Failure to submit a satisfactory response risks downgrading to the Human Rights Commission
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The Geneva-based Global Network of Human Rights Organizations (GUNRI) will review the human rights situation in Nepal. Ganari, who has been warning to reduce the level of the National Human Rights Commission if the situation does not improve, is going to review on Monday.
Ganeri analyzes the human rights situation and determines the ranking of each country's National Human Rights Commission. The human rights situation is categorized as 'A' when it is stable/improving and 'B' when it is deteriorating.
Human Rights Commission of Nepal has been ranked first since its inception. If the rank is reduced, the respective country loses the opportunity to speak and lead on human rights on the international stage. Foreign aid may also be cut for that country unless human rights are promoted.
A complaint was filed in Ganri in 2021 saying that the appointment of the National Human Rights Commission four years ago was unconstitutional and a writ was also filed in the Supreme Court. The Human Rights Commission avoided downgrading last year after Nepal requested to wait for some time as it faced the Covid epidemic and promised to improve the situation.
'This year's review is not going to be due to previous complaints, Ganri conducts a periodical review of the human rights institutions of its member countries every five years,' Surya Dhungel, a member of the commission, said, 'That is what is going to happen this time, but the question will arise whether to maintain the same rank or not.' Dhungel said, "For the first time after the Covid-19, there is a physical meeting between the officials of Gharni and the commission team. Commissioner Manoj Dawadi will lead the commission." Dhwadi and Commission Secretary Murari Prasad Kharel have already reached Geneva to participate in Gharni's annual meeting. Navraj Sapkota, joint secretary of the commission, left for Geneva on Friday morning.
Gunary has repeatedly recommended to amend the law to establish the National Human Rights Commission in accordance with the Paris Principles. Nepal has been committed to amending the Act. But the government has not taken the bill to the parliament. "We made a draft of the bill and submitted it to the government, it has yet to reach the parliament," Dhungel said.
The commission is ready to try to assure Ganri that the amendment bill has been drafted and it will be submitted to the parliament and passed soon. Dhungel says that Ganri can ask why the Supreme Court has not ruled on the constitutionality of the appointment of the commissioner. The Supreme Court has started the final hearing in mid-January and has fixed the next hearing for 6th of March. The commission has prepared to assure this.
Gunnery will ask why the transitional justice process is in shambles two decades on and what the Human Rights Commission has done to fix it.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has appointed former Attorney General Agni Kharel as an advisor on transitional justice and the recommendation date for forming a transitional justice commission will be given by the commission. Commissioner Dhungel said, "These are the main three questions that Ganri asks about Nepal. The more confident we can answer them, the better the effect will be."
