Under the Protection Project in partnership between DC Nepal and the Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), a meeting of the Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality level Human Rights Group was held on November 13, 2025, in Agaiya of Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality–2.
The meeting, chaired by the group’s chariperson Dhani Wali, discussed the status of human rights at the municipal level and the situatio of citizen’s access to education, health, agriculture, environmental rights, and physical infrastructure provided by the local authority.
Participants in the meeting stated that as the Human Rights Group has become more active in their community, it has become easier for victims of incidents such as domestic violence, violations of women’s and child rights, child sexual abuse, rape, and caste-based discrimination to reach the concerned authorities. They also mentioned that when group members attend the local level planning meetings and raise issues related to village-level development and construction, those issues are addressed, providing relief to the community.
Human Rights Group Chairperson Dhani Wali stated that the work has been effective as all members of the group have been coordinating and cooperating with the local authorities to facilitate community issues, and that it has become easier for victims to obtain justice.
Human Rights Group Secretary Prem Chaudhary shared that they have been conducting awareness programs with the participation of youth to reduce drug abuse, holding community discussions to minimise child marriage, advocating and lobbying to provide seeds and fertilisers to farmers at subsidised rates during the farming season, and organising awareness programs in areas with frequent accidents to help reduce such incidents.
Group member Parwati Nepali stated that they have been raising their voices at the rural municipality office regarding settlements inhabited by poor and marginalized families where road access has not yet reached. She also expressed her commitment to take initiative at the ward and rural municipality levels because three Dalit families have been excluded from the housing program under the Janata Aawas Program.
Group member Sarita Giri, who is physically disabled, shared that after identifying problems in the neighbourhood and participating in the project selection process, the selected projects led to the widening and gravelling of narrow and dusty roads, increased sanitation, and improved cleanliness in the environment. She further shared that as she continued working with the group, the trust and recognition she received increased, which led her to obtain a leadership position as the Vice-Chair of the municipality-level disability network.
Group member Laxmi Chaudhary stated that because of Banke National Park, people have been facing tiger attacks and insecurity has been increasing. Therefore, for a sustainable solution, they held discussions with the park authorities to create pressure and facilitated support for the affected families through the Forest Office.
In the meeting, INSEC Program Officer Teknath Acharya provided suggestions such as the need for Human Rights Group members to maintain close relations with the ward office and rural municipality, meet regularly, inform the concerned bodies about the good practices they have carried out, actively participate in relevant programs organized by the ward and municipality, and advocate and lobby with the local authorities to conduct programs for the promotion of human rights.
The meeting had the participation of 17 individuals, including 11 women, 6 men, and 4 persons with physical disabilities.
