Kathmandu: The 2022 EU annual report on human rights and democracy shows that Nepal’s human rights record is on positive trajectory despite various challenges the country is facing. Commenting on Nepal’s local, provincial and parliamentary elections of 2022, the report says that though the elections were orderly, there is much scope to improve inclusivity for future elections, through a better representation of disadvantaged communities, and enabling the voting of millions of Nepali workers abroad and millions of undocumented Nepali people inside the country.
“Overall, Nepal’s human rights record remains on a positive trajectory, although–given the many challenges the country is still facing–progress remains slow. Discrimination related to caste, gender, ethnic or religious background, is the most crucial issue and together with corruption, the biggest impediment to development in Nepal,” says the report. According to the report, despite remarkable legislative achievements to ensure the rights of Dalits, discriminatory practices are still prevalent. It further says that the impacts of climate change pose growing problems in Nepal in the areas of health, safe water and sanitation, food, adequate housing among others.
The report has described Nepal’s adoption of the long awaited Phase II of the National Action Plan on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda in August 2022 as “positive.” Nepal registered significant progress on the World Press Index, rising from the 106th place in 2021 to the 76th in 2022, the report says.
Comment