Kathmandu: Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal has said government was committed to protecting human rights and institutionalizing democracy. “Government is the guardian of citizen’s rights, so violence is never acceptable,” he said at the 17th National Human Rights Magna Meet coordinated by Women for Human Rights, Single Women’s Group here Monday. The event is organized in collaboration of 125 organizations working in the sector of human rights and social justice.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Minister Aryal further stated, “Human rights are the backbone of democratic society. Present government is devoted to policy reform to ensure corruption-free system. Gen Z movement also advocated for wiping out misgovernance. Accountability is another essential aspect the government is stressing.” The Minister emphasized that peace and security are prerequisites to conducting elections, highlighting the government’s prioritization of these areas. Recommendations from the National Human Rights Commission and the Women Rights Commission are taken into account while fulfilling responsibilities, he shared.
Moreover, the Minister acknowledged the importance of working responsibly and clarified that “revenge mentality does not work,” while also making it clear that the government does not tolerate impunity. He expressed his hope that the magna meet would successfully localize the universal declaration of human rights (UDHR).
On the occasion, NHRC Chairman Tap Bahadur Magar expressed concern over the decreasing public trust in NHRC due to the non-implementation of its recommendations. He urged the Home Minister to address the risk of human rights protection being overshadowed by corruption. Magar stressed that mere formulation of laws is insufficient for human rights protection, and emphasized the need for practical and enforceable laws, which require attention from all three tiers of government.
NGO Federation’s Chairman Arjun Bhattarai shared his worries about the threats faced by civil society following the Gen Z movement, arguing that the Social Welfare Council has been ineffective in mitigating these threats. Charan Prasai, founding coordinator of the human rights magna meet, called for unity among human rights activists to reinforce their agenda, noting that the Gen Z protest was a result of the government’s failure to address human rights and citizens’ aspirations.
Coordinator of the magna meet, Shova BC, highlighted that the week-long event was organized to ensure the gathering of all stakeholders to discuss a wide range of human rights issues.