Quarterly Meeting of the Human Rights Defenders Network Concluded

The quarterly meeting of the provincial-level Human Rights Defenders Network, established by INSEC under the Human Rights Education Program, was held on June 12 at the INSEC Koshi Province office hall in Biratnagar.

The meeting, chaired by the coordinator of the Human Rights Defenders Network, Devi Baskota, decided to submit a memorandum drawing the attention of the provincial government to allocate a budget for the protection and promotion of human rights in the upcoming fiscal year 2026/27. It also decided that member organizations of the network will present reports on their activities in the next meeting, and that a joint initiative will be taken to assess the current human rights situation, the challenges faced by human rights defenders, and issues related to legal protection, along with monitoring these aspects.

The meeting further decided to submit program proposals to ensure budget allocation for human rights issues in the upcoming policies, programs, and budgets of both the Koshi Province Government and local governments. Additionally, the meeting decided to organize an interaction program on the right to education and health, and to advocate with the provincial and local governments for the protection of economic, social, and cultural rights of human rights defender networks, women, children, Dalits, and other marginalized and at-risk communities at the local level.