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Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC) Karnali Provincial Office, issued a nine-point manifesto in a  two-day human rights defenders conference of the district-level human rights defenders, which was organized to draw the attention of stakeholders on the issue of protection of human rights, security, and identity of human rights defenders, on 27 February 2023  in Dailekh.

The conference emphasized the protection, and promotion of human rights in the district through policy formulation on human rights defenders, and urging the local level, and government agencies to be responsive and attentive towards the issue.

 It further suggests the end of all kinds of discrimination and inequalities, especially towards sexual and gender minorities to ensure comprehensive adherence to human rights. The human rights defenders further appreciated the efforts of the government regarding judicial access and the implementation of human rights. They also urged the district administration office and local government for the effective implementation of the government’s order related to the identification and protection of human rights defenders.

The manifesto draws the attention of the security agencies, local government, and stakeholders towards victim and witness protection against hostile retaliation, and towards the creation of a favorable environment for the protection and protection of human rights defenders.

Different discussions regarding,  social traditions and human rights, crime, and human rights, grave human rights violations, and the existing environment regarding campaigns to obtain justice, investigation on human rights violations and victims’ access to justice issues, and the role of local levels and stakeholders in human rights protection and promotion, were held on the conference.

Karnali Provincial Assembly member Gamata B.K, Narayan Municipality Deputy Mayor,  Tapthakumari Thapa, and Karnali Provincial Coordinator of INSEC were invited as panel guests on the discussion of topics regarding human rights with tradition and corruption.

Nepal Bar Association district chairperson Lalit Bahadur Thapa, INSEC district representative Amar Sunar and JC officer Leela Khatri of Women’s Organization for Marginalized Women facilitated the discussion on grave human rights violations and campaign for justice,

National Human Rights Commission’s Karnali Province Office Chief Loknath Bastola, District Public Prosecutor’s Office Dailekh District Attorney Karna Bahadur Mahat, and District Police Office Dailekh DSP Kishore Lamsal were made as panel guests on the discussion regarding the campaign for justice and investigation of human rights violations and access to justice for victims,

Similarly, Narayan Municipality Mayor Loman Sharma, Founder Chairperson of Women  Empowerment Forum,  Dilkumari Chand, and District Treasurer of Nepal Journalist Federation Teerth Bhandari expressed their views on the role of local level and stakeholders concerning human rights.

In the panel discussions, the participants inquired about the efforts made by the government to promote human rights, compliance with the law, the process of access to justice for victims, procedural complications, and possible solutions to the problems.

Officials of the government agencies of the state informed the participants about the ongoing efforts to protect and promote human rights. There was an open interaction on the issue of cooperation in the protection and promotion of human rights.

Loknath Bastola, Head of Office of Karnali Province Office of National Human Rights Commission, facilitated the discussion on the duties, rights, and role of human rights defenders.

Karnali Province Coordinator of Informal Sector Service Center (INSEC) Narayan Subedi spoke on the concerns on capacity building and the safety of human rights defenders.

Navin Rizal, a central member of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists and Journalists, explained that because the media workers are defenders of human rights, they are engaged in the promotion of good governance and human rights despite facing the risk of attacks, various types of accusations, and threats.

Gamata B.K stated that if the leaders of the society move forward with self-confidence to eradicate evil, all the bad practices of the society can be ended. He pointed out that awareness of compliance with duty is also a necessary aspect of enjoying one’s rights.

In the opening program, District Coordination Chief Namraj Shahi suggested that human rights defenders should work selflessly and with a pure heart without taking sides. He pointed out that domestic violence is a major problem and asked to join in its prevention.

More than 40 human rights defenders from four municipalities of Dullu, Athabis, Narayan, and Chamundabindrasaini of the district participated in the conference.

Teknath Acharya of INSEC Lumbini Provincial Office, Kiran Paudel, program coordinator of the ‘Human Rights-2’ project, and Pariskrit Paudel, program officer, managed the technical management in the panel discussion and orientation sessions.

Amar Sunar