On December 14, 2024 in Kathmandu, the Nepal Legislative Academy (NLA) and Purak Asia held a discussion program to review the provisions of fundamental rights in Nepal’s constitution and how well they are being put into practice. With Nepal nearing the 10th anniversary of its constitution’s promulgation, the program aimed to engage parliamentarians and stakeholders in tracking legislative progress and challenges.
The program was attended by chairs of parliamentary committees, current and former Members of Parliament (MPs), officials from the Parliament Secretariat, and media representatives. The discussion was guided by a working paper that explained the legislative framework and implementation status of 12 key fundamental rights, i.e. i) Rights of persons with disabilities ii) Housing rights iii) Dalit rights iv) Children’s rights v) Rights of senior citizens vi) Food rights and food sovereignty vii) Environmental conservation viii) Consumer protection ix) Social security x) Safe motherhood and reproductive rights xi) Rights against caste discrimination, and xii) Protection for victims of crime.
Former MPs shared insights from their legislative experiences, and current MPs, particularly those on parliamentary committees, acknowledged the importance of revisiting and addressing gaps in implementation. Furthermore, some of the members of the parliamentary committees also committed to following up on the state of implementation
This was the first program in a planned series, with the next one set to take place in Madhesh Province.
