationalPrinciples and Guidelines on Access to Justice for Persons with Disabilities were developed by theOffice ofthe United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and have been endorsed by the International Commission ofJurists and the International Disability Alliance.
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29 September 2023
Working together to break the silence on menstrual taboos in Nepal
According to a study by the UN Harmful Practices Working Group in Nepal, 89% of girls and women in the country experience restrictions during menstruation. In Achham, a Far West region in Nepal, 60% of women cannot sleep in the same house as the rest of the family while on their periods. And chhaupadi — a dangerous socio-cultural practice in which women are asked to stay in small sheds away from home during menstruation — is still practiced, despite being outlawed by the Supreme Court of Nepal in 2005. Such challenges have only been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information on these issues, please see UNESCO’s video: How do we break the silence on #MenstrualTaboos in Nepal?
This Menstrual Hygiene Day, the UNESCO-UNFPA-UN Women Joint Programme, with support from KOICA, organised its first Community of Knowledge (CoK) in partnership with the Forum for Women, Law, and Development (FWLD). Entitled “Women and Menstruation,” this CoK focused primarily on two issues: good practices from Achham and Bajura districts on tackling menstruation-related stigma and discrimination, and the need for tax exemption on menstrual products.
Speakers from Achham and Bajura districts including Manju Mahat, Chief Officer of the Women, Children and Senior Citizens Unit of Mangalsen Municipality in the Achham District, and Kunti Budha, Vice Chairperson of Khaptad Chhededaha Rural Municipality in Bajura District, shared their experiences on a campaign they initiated in 2019 which aimed to demolish all menstrual sheds. Mahat also shared that many grassroots activists have been conducting awareness-raising programs with community members to mobilise support against chhaupadi.
Budha shared a powerful story of a female local government official who used her own experience to persuade others to break away from the myths surrounding menstruation and associated discrimination. In a meeting she was attending, local government officials were saying that many people still practice chhaupadi because they think women who menstruate bring bad luck. The woman was on her period at the time, and to challenge this notion she passed out water and asked people to drink with her — something people usually avoid out of fear of bad omens. When nothing happened, she conveyed to all those present that menstruation is a natural and normal process, not something to be feared or discriminated against.
In terms of menstrual products, Pashupati Kunwar, President of Sama Bikash Nepal in the Achham District, shared how her organization has been working with local women to produce reusable menstrual pads. Although reusable pads are more environmentally friendly and cost-efficient in the long term, the government outsources cheaper disposable pads. She stressed that the tax levied on these pads and the overwhelming trend of importing foreign pads are major challenges that their campaign is facing.
Menstruation is a natural biological process without which human civilization would cease to exist. It is the most dignified and human process and should not be seen as a subject of discrimination and exclusion.
Roshani Shrestha, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens
Roshani Shrestha, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens (MoWCSC), shared that in the current fiscal year the MoWCSC issued funds to five women's organizations that produced environment-friendly pads. In addition to providing free sanitary pads in schools, the Ministry is also focused on ensuring clean toilets and access to water. More broadly, Shrestha highlighted that through the 2077 National Gender Equality Policy, all levels of government are aiming to tackle harmful gender-based practices, as well as promote women’s economic empowerment.
This session, broadcast live on Facebook, reached around 295,000 people and received 2,100 views and 1,900 likes. Attendees shared positive comments, including the importance of hearing “firsthand from Accham and Bajura about their achievements” and the need to “raise [collective] voices to use locally produced pads.”
The UNESCO-UNFPA-UN Women Joint Programme, together with FWLD, plans to organise more CoK sessions on topics including the status of funds to fight gender-based violence (GBV) and related laws; the status and roles of Judicial Committees (good practices and persisting challenges); gender-friendly infrastructures in the sector of GBV response mechanisms, and major causes of GBV and good practices adopted to address them in JP project areas.
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29 September 2023
LETTER TO MY YOUNGER SELF: REFLECTIONS OF A BISEXUAL DALIT WOMAN
Dear M,
It will take some time for us to understand and become aware of our identities. You see, we have multiple identities. You are Dalit. You are female. You are bisexual. After completing your master’s degree, you also develop an interest in writing, in exploring your personal identity – this letter shares some of your experiences.
You belong to the Dalit community and will experience different levels of disparity from childhood to adulthood. People will start treating us differently when they realize our caste. As a female, you will face disparities in school and in the village. As a bisexual, you will also face many difficulties. All these multiple identities, and the experiences that come with them, will lead to a lot of mental health difficulties.
We are still not very open about our sexual orientation. You will feel like nobody really understands bisexual orientation at school. All your friends express attraction towards the opposite gender. But you are attracted to both girls and boys, and you didn’t tell anyone out of fear. Later, when you start to express your orientation, you will face some challenges in college. While you are studying for your bachelor’s degree, you will get a proposal for marriage. But you find yourself struggling with your feelings, so you make an excuse that you need some time before marriage. This will be a difficult decision to make. Then, during your master’s degree, you will tell your friend about your sexual orientation, and she will stop speaking to you for three years. She didn’t understand then, but later she will join a social organization where she learns about gender issues – now she behaves normally with us. Until now, our family is still unaware about our sexual orientation. We have also not told them. I don’t know why.
I want to tell you a story. You had a heterosexual friend who you were close with a few years back and were working on a group project with, along with two to three other friends. You will try to share your sexual orientation with the group but will be unable to because of their negative perceptions of LGBTIQ+ people. A few months later, you will be in a small gathering. At that gathering, your heterosexual friend will propose to you in front of our other friends. It will be very awkward. But you will go speak privately with him and share everything about your sexual orientation. But he won’t believe your words and request you to change yourself. You will want to go far away from that place. This incident will mentally torture you a lot.
Based on your experience, you believe every LGBTIQ+ person faces some form of violence. You will experience psychological violence. Sometimes, when you post photos from events and say that you work with LGBTIQ+ communities, people will send you abusive messages. But others face physical violence too and get beaten up and thrown out of their homes by their own family members. There are even some rape cases or acts of sexual violence. Despite working and trying, things are still not so easy. But we will continue.
Yours warmly,
M
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29 September 2023
It is good to talk!
In a small courtyard hidden behind walls of corrugated sheets sits 12 tiny bungalows. Decorative pieces of small orange crocheted blankets hang from the doors providing a bright contrast with the pastel-coloured walls and dark wooden doors. Dozens of haystacks are littered across the horizon following the harvesting. Inside this small compound freshly picked garlic cloves are laid out on a ground mat drying in the midday sun. It is a familiar scene in the district of Morang where families such as these rely on seasonal agricultural work for incomes and sustenance.
In this compound three married couples are sitting together in the shade of the bungalows, encircling a trained facilitator, discussing their participation in a UNFPA programme to support families resolve conflicts they might experience in their households. These ‘couple discussions’ aim to promote healthy relationships and develop non-violent conflict resolution skills and positive masculinities in families and communities. These are particularly important in this area where unemployment rates are high and money can be in short supply in each of the families. Finances are a major source of conflict in marriages.
“After attending we are much more able to deal with the conflicts in our families” says Reena Paswan who has attended the sessions for ten weeks. She continues “we have learnt how to live more harmoniously in our homes and communities and as couples we know that we need to promote well-being in our relationship to prevent minor issues blowing up into something that might cause conflict in our marriages.”
For the couples, they have learnt how to communicate better and manage internal conflicts and other challenging situations that often come up in relationships. A skill learnt during these couple dialogues is how to negotiate within a couple and this means that these couples can now confidently convert a negative situation to an affirmative one by presenting one another’s point of view in the argument forward clearly during conflicts.
Sessions, however, do not only focus on conflict and the partners all reflect on how it has led to changing attitudes in their families. “My mother-in-law was initially against the idea we should attend. She changed her mind only when she was invited to attend and this means today, she encourages us to fully participate, in our communities.” It has also built up more confidence in this important family relationship because generally couples live under one roof “I am also encouraged to be more outgoing and there is more trust in me to make important decisions for the family that creates better relations amongst us.”
The family unit is also growing. Previously the men in this group left household chores and childcare solely to wives. This is now changing “we have learnt that both partners in a marriage can share domestic chores" explains Ramesh Paswan who is holding his three-year old daughter playfully rocking in his arms. Adding “we now understand that we need to also include our wives in decision making and also think about consent before initiating any intimacy or sexual activities.”
There is also a strong community focus in the programme that is supported by UNFPA’s partnership with the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Kathmandu and Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation. All the couples sitting in the courtyard knew each other before attending the sessions as they are neighbours and live in small tight knit communities. The sessions have brought them closer as they share the good things as well as the challenges in their relationships. The couples explain that “when we see other people in the community being violent, we talk with them and educate them about the right thing to do, and support women that experience violence so they can respond.”
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29 September 2023
Looking at gender-based violence from another perspective
As the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence 2021 is coming to an end, it is high time for us to broaden our approach to be more intersectional and to cover a diverse range of experiences in our society. Read more about how Dia Yonzon, a national Youth UN Volunteer working in the capacity of Youth Programme Support Officer, sees gender-based violence from a queer perspective.
Historically, the accounts of gender-based violence have left behind the non-binary experience that is a grappling reality for many individuals living with and among us.
In the context of Nepal, violence against trans and non-binary persons are adversely affecting the daily life of people. Yet, seldom do we find coverage in the mainstream media and resources are difficult to access for help.
Still the question begs to be asked: how can we eradicate these harmful practices if we don’t even talk about trans and non-binary persons or use our platforms to allow people to find their voices?
In order to find answers to these questions, in 2020, I spent 11 months as a trainee to the Deputy Representative of UN Women Nepal. In my time, I began experiencing how the heteronormative gender binary was institutionalized as the default within our society. I found myself primarily occupied in untangling and figuring out where I fit and later, I decided to rejoin the same agency as a national Youth UN Volunteer working in the capacity of Youth Programme Support Officer.
I recall when the COVID-19 pandemic began getting severe and the UN in Nepal created the separate category - male and female - group forum and therapy; I found these spaces heavily catered to hetero-binary needs.
To create safe spaces for trans and non-binary persons facing hate crimes during the pandemic, I co-founded Rainbow café with other queer staff and allies, an open platform for anyone to join and discuss or listen in about LGBTIQ+ related issues and topics. We brought in senior UN Staffs who were also queer to talk and share their experiences with younger and newer UN Staffs who were navigating their places in the system.
"Looking at gender-based violence from a queer perspective, I believe language is essential both as a communication tool and as the system's blueprint - as it's the first step forwards inclusion.
Indeed, in ending gender-based violence, our language should acknowledge the experiences of trans and non-binary individuals. And rather than fitting people's diverse experiences as an afterthought, I urge people to collect stories as valuable data for future inclusion, like what we are doing with Rainbow café.
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Press Release
07 June 2024
UN Resident Coordinator handover Secretary General invitation to Rt Hon Prime Minister of Nepal for the Summit of the Future: meaningful youth mobilization a key focus of the summit
The letter urges support and requests for the personal participation of the Prime Minister in the Summit of the Future taking place on the 22 and 23 September in New York. In the letter, the Secretary-General underscored the crucial importance of arriving at an ambitious, concise, action-oriented Pact for the Future as the summit's outcome. The pact has five pillars- finance for sustainable development; international peace and security; science, technology, and innovation; youth and future generation; and reform global governance.Speaking at the occasion, the UN Resident Coordinator Madam Hanaa Singer Hamdy said, “The Summit of the Future is a unique opportunity to change course and move away from the precipitous state the world is currently in and Nepal can leverage its extensive experience in climate action, conflict resolution, and disaster readiness to lead discussions on strategic importance and peace.” In preparation for the summit in Nepal, the UN Resident Coordinator also met the Honorable Minister for Youth and Sports Mr Biraj Shrestha to mobilize the youth of Nepal through nationwide consultations and a digital advocacy campaign aiming to reach 1 million youth in Nepal fostering broader engagement and support for the summit's goals. #For Further Information contact: Simrika SharmaNational Information Officer UN Information Center Email: simrika.sharma@un.org Tel: 5523200 Ext. 1510
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Press Release
27 May 2024
24th Anniversary of the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal
Honorable Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Mr. Padam Giri Hon. Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Tapa Bahadur MagarHonorable Commissioners of NHRC and other Constitutional CommissionsChairperson of the NGO Federation of Nepal, Members of civil society, the media, and the international community Distinguished Guests Namaste and a very good afternoon to everyone!On behalf of the United Nations in Nepal, I would like to offer sincere badhaai to the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal on your 24th Anniversary. Badhaai also for retaining your “A” status and surpassing the scrutiny of the Special Review! The UN Country Team is honored to be partnering with an institution that meets international standards! Nepal is such a beautiful country! Its diversity is its beauty, as exemplified in the national anthem we heard earlier referring to the country as a garland made up of sayaun thunggaa phool. Nepal’s diversity is also a challenge. Nurturing social cohesion amongst such diversity requires the Commission, the Government, and the Constitutional Commissions to work hand in hand, to ensure freedom, equality, and equity of ALL its people. Leave No One Behind means prioritizing the furthest behind first like the Dalits, Madhesis, Tharus, Indigenous Peoples, Muslims, women and girls, sexual and gender minorities, as well as persons with disabilities. Distinguished guests, Nepal is still in the early stages of Federalism. While on a recent trip to the Karnali and Madhesh Pradesh, it was so heartening to hear positive narratives from citizens, and local and provincial governments on how federalism has brought the government closer to citizens.However, much work remains for these citizens to fully experience federalism. Federal structures and institutions need more strengthening to bring services closer to the citizens. The exercise of autonomy and authority guaranteed by the Constitution is a must. A lot also still needs to be done to root out deeply entrenched and pervasive harmful practices such as caste-based discrimination, untouchability, gender-based violence, and domestic violence, which hold people back from reaching their full potential. It is by undertaking steps to reduce inequalities in society, and reinforce the rule of law, that the envisaged structural transformation is achieved. Distinguished guests, Last year at the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, member states, including Nepal, vowed to uphold and promote human rights standards, principles, and values. These commitments are reflected in the recommendations from various UN Human Rights Mechanisms like the Universal Periodic Review; the treaty bodies, Resolutions 1325, and 1820, as well as Guiding Principles like Business and Human Rights. We hope, Nepal’s National Action Plan based on these international norms, standards, and guidance is adequately funded and will thereby translate into reality, into tangible results. I urge the Government as well as NHRC Nepal to highlight the progress being made in the country at international forums. This requires timely submission of periodic reports as obligated in various treaties for instance. Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, We should not let the momentum of transitional justice lose steam at any cost. Eighteen years after the armed conflict, uncertainty still looms amongst victims regarding the truth of the incidents and the whereabouts of their loved ones. The wounds, the pain, and the tears still plague the victims. Echoing the Secretary General’s messaging, I would like the encourage your Government and the Parliament to “leave no stone unturned” to ensure that all victims have access to truth, reparation, and justice that they have been seeking for decades that would eventually foster reconciliation and ensure non-reoccurrence of violations.I also urge the Government to expedite the implementation of the recommendations made by the NHRC Nepal. Dear Friends,Today, on NHRC’s 24th birthday, we would like to commend the Commission’s continuous vigilance, adaptability, and dedication to the protection and promotion of evolving human rights issues, including in areas like climate change, misinformation, disinformation, and false information. For NHRC to evolve, be relatable, and grow to keep pace with ever-changing scenarios, it needs an investment of resources, capacity, autonomy, and independence. Furthermore, the proposed new NHRC Act also needs to be adopted, in compliance with the Paris Principles. One year short of your silver jubilee, at a time when globally we are grappling with numerous human rights challenges, it is even more important for all of us to rekindle the hope of protection of human rights and advance promises of freedom of speech, expression, opinion, equality before the law, and justice for everyone, everywhere, always.The United Nations in Nepal remains committed to supporting the Commission and the Government in your endeavors to promote and protect human rights.Jai Maanav Adhikaar ! Dherai Dherai Dhanyabaad.
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Press Release
23 May 2024
2586 Buddha Jayanti Celebration - 23 May 2024, Lumbini
Namaste, Namo Mitaa-vaya ( greetings in buddhism), and a very good morning to all of you! It is my profound blessing to be in Lumbini to celebrate the birth, enlightenment, and pari-nirvana of Gautam Buddha. And what an absolute honour once more to step on these sacred grounds, the soil where the Prince of Peace had walked on nearly 2600 years ago! Revered guests, it’s been 23 years that the United Nations gave recognition to the Day of Vesak, or Baisakh as it is known in Nepal. We must be grateful for Hon. Lakshman Kadirgamar the then foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, who in November 1998 made the proposal to the UN to provide international recognition to the “Day of the Full Moon in the month of May” that is most sacred for a fifth of the world’s population. Last year, when the UN Secretary General visited Lumbini he said, ”This is a place to reflect on the teachings of Lord Buddha. And to consider what his message of peace, interdependence, and compassion, means in today’s troubled world.”It is indeed a troubled world. Where we seem to be at loggerheads with nature, as well with ourselves.. across borders, across faiths, across ideologies.
And it is when we come to a place like Lumbini, where its special aura permeates the atmosphere around us and seeps into our souls, that we instinctively try to seek deep within ourselves the reason of our existence. And when we really dig deep, not carrying the baggage of yesterday or tomorrow, we discover that all we long for is happiness and peace.. peace of mind, and peace around us.. yes, just shanti, shanti shanti! (peace) “With our thoughts we make the world, “said Lord Buddha to his disciples.It is thoughts that lead to actions. And the actions of the United Nations, in its mission to promote peace, security, and human rights, embodies the essence Buddha’s teachings... be it the Five Precepts, or the Eightfold Path… in various aspects of its work. Like he preached, we in the UN work diligently to ensure that we have the Right View, the right perspective on issues and problems that need to be tackled to ensure safe an equitable life for all. We strive to have the Right Intention in every task we undertake, every vison we propose which we then voice with Right Speech that respect everyone, and are geared to foster compassion and harmony. Right Action guides our overall work to promote peace and development, especially in these turbid times. And with Right Effort guided by the principles of the UN Charters, we strive to promote Right Livelihood and ensure that no one is left behind. Being a global organization, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration are important features of the institution. It prods us to keep adapting to changing situations, be it global politics, climatic changes, planning for the unexpected. But all the time, being mindful of the here and now! So, Distinguished guests, Gathered here today in these sacred gardens, let us be at peace with ourselves and with the world. May the full moon of Buddha Purnima take away the darkness of ignorance, bigotry and hatred and herald an era of contentment and peace on earth. Shanti Shanti Shanti !
And it is when we come to a place like Lumbini, where its special aura permeates the atmosphere around us and seeps into our souls, that we instinctively try to seek deep within ourselves the reason of our existence. And when we really dig deep, not carrying the baggage of yesterday or tomorrow, we discover that all we long for is happiness and peace.. peace of mind, and peace around us.. yes, just shanti, shanti shanti! (peace) “With our thoughts we make the world, “said Lord Buddha to his disciples.It is thoughts that lead to actions. And the actions of the United Nations, in its mission to promote peace, security, and human rights, embodies the essence Buddha’s teachings... be it the Five Precepts, or the Eightfold Path… in various aspects of its work. Like he preached, we in the UN work diligently to ensure that we have the Right View, the right perspective on issues and problems that need to be tackled to ensure safe an equitable life for all. We strive to have the Right Intention in every task we undertake, every vison we propose which we then voice with Right Speech that respect everyone, and are geared to foster compassion and harmony. Right Action guides our overall work to promote peace and development, especially in these turbid times. And with Right Effort guided by the principles of the UN Charters, we strive to promote Right Livelihood and ensure that no one is left behind. Being a global organization, Right Mindfulness and Right Concentration are important features of the institution. It prods us to keep adapting to changing situations, be it global politics, climatic changes, planning for the unexpected. But all the time, being mindful of the here and now! So, Distinguished guests, Gathered here today in these sacred gardens, let us be at peace with ourselves and with the world. May the full moon of Buddha Purnima take away the darkness of ignorance, bigotry and hatred and herald an era of contentment and peace on earth. Shanti Shanti Shanti !
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Press Release
18 June 2024
The Joint Recovery Action Plan (JRAP) in Nepal receives £13 Million from FCDO to meet the critical needs of Western Nepal’s Earthquake-affected population
“The Joint Recovery Action Plan was developed to respond the needs of the disaster-affected communities and to build resilience," said Ms. Hanaa Singer Hamdy, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nepal. “I would like to thank the UK for their support through a Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) to advance a coherent and joint approach across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus in Nepal and help the realization of the UN Reform at the country level.” She added. The support will be given through a joint programme of IOM, UNFPA, UNICEF, and WFP under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRCO) to ensure effective and close coordination among the various components of the project.The funding will address the water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), nutrition, protection, shelter, and food security needs of approximately 50 thousand earthquake-affected people in western Nepal. Integral to the implementation of these initiatives is a strong commitment to accountability to the affected population (AAP), ensuring that resources are utilized judiciously to maximize benefits for the earthquake-affected communities in Jajarkot, Rukum West and Salyan districts. Moreover, the principles of protection against sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) will be integrated from the inception to uphold humanitarian standards in all aspects of the work.“This new £13m commitment builds on the immediate support the UK provided of £0.5m for immediate humanitarian relief after the earthquake.”, said Ms. Pippa Bird, Development Director at the British Embassy Kathmandu. “It is now critical that the most vulnerable and affected communities are supported on their recovery journey, including through the delivery of life-saving services, rebuilding livelihoods and laying the groundwork for long-term, resilient recovery and reconstruction. Alongside this support, the UK will support three affected local governments rehabilitation and reconstruction of several drinking water supply facilities, small irrigation systems, micro-hydro structures, schools and rural roads, for a total of £4.2 million. These infrastructure works will concurrently provide local jobs and ensure long-term resilience to disasters and climate change. We are grateful to all those involved in delivering this important assistance at pace and to the leadership of the RCO to ensure a coherent and targeted approach.”On 3 November 2023, Nepal’s deadliest earthquake since April 2015 struck Jajarkot, West Rukum and adjoining districts in Karnali Province. The 6.4 magnitude earthquake, which was followed by over 300 aftershocks of more than 4.0 magnitude, killed 154 (84 females and 70 males, including 81 children), injured 366, and displaced tens of thousands of people, forcing many to sleep outside in freezing overnight temperatures for fear of aftershocks.The Chief Executive of the NDRRMA Mr. Anil Pokhrel said, “FCDO has been consistently supporting the Government of Nepal’s Humanitarian Response including reconstruction and recovery. The NDRRMA welcomes the additional financial contribution from FCDO which will help address the critical needs of the earthquake-affected municipalities in Karnali Province.” The overarching goal of the Joint Recovery Action Plan (JRAP)-Western Nepal Earthquake is to complement the ongoing Government of Nepal’s reconstruction and recovery endeavors while strengthening resilience in the face of future disasters. With a targeted funding of USD 96 million, the JRAP aims to assist 250,000 individuals across various clusters, underscoring a concerted effort to build back better, promoting green –reducing carbon footprint– and resilient construction materials and local jobs while fostering resilience in vulnerable communities. Out of the total funding need, FCDO is providing GBP 13 million (equivalent to USD 16.2 million). For more information:Simrika Sharma E: simrika.sharma@un.org National Information Officer, UN Information Centre Prerana Marasini E: Prerana.Marasini@fcdo.gov.ukCommunications Manager, British Embassy Kathmandu
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Press Release
29 April 2024
Exploring Investment Opportunities in Nepal
Honorable Finance Minister Mr. Barsha Man PunFellow panelists Delegates, Namaste and a wonderful afternoon to all of you! Dear delegates. I think between the presentations of this morning and now everything has been covered so I want to highlight the three Ps: People, Planet and Partnership for Peace and Prosperity. That is what the member states have committed to through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. And these three Ps, I believe, provide immense opportunities for investment in Nepal. First, always the People. Nepal has a very young population. About 41 percent of Nepalis are between ages 16 and 40. These are young people, with muscle and brain power, bursting with energy and innovative solutions. This unique demographic dividend is a crucial window of opportunity for Nepal, that begs to be tapped with great urgency!Tapping into this demographic dividend means increasing investment in health, education, frontier technology, and digital transformation. To unlock this potential, we must invest even more women, girls and marginalized communities and increase their access to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It may also entail removing barriers for their access to business and employment opportunities. Removing such barriers could also mean there will be more women represented in every sphere including our speakers in this summit. I couldn’t help but notice the negligent participation of women as presenters and speakers in this meeting. But I hope for the next one we will have much more women. My second point is about the planet. I need not tell you about the potential in this fantastic country. Trees cover nearly half of this beautiful country. Himalayan glaciers provide fresh water, as well as the potential to generate an estimated 40,000 megawatts of hydroelectricity by the rivers downstream. As previous speakers highlighted, these natural resources provide investment opportunities. However, we must make every effort to ensure that financial flows are used to uplift, rather than undermine, the environment, biodiversity and human lives.What these investments should do is to contribute to offset carbon, accelerate the transition to sustainable energy, and lead to a green economy. These investments should contribute to limiting the rise in global temperature to 1.5°C. and help to achieve net zero.Yes, these investments will be higher up front, due to the need for investment in frontier technologies and innovation. However, these will ensure a livable planet not just for our generation but those generations who will eventually inherit this planet. This will be one of the issues that the Summit of the Future will also be focusing on in New York this September.And this brings me to my third point, that is Partnership for sustainable development. Nepal can explore new blended finance approaches that can crowd in private sector, multiply developmental impact and create opportunity for public sector to share risks and rewards fairly. This way, public and private finance together help augment private investments, especially in high risk and low return areas.Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), Development Financial Institutions (DFIs), Private Development Banks (PDBs), and development cooperation agencies can work even closer with private partners to leverage resources. Each of these transitions requires engagement of multiple policy reforms spanning economic, social and environmental dimensions. With the recent effort to amend laws, the government is demonstrating a strong commitment to improving the investment environment. United Nations stands with the people of Nepal. The world must do the same. As Nepal prepares for LDC Graduation in 2026, we will continue to work with the Investment Board Nepal and concerned ministries to help increase the flow of sustainable investments in the country. We will continue to support the development of a strong business ecosystem with a vision for sustainable, inclusive, and green economy. To conclude, I would like to reiterate our commitment to take our future generations into account. This need not come at the expense of those currently living. With advances in science, humanities and technology, we have an enormous opportunity that can be harnessed for the good of all generations of Nepalis. Dhanyabaad!
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