Protection and Promotion of Human Rights Chairperson, Membres & Secretary National Human Rights Commission’s prime responsibility is to protect and promote human rights. It also performs its duty in coordination with the other stakeholders. The NATIONAL HUMAN Commission since its establishment has been undertaking its works based on its coordination and collaboration with RIGHTS COMMISSION national, regional and international entities/ organizations Hon. Anup Raj Sharma, Chairperson NEPAL and donor agencies. The Human Rights Commission Act 2012 provides the Commission with the capacity to establish formal relationships with civil society. It has developed formal relationships with civil society that result in engagement via regular or institutionalized meetings and engagement with CSOs on thematic issues and in conducting inquiries.

Hon. Prakash Osti, Member The Commission coordinates and collaborates with Non- Governmental Organizations working on human rights issues in order to respect, protection, promotion and effective implementation of human rights. Moreover, the Commission has been entrusted with the responsibility to review national laws, policies and regulations and also NHRC Nepal Offi ces make recommendations to the government in order to revise Hon. Sudip Pathak, Member National Human Rights Commission them, as well as to contribute to the strengthening of human Central Offi ce, Harihar Bhawan, Lalitpur, rights situation in the country by studying and monitoring Contact: 01-5010015, the situation of implementation of the international treaties Hotline Number; 5010000, and instruments related to human rights to which Nepal is Fax: 01-5547973 a party. Po. Box No.: 9182 Email: [email protected] The Commission has been coordinating with civil society Hon. Mohna Ansari, Member and human rights organizations for human rights protection and promotion activities. Regional offi ces of the Commission have been conducting awareness raising programs on human Outreach Offi ces rights education for security personnel, school students, 1. Biratnagar, Chandani Chok - 021-461931, 461093 teachers and guardians. Suggestions have been provided to include human rights in the training courses designed for 2. Janakpurdham, Devi Chok - 021-527811, 527812 security personnel during the meetings and interactions Hon. Govinda Sharma Paudyal, Member 3. Pokhara, Janapriya Marg - 061-462811, 463822 with the chiefs of the security forces. Separate human rights 4. Nepalgunj, Shantinagar - 081-526707, 526708 resource books 2070 have been published targeting security 5. Dhangadhi, Uttar Behadi - 091-525621 personnel and teachers. The Commission hosted National 6. Butwal, Rupandehi - 071-546911 Peace Conference in 2005, fi ve regional conferences on children's rights in 2007 and National Conference for 7. Diktel, Khotang - 036-420284 Human Rights Defenders in 2012 and 2017. 8. Jumla Bazar, Jumla - 078-520222 Bed Prasad Bhattarai, secretary 9. Sanepa, Lalitpur - 01-5530362 Introduction provided by the Constitution and other prevailing law for individual or group or abetment thereof, and make the enforcement of human rights and submit necessary recommendation for action against the perpetrators. recommendations for the effective implementation of such • Recommend to the concerned authority to take The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Nepal provisions. departmental action against any offi cial, who fails to is an independent and autonomous constitutional body. fulfi ll or perform his or her responsibility or duty or The Commission was established in the year 2000 A.D. as The Commission publicize and propagate human shows reluctance in preventing violations of human a statutory body under the Human Rights Commission Act rights education at different levels of society through rights. 1997. NHRC Nepal has a separate sphere of responsibilities various seminars, symposia, conferences and also build • Recommend to fi le a case in the court in accordance as mandated in the constitution of Nepal (2015). These consciousness and awareness about the guarantees bestowed with law against any person or organization who has responsibilities complement the normal machinery of the by law for the protection of human rights. Another power of violated human rights. Supreme Court, Offi ce of the Attorney General, and other the Commission is to encourage the functioning and efforts • Coordinate and collaborate with the civil society in existing judicial and quasi-judicial bodies of Nepal. of institutions working in the non-governmental sector. In order to enhance awareness on human rights. addition, there is a general power to carry out such activities, • Carry out periodic reviews of the relevant laws relating The Commission was created in response to 1991 UN- as the Commission may deem necessary and appropriate for to human rights and make recommendation to the sponsored meeting of the representatives of national the enforcement, promotion and protection of human rights. Government of Nepal for necessary improvements and institutions held in Paris. The meeting laid down Paris amendments to such laws. Principles, a detailed set of principles on the status of national • Recommend Government of Nepal for the institutions. These principles, subsequently endorsed by the Composition implementation of any international treaty or agreement UN Commission on Human Rights (Resolution 1992/54 of on human rights, to which Nepal is a party. 3 March 1992) and the UN General Assembly (Resolution • Publish, in accordance with law, the names of the offi cials, The Constitution has laid down the high qualifi cations 48/134 of 20 December 1993, annex) have become the persons or bodies who have failed to observe or implement that the members are required to have, to be eligible to be foundation and reference point for the establishment and any recommendations or directives made or given by the appointed to the Commission. Article 248 of the Constitution operation of the National Human Rights Commission of Commission in relation to the violations of human rights, of Nepal, 2015 has provisioned the following: Nepal as well. and record them as violators of human rights. • There shall be a National Human Rights Commission of Nepal, consisting of a Chairperson and four other Core Priorities Overview members. • The President shall, on the recommendation of the The Commission has identifi ed following issues as the As an independent and autonomous entity, the National Constitutional Council, appoint the Chairperson and priority issues on the basis of the analysis of its strength, Human Rights Commission is constituted with the formation members. weaknesses, opportunities and risks, as well as the review of of human rights related entities, international directives on • The term of the offi ce of the Chairperson and members institutional challenges: freedom and autonomy 1993 (which is regarded as Paris of the National Human Rights Commission shall be six Principle) and Article 248 and 249 of the Constitution of years from the date of appointment. 1. Economic, social and cultural rights, as well as civil and Nepal. The Commission has fi ve offi ce bearers including • The Chairperson and members appointed under clause political rights. the provision for a chairperson and four members. The (2) shall not be eligible for reappointment. 2. Implementation of human rights laws and international Commission has ten offi ces in function including one treaties and instruments. central, fi ve regional and four sub-regional offi ces. Given the Functions 3. Effective implementation of the recommendations. total positions for 309 staff, the total strength of the staff this 4. Human rights awareness and education at every fi scal year stands at 210. household, and to develop human rights culture. The Commission has a wide mandate including civil and 5. Priority to the protection of the rights of marginalized, political rights, economic, social and cultural rights, and vulnerable and under privileged communities. rights of the other groups. Article 249 of the Constitution of Constitutional Mandate 6. Protection of the rights of children, women, senior Nepal, 2015 lays down that the Commission shall perform citizens, Dalits, Differently able people. the following functions, namely: The establishment of the Commission complies with the 7. Expansion of the access, institutional development and standards set out in the 'Paris Principles'. To name a few, • To respect, protect and promote human rights and personnel management of the Commission. independence is guaranteed by the constitution and statute; ensure effective enforcement thereof. 8. Strengthening internal and external coordination, liaison a broad mandate based on universal human rights standards. • Inquire on its own initiative or on petition or complaint and cooperation. Apart from these powers, the Constitution has also envisaged lodged in or sent to the Commission and investigate 9. Strengthening the monitoring, investigation and that the Commission may review the provisions on safeguards complaints about the violations of human rights of an performance system of the Commission.