A joint meeting of the Human Rights Defenders and Women Human Rights Defenders Network was held on May 24, with coordination from the Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) Madhesh Province Office.
The meeting, held at the hall of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, Dhanusha branch, was chaired by Rekha Jha, Chairperson of the Women Human Rights Defenders Network, Madhesh Province. The program was attended as the chief guest by Buddhanarayan Sahani, Chief of the National Human Rights Commission, Madhesh Province.
The meeting discussed the security challenges faced by human rights defenders, irregularities in health institutions, and the need for active monitoring by human rights actors.
INSEC Provincial Coordinator Raju Paswan stated that it is essential for the state and relevant stakeholders to adopt appropriate policies and laws to protect individuals and organizations engaged in the protection, promotion, and advocacy of human rights from physical, mental, and legal risks. He further emphasized the need for continuous engagement with the provincial government on policy formulation. He also noted that with the increase in human rights violations in Madhesh Province, threats such as harassment, beating, and intimidation against human rights defenders have also been rising.
Similarly, the Chief of the Madhesh Province Office of the National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Buddhanarayan Sahani, stated that local and provincial authorities have not yet fully recognized the role and identity of human rights defenders. He further noted that the Commission has consistently been active in recommending and advocating for the government to formulate a separate and specialized law for the protection of human rights defenders.
Likewise, the Chairperson of the Women Human Rights Defenders Network, Madhesh Province, Ms. Rekha Jha, highlighted that women human rights defenders face greater risks and challenges compared to their male counterparts due to gender-based discrimination.
In relation to the ongoing suspension of services by doctors at the Provincial Hospital in Janakpur, participating human rights defenders, including Mr. Binod Mahara, Mr. Purushottam Yadav, Ms. Samita Kumari, Mr. Amit Mishra, Ms. Jamuna Bhujel, and Ms. Subhadra Ale, among others, shared their views on the need for coordination with relevant stakeholders to address the situation.