The National Human Rights Commission issued a press release on 6 May urging Nepal government to be sensitive towards the health risks of the people staying in hunger strike from 30 April demanding the implementation of community support services and personal support services to the people with disabilities. The press release was issued after the commission monitored the health condition of the protestors including Dipak Bhandari in Shantibatika, Kathmandu. The monitoring of the commission found that the health condition of one of the hunger strikers with a spinal cord injury and a urinary bag attached to his catheter tube is becoming more critical as his physical condition was already weak.
The press release emphasizes the implementation of the agreements reached with the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens on March 27 regarding the provision of community support services and personal support services to the people with disabilities.
It further highlighted that various legal frameworks, including the Constitution of Nepal, the Act Relating to Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2017, and the Regulation Relating to Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2020, as well as the International Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2006, to which Nepal is a party, outline arrangements for providing support and protection to individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of prioritizing people with disabilities in accessing the facilities provided by the state.
The press release issued by Dr. Tikaram Pokharel, the Joint Secretary and Spokesperson of the National Human Rights Commission has urged the government at all three levels to put coordinated efforts to prioritize the implementation of previous agreements between people with disabilities and the Nepal government. Additionally, the statement urged the government of Nepal to show sensitivity towards the health conditions of individuals participating in the hunger strike.