<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bda899c7e80680e080274jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1438" height="1362"/>Nepal has been elected to a second term on the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/does-nepal-deserve-2nd-term-at-unhrc/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/does-nepal-deserve-2nd-term-at-unhrc/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602730211285000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG7iQJFhPO894iZt7803_apN_Kg2A">despite opposition from activists</a> who have accused the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) of dragging its feet on is out transitional justice, failure to address violence against women and Dalits and efforts to curtain freedom of expression.This time, Nepal was one of the candidates for four seats in the HRC together with Pakistan, China, Uzbekistan and Saudi Arabia from the Asia-Pacific region. But Saudi Arabia was not elected.The election with 150 out of 193 votes at the UN headquarters in New York gave Nepal a new term from 2021-23. Nepal’s Permanent Mission at the United Nations tweeted: ‘It is yet another opportunity for Nepal to contribute to the protection &amp; promotion of HR globally.’Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali also tweeted: ‘We are grateful to the friendly nations for their support. Thanks to the Nepali Missions in New York and Geneva for hard work.’<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bda8d9c7e80680e080275jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1222" height="420">However, many human rights group said Nepal <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/does-nepal-deserve-2nd-term-at-unhrc/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/does-nepal-deserve-2nd-term-at-unhrc/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602730211285000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG7iQJFhPO894iZt7803_apN_Kg2A">did not deserve to be re-elected</a> because it had not fulfilled pledges it made in 2017, including implementation of the transitional justice process, make the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) more effective, and promoting rights to free expression.Not only are these promises unfulfilled, they say, but there has been a worrying rise in deaths in detention while not been enough effort has gone into investigating and prosecuting those responsible for violence against Dalits and women in Nepal.In April, Nepal’s <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-runs-out-of-excuses-to-address-war-crimes/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-runs-out-of-excuses-to-address-war-crimes/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602730211285000&amp;usg=AFQjCNET7gWIvKE-wTBN9H6Allms8cr6rg">Supreme Court </a>rejected a government appeal of the court’s 2015 decision that ordered amendments to the Transitional Justice Act because it allowed pardon for heinous crimes during the 1996-2006 Maoist conflict.The Commission on Truth and Reconciliation and the Commission on Enforced Disappearances have languished because of the lack of political will by both former adversaries who now make up the Nepali state to address them.Although Nepal has been praised for improvements in laws, including the Supreme Court decision this year on transitional justice, critics say it has lagged behind in implementation, allowing impunity to flourish.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109171148/636bda8f9c7e80680e080276jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1220" height="518">“Nepal suffers from a chronic problem of non-implementation of human rights protections. Laws get passed but go unenforced. Transitional justice processes and institutions continue to be subordinated to short-term political interests. Government after government, including the current one, fail to respect judicial decisions and even actively seek to compromise judicial independence,” Frederick Rawski, Asia-Pacific Regional Director at the <a href="https://www.icj.org/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.icj.org/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602730211285000&amp;usg=AFQjCNE2WYg-avFZqSeUR1mDqZx8VmLl7g">International Commission of Jurists</a> told this paper in September.Last month, Nepal had <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-again-pledges-progress-on-human-rights-if-elected-to-un-council/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-again-pledges-progress-on-human-rights-if-elected-to-un-council/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602730211285000&amp;usg=AFQjCNH-j334FCDBdxCwgog1MyzyxSq7gw">renewed its pledge</a> to address human rights concerns and progress in transitional justice during a teleconference organised by Amnesty International and the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR).Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York Amrit Bahadur Rai had said: “I would like to assure all that there will be no blanket amnesty in cases of severe human rights violations committed during the conflict period,” he said.Nepal had been elected for the first term in 2017 to the 47-member Commission, which has 13 members from the Asia-Pacific. At that time, Nepal had secured 166 votes, which has now come down to 150. In Tuesday’s election Pakistan secured the most votes (169), Uzbekistan got 164 to become a UNHRC member for the first time, and China 139. Saudi Arabia won only 90 votes.Fifteen countries were elected, with Russia from Eastern Europe, France and Uk from Western Europe, and Cuba from Latin America and the Caribbean region.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/does-nepal-deserve-2nd-term-at-unhrc/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/does-nepal-deserve-2nd-term-at-unhrc/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1602730211285000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG7iQJFhPO894iZt7803_apN_Kg2A">Does Nepal deserve a 2nd term at the UNHRC?</a>

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Nepal elected to 2nd term at UNHRC

<figure><img width="1714" height="1172" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110915114/636bb4199c7e80680e07bb83jpeg.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption></figcaption></figure>The contrast between Nepal’s human rights promises and reality on the ground is glaring, but indications are that the country will be elected to a new term on the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva in October.Rights groups have accused the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) is out to scuttle the transitional justice process, its failure to effectively investigate and prosecute violence against women and Dalits, the introduction of new bills designed to limit freedom of expression, including of the media, and proposals that further threaten the independence of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).  Nepal’s rivals for one of four HRC seats for the Asia-Pacific region for the council’s 2021-23 term are China, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan. And Nepal’s human right’s record is the best of that lot.On Wednesday, China and Saudi Arabia were no-shows for an online, civil society <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGf-Hj3iLXw&amp;feature=youtu.be" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DNGf-Hj3iLXw%26feature%3Dyoutu.be&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1599889157989000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHgBwJHJzA49BQxrJQxIXndsWnFnQ">‘pledging event’</a> at the UN in New York to quiz contenders. Amrit Bahadur Rai, Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, did attend and repeated promises on human rights, including LGBTQI rights.“The Government of Nepal is committed to resolving the issues related to transitional justice based on the victims concerns, the Supreme Court’s directives of 2015, the various instruments to which Nepal is a party, the Comprehensive Peace Accord and the ground realities,” Rai told the online event.“I’d like to assure all that there will be no blanket amnesty in cases of severe human rights violations committed during the conflict period,” he added during the event organised by Amnesty International and the International Society for Human Rights (ISHR). <figure><img width="640" height="380" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110915114/636bb41c9c7e80680e07bb84jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption>Amrit Bahadur Rai</figcaption></figure>Rai said Nepal’s citizenship act is being amended to include a third gender, ‘Other’, and that people claiming it will not have to produce medical evidence of a change in gender. He added: “I would emphasise that we need to change our value set, our perception and our mindset, and the Government of Nepal will do more in promoting rights and protecting the rights of the LGBTIQ community.”According to a <a href="https://www.ishr.ch/sites/default/files/countryscorecards-07_nepal.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ishr.ch/sites/default/files/countryscorecards-07_nepal.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1599889157989000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGMT-9WQ3i0t-6XuaN8Gg55WoOLGw">scorecard produced by ISHR</a>, Nepal got 9/18 human rights benchmarks while its closest competitor, Uzbekistan, reached 6/18.Nepal loses points is in its dealings with ‘special procedures’, human rights experts devoted to specific issues, like torture or child rights. According to the scorecard, Nepal has not:- issued a standing invitation to special procedures to visit the country- responded positively to country visit requests (with fewer than five such requests outstanding)- sent a substantive reply to more than 80% of communications received from special proceduresEarlier this year, ISHR New York Director Eleanor Openshaw <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/does-nepal-deserve-2nd-term-at-unhrc/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/does-nepal-deserve-2nd-term-at-unhrc/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1599889157989000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFdwZ3mW08MoXUUz9VNhShBiBBMoA">told Nepali Times</a> that cooperating with the experts is a sign that a country is serious about improving human rights, both at home and globally. “If you don’t cooperate that is unacceptable,” she said.This week, Openshaw added: “Nepal faces influential challengers. However, it is a current member of the Council seeking a second term. When first elected in 2017,  Nepal received the highest number of votes for regional candidates. I would be surprised if Nepal were not re-elected.”None of the western governments known to take an interest in human rights in Nepal contacted by Nepali Times earlier this year would reveal if they planned to support the government’s candidacy. However, it is rumoured that voting decisions are based on broader geo-political interests of UN member states, and the country groupings that they belong to.Along with the scorecard, ISHR worked with Nepal’s Advocacy Forum, Blue Diamond Society and Collective Campaign for Peace to develop <a href="https://www.ishr.ch/sites/default/files/nepal.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ishr.ch/sites/default/files/nepal.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1599889157989000&amp;usg=AFQjCNF15TSS93grX7DQUXGz0HvW6F2Ttw">recommendations for Nepal</a>. They include:- Protecting the constitutional right of freedom of expression, and allow journalists to carry out their work freely and independently.- Ensure human rights violations are investigated, including ensuring police register First Information Reports on cases of violations, victims are provided with remedies and perpetrators are held accountable.- End gender-based violence and caste-based discrimination, and ensure effective implementation of the rights of women, indigenous peoples, Dalits, Muslims, Madheshi and sexual minorities as guaranteed in the Constitution.- End excessive use of force by the police to impose the lockdown, physically assaulting people coming out of their home for an essential purpose such as health workers.- Do not sideline the transitional justice process under the guise of COVID-19 and amend the Enforced Disappearance Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act, as required by the 2015 ruling of the Supreme Court and in line with international legal standards.Fifteen of the HRC’s 47 seats are up for election next month, while just 16 candidates are in the mix. Only the Asia-Pacific region will see a competitive election — all other candidates will automatically get a place at the HRC table.<a href="https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/Pledges.pdf" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/Pledges.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1599889157989000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFf9BEqo8fIj7SgfcnMWVRQZwzxGA">According to the UN General Assembly</a>, when they are electing HRC members UN member states should take into account how candidates have contributed to the promotion and protection of human rights.In June, Nepal released the <a href="https://undocs.org/A/75/97" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://undocs.org/A/75/97&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1599889157989000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGa7NO9OhOMWAUqGdmNcFKUtMs_ag">pledges and commitments</a> it promises to fulfil if elected. They include:- Make every possible effort in addressing, through transitional justice mechanisms, the cases related to the violation of human rights during the conflict period- Ensure the independence of the judiciary for the protection of human rights- Foster the growth and development of a free media- Continue to maintain a conducive environment for the operation of human rights defenders and civil society organisations- Strengthen the National Human Rights Commission in the protection and promotion of human rights- Fully enable all the constitutional commissions to fulfill their mandates effectively towards ending discrimination and creating an inclusive, just and prosperous Nepali society.On <a href="https://www.ishr.ch/news/hrc-elections-how-do-candidates-2021-rate-and-what-have-they-pledged-do-council-members" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ishr.ch/news/hrc-elections-how-do-candidates-2021-rate-and-what-have-they-pledged-do-council-members&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1599889157989000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEqTPeV-X6WTnAsb7rkSCGgXNILTw">her organisation’s website</a>, Salma El Hosseiny, ISHR’s Human Rights Council Advocate, advises, 'Voting states should urge all of the candidates states to commit to implementing these concrete measures, and to ensure meaningful and broad consultation with independent civil society in the process.’ <figure><img width="800" height="450" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110915114/636bb41e9c7e80680e07bb85jpeg.jpg" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>Pay upCountry representatives at the pledging event were asked to confirm that they would be making their annual payments on time and were encouraged to give voluntary contributions. One of Nepal’s rival for an HRC seat, Pakistan, announced a $50,000 open-ended contribution. Nepal, on the other hand, reminded the UN that it has an outstanding bill.“The United Nations owes Nepal about US$38 million as a reimbursement (for its peacekeeping contribution), and if we do not get that reimbursement on time, we’ll have difficulty to send our peacekeepers on the ground. So we strongly urge all our fellow member states to pay their assessed budget in full and on time,” said Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Amrit Bahadur Rai.What is the UN Human Rights Council?- 47 States elected by the UN General Assembly- Replaced the UN Human Rights Commission in 2006- Holds multiple sessions in Geneva annually- Members elected for three-year terms from five geographical regions- Includes Universal Periodic Review, which examines the human rights records of all 193 UN member states once every 4.5 years- ‘Responds to human rights emergencies and makes recommendations on how to better implement human rights on the ground. The council has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and country-specific situations that require its attention.’- The decisions of the council are not legally binding.

Nepal again pledges progress on human rights if elected to UN council

<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109141136/636bad559c7e80680e077f8ajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="647"/>At a time when Nepal is preparing for a second term at the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), an international rights group says its record on transitional justice and other issues means it does not deserve re-election.Nepal first became a member of the UNHRC in Geneva two years ago, and it will have to lobby for a second term 2021-2023. But rights groups say Nepal has <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/does-nepal-deserve-2nd-term-at-unhrc/">not fulfilled pledges it made in 2017</a> when it was campaigning to be elected to the council.Those pledges included addressing human rights violations during the Maoist conflict, strengthening the capacity of the <a href="https://www.nhrcnepal.org/">National Human Rights Commission</a> (NHRC) to investigate abuses, support the freedom of expression.However, <a href="https://www.hrw.org/asia/nepal">Human Rights Watch (HRW)</a> said <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUZ0Azcvksdm7RxiDj2FVh-2FHkvxDADNtRq80wBxHlSJJJ_rdi_Fw9I6ls453wh9AcW9OcnAOdGLtHJQWmb6iisfhwxtIq4cgv1hxIGfTT-2B5pfz1Yut1AYBfygiwzcvXcgfqPi9ntuythdBtXXTqNZResrOwvnlVp4B94uKE4s6tN0CpIjAwmpNKmiEzLXGRPVsT03QRWUYuYAr5aePrcAFRi8kSVsetBIH4sc05Ll05FwXaxrJC1OltxZ77wI1z3zisBWIx8gsvWGYL7mpEbx99YZGGcqRsPVxNZrMVOZWFikMBfBPGojdnHRyzM6Vo-2B-2FOfzA29Lmeh4Clkje4rjEQ-2Fv599qBlZGrXbx5pQT5QJgeH-2BoNzMSeaOgO91EgR-2FemuOdVYP2nhfBIgTCVM7Bi76k7bxIo-3D">Nepal</a> had failed to live up to its pledges on transitional justice, and had not acted on recommendations from a previous review of its record on rights. In a <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUb5yH3-2BeXtQTvnT-2B-2BUMEEz5o34WJ4E3fvKCh6VDxg4iz3MPR5RDePOykMlHmsNR9-2BerlRq0kZoVLrWDgT8SPBEpRKHYScy2ywZi9nbO9-2F7q-2B57nb_Fw9I6ls453wh9AcW9OcnAOdGLtHJQWmb6iisfhwxtIq4cgv1hxIGfTT-2B5pfz1Yut1AYBfygiwzcvXcgfqPi9ntuythdBtXXTqNZResrOwvnlVp4B94uKE4s6tN0CpIjAwmpNKmiEzLXGRPVsT03QRWUYuYAr5aePrcAFRi8kSVsetBIH4sc05Ll05FwXaxrJC1OltxZ77wI1z3zisBWIx1UKkWDwxk3TvZGJq9Cbb0To4w3lpxN0nf2PyzMUujV1LU7tuNDQAQXdKmTubYIreHrx6VUUzuSB2CM5xJOKhgkHxNeFkfHHEgrUl9F2p6aROlHmEB4D53dDIk7ok-2Bari-2B1FdREWB5lJ8KrkaCkXbRk-3D">submission</a> to the Council for Nepal’s forthcoming review, HRW listed a series of lapses ahead of a Universal Periodic Review under which UNHRC reviews a country’s human rights record every five years.In its previous review, <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUSF5PhIz8D8WlLDOg1wjIsinLpGQGfewVmzhVCmafN8edDvBh1s-2FXVCGpBLGwHqy7MHAZH92nKQqsH7wbdd29F8MoxIWy8NvWEhF-2F5UdsE4cWAMoBBlTJFOphzWQzJmlLZ-2BtlWezixCyzFGgHg-2BZ3OQmkFDbqJDPf5mkW0Vc5V2YdNPWeBaM4KLJgpqNbw-2FirVKb4d-2FazrhzuBB11kABzQPFM4UDXUV7NN-2BStsSS0hZfOB5e_Fw9I6ls453wh9AcW9OcnAOdGLtHJQWmb6iisfhwxtIq4cgv1hxIGfTT-2B5pfz1Yut1AYBfygiwzcvXcgfqPi9ntuythdBtXXTqNZResrOwvnlVp4B94uKE4s6tN0CpIjAwmpNKmiEzLXGRPVsT03QRWUYuYAr5aePrcAFRi8kSVsetBIH4sc05Ll05FwXaxrJC1OltxZ77wI1z3zisBWIx8Amd4z-2FSTtLUx2sKu7lQY41u9gBcQCZKrIAMcIMGU-2FovH3uxQkF-2FG9-2FQdh88brJtnSeFofRD5nGkvoskfdyUzNN1WhX-2F4JtFvwcLUf1NTT6UB2KQ-2BvXovSk-2BP1LFZTW5VISy-2BqoZ0VCfBmnFlPhKLc-3D">Nepal had pledged to </a>address <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUb5yH3-2BeXtQTvnT-2B-2BUMEEz7OWyBIyiixU8qKMo7A7I9gUvXM4P76ToPWOylKtbJ3aWpELvnjW0RIaRi4sbEzY90-3D9a7v_Fw9I6ls453wh9AcW9OcnAOdGLtHJQWmb6iisfhwxtIq4cgv1hxIGfTT-2B5pfz1Yut1AYBfygiwzcvXcgfqPi9ntuythdBtXXTqNZResrOwvnlVp4B94uKE4s6tN0CpIjAwmpNKmiEzLXGRPVsT03QRWUYuYAr5aePrcAFRi8kSVsetBIH4sc05Ll05FwXaxrJC1OltxZ77wI1z3zisBWIx5X0WDoAmXYPAS2ByQwPjEICkrU-2B1kef9fE-2Boc2TeS6jy-2FC1teqnbJ0HQyfKcY3y3GYhLkgalrrUpIwlpeob3JY2IjdL3pkB2A2y-2F1OBqx92caDczOZ-2BHRlLRdX5I8pNAaKIS9paDGPuMmjfI8hzRHo-3D">sexual and gender-based violence</a>,  change <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUa3ardMbKDCkk7rA2uKRUi1-2BoYQgik2pBRZX8N6RsvwbOmmY-2BDzhAphF2lyHSazfkMBW-2BEodRjC7ucMhLWzQcbnu9LA0OtaL1pZj129BehahgLwDXKoHiQykZ9CM-2Fv4Par4WJgZhjRiIcFleFZCEsVib60HgPsxVo4k3NftVSRn4xDS89Nk9wHC-2FoPdTnRheIdyN54iIRWwCNJp-2FlB71esDnRr1LuKMcAcLT3gRVlFTr0hfE3eM6j3bMu8J-2FIl0SGg-3D-3Dct_N_Fw9I6ls453wh9AcW9OcnAOdGLtHJQWmb6iisfhwxtIq4cgv1hxIGfTT-2B5pfz1Yut1AYBfygiwzcvXcgfqPi9ntuythdBtXXTqNZResrOwvnlVp4B94uKE4s6tN0CpIjAwmpNKmiEzLXGRPVsT03QRWUYuYAr5aePrcAFRi8kSVsetBIH4sc05Ll05FwXaxrJC1OltxZ77wI1z3zisBWIx1c-2FR-2B29yU2bJ25n-2FbBdOeMEX2RooEoDT2QwU6glwT0X7r-2FUjMsd4ijmvit0GqZqPHk-2F3nq9iCi0-2BDzIdDqPHwzC9F7oDiHj8J9Ngxn-2BeWnhLNb75ctoykTphpky6VAiJJ0Q8ST-2Ft-2BWzdmgKKYrDhw4-3D">constitutional provisions that discriminate against women</a>, to act on <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUb5yH3-2BeXtQTvnT-2B-2BUMEEz6yX71l2zohdkZqVTnWr0X-2FdVaDqubhy9L3voYt3dNfxmVDU-2BZH61YVcpz58dkd5-2B4Il8jySRDrFb-2FRI-2FEt7Hx4a9av_Fw9I6ls453wh9AcW9OcnAOdGLtHJQWmb6iisfhwxtIq4cgv1hxIGfTT-2B5pfz1Yut1AYBfygiwzcvXcgfqPi9ntuythdBtXXTqNZResrOwvnlVp4B94uKE4s6tN0CpIjAwmpNKmiEzLXGRPVsT03QRWUYuYAr5aePrcAFRi8kSVsetBIH4sc05Ll05FwXaxrJC1OltxZ77wI1z3zisBWIx5xXUyGzRaobEbm6dPGFw0g7P6ivzGW61-2B8fdO9Irz7QeCtspaRw843lpIpbV4pFzaiWE8iUzSHxO-2BzNKMHu4gKQwfnh9ecivmVRbzHsGgh5GmZj0hPm7lZvOoDSUn4sxa7-2Fq1gkYg53MCVmrB5AOo4-3D">caste and ethnic discrimination</a>, and protect <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUb5yH3-2BeXtQTvnT-2B-2BUMEEz6V-2BFh4G3NiqC-2Bk2Qx9gCN9rPIheBnjfqjWtH1UcfrAa8gd9Z1JG153rLkxZV4lepnelNUCpESdUlQ2v5qKTBHascMq_Fw9I6ls453wh9AcW9OcnAOdGLtHJQWmb6iisfhwxtIq4cgv1hxIGfTT-2B5pfz1Yut1AYBfygiwzcvXcgfqPi9ntuythdBtXXTqNZResrOwvnlVp4B94uKE4s6tN0CpIjAwmpNKmiEzLXGRPVsT03QRWUYuYAr5aePrcAFRi8kSVsetBIH4sc05Ll05FwXaxrJC1OltxZ77wI1z3zisBWIx4fSig4gcOGjrue2ofrblzATDSVR-2B2aQ4ARKFnZArMEaROPkHFzUTEXK2XgJq4pNEW-2B2hwx-2BBe4kjtrrYCBoymoF6HXWDbdwzFP9Zp4AztgMOYrHgyTqTzjuIH2yNeRh0-2BW34ls3hUNI-2FQHKirlRALw-3D">freedom of expression</a>.However, the government has done none of these things, while <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUb5yH3-2BeXtQTvnT-2B-2BUMEEz5iMTqTnF6LNu3N9ChQTx4oreMy6QbDeagiINu5hRW0A73s4HZFfjYU3HBRWVcMC6cIAp9LC63lRNG4q9z8CLSGwXElDvXMqFDNXGrTOwoxSNU1Ry19VtcylIcIclwNktA-3Dtip8_Fw9I6ls453wh9AcW9OcnAOdGLtHJQWmb6iisfhwxtIq4cgv1hxIGfTT-2B5pfz1Yut1AYBfygiwzcvXcgfqPi9ntuythdBtXXTqNZResrOwvnlVp4B94uKE4s6tN0CpIjAwmpNKmiEzLXGRPVsT03QRWUYuYAr5aePrcAFRi8kSVsetBIH4sc05Ll05FwXaxrJC1OltxZ77wI1z3zisBWIx9NvPpDR7TpP3U-2B1rRAdK2pwIliiRcJz3TVlNb-2FSM-2FeGRIdgzL5uFnwG2HsvV1wllYU56AYxPnulI4BiK03OMVZp5U7IBK5nYNl7urL8Jlr4b4bL8Cm4-2FXmY-2BWJy6KylnoZPq1THfR5usiO3DfOv3Ws-3D">impunity for abuses</a> committed during and after the 1996-2006 conflict prevails, HRW said in a statement ahead of the review.“Whether it is international pledges or the 2015 constitution, Nepal has made big promises, but the policies that followed do not indicate a commitment to ensuring justice for conflict-era abuses or to protecting human rights going forward,” said <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUZSUZsKQffopO3djP-2FXiLsskiG1Q6gEMW5ijTZcdpHqg1VNHdLPEKhbJiQPkGKrCUA-3D-3D8l-7_Fw9I6ls453wh9AcW9OcnAOdGLtHJQWmb6iisfhwxtIq4cgv1hxIGfTT-2B5pfz1Yut1AYBfygiwzcvXcgfqPi9ntuythdBtXXTqNZResrOwvnlVp4B94uKE4s6tN0CpIjAwmpNKmiEzLXGRPVsT03QRWUYuYAr5aePrcAFRi8kSVsetBIH4sc05Ll05FwXaxrJC1OltxZ77wI1z3zisBWIx7XfaFirqIG-2FU0rvz9JaGyYv9VCpyXk5Iqh290OgqqhHeRySR0odeRRWMxLWUWLoWC7lmOgs4O8mnpZFDFKUu95bUxnKQb2d9imwZKdLW0NQ04xT-2FPmJEr6F3ikygcCc-2FkFXCu7vmjKpA3gKIcuMQ6M-3D">Meenakshi Ganguly</a>, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “During the review, member states should remind the Nepal government that it needs to do much better in upholding the civil, political, economic, and social rights of the Nepali people.”HRW is especially critical of controversial moves during the past two and half years of the Nepal Communist Party-led government of Prime Minister K P Oli. HRW noted that there were <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUb5yH3-2BeXtQTvnT-2B-2BUMEEz7ixaa1OamEVAMFydThxSuaoX59QwBPkLht1Z-2F72OA0AlkDM-2BZdM4MsVHYGYZyopfBwXdr3ZK6EhBsK8QXCTF6N6kD0_Fw9I6ls453wh9AcW9OcnAOdGLtHJQWmb6iisfhwxtIq4cgv1hxIGfTT-2B5pfz1Yut1AYBfygiwzcvXcgfqPi9ntuythdBtXXTqNZResrOwvnlVp4B94uKE4s6tN0CpIjAwmpNKmiEzLXGRPVsT03QRWUYuYAr5aePrcAFRi8kSVsetBIH4sc05Ll05FwXaxrJC1OltxZ77wI1z3zisBWIxwvy42PBJPC3sVccGLbfBAkZrh6WPIjKWEdOMdzh33hzRqiE-2BEjuX5z9BBm1WfLthD9MwFWIhxXOXrw4aIuhK9cVczy4PXZ3DeAaDI-2BhOTuoYh9fOwqUY5BOJKWB7vAX0G7x-2BFrPJfeyv1KghQIuuI4-3D">several pieces of legislation in Parliament</a> that would weaken freedom of expression if passed into law.Instead of enhancing the capacity of the NHRC to pursue justice, the government has also proposed legislation that would weaken the it, HRW says, adding that the government was also putting in place policies that would restrict the activities of non-profits and human rights groups.

Will Nepal get 2nd term at UNHRC?

Recent outrage in Sikkim over an Indian Army expedition climbing <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/saving-kangchenjunga">Kangchenjunga</a>, the world’s third-highest peak, has spiked attention to the need to balance mountaineering jobs with indigenous reverence for sacred landmarks. Kangchenjunga (8,586m) is not a peak as much as it is a mountain range with 16 peaks above 7,000m on the border between India and Nepal -- the word itself means ‘five treasures of the snows’ in Tibetan. Some of the highest prominences like Kangchenjunga West and Kangbachen are in Nepal, while the Main, Central and South Peaks are on the border. Climbing the peak from the Indian side has been banned since 2001 because the indigenous Lepcha community there regard the mountain as the abode of Dzoe-nga, the patron deity of Sikkim, which was an independent Himalayan Kingdom until it was annexed by India in 1975.&nbsp; Buddhists in Sikkim say their saint, Padmasambhava, recognised the mountain as a protective spirit. The state has declared the base of the mountain Kangchenjunga National Park, which covers an area one-third of Sikkim. ‘The act of scaling this sacred peak is not only a matter of serious concern but also a violation of both the prevailing legal provisions and the deeply held religious beliefs of the people of Sikkim,’ read a letter from Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang (Golay) to Amit Shah, India’s Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation.&nbsp; Tamang continued: ‘We further request Your Honour to take up the issue with the Government of Nepal to ensure that no future expeditions are permitted on the sacred mountain, in deference to the deeply held beliefs and cultural values of the people of Sikkim.’ Kangchenjunga was climbed for the first time exactly 70 years ago by a British team who told King Tashi Namgyal, the Choegyal of Sikkim, that they would not set foot on the summit. Since then, there have been about 532 successful climbs of the peaks and 52 have died while trying.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250628060616_5c268e08cf49f36b79ef9b31933fc2d9bf9a6f65414e7ca06dd028bf04e7ccc1.png" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20250628060616_5c268e08cf49f36b79ef9b31933fc2d9bf9a6f65414e7ca06dd028bf04e7ccc1" data-rendition-name="original" width="1782" height="1178" loading="lazy" alt="Kangchenjunga: too sacred to climb NT"> <figcaption>Indigenous communities in Sikkim held purification ceremonies following the Indian expedition to Kangchenjunga. Photo: THE VOICE OF SIKKIM / FACEBOOK</figcaption> </figure>  <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/peak-climbing-season-2025-s4abrxny">This spring climbing season</a> alone, there were 70 climbing permits for foreigners issued for Kangchenjunga by the Nepal government, and made it to the top while one French climber died.&nbsp; One of the expeditions this year was an Indian Army team led by Col Ranveer Jamwal, who has summited the highest peaks on all seven continents, and Mt Everest thrice. Jamwal’s team was on the final leg of a ‘<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/nimas-summits-mt-kangchenjunga-concludes-historic-har-shikhar-tiranga-mission-successfully/articleshow/121341315.cms?from=mdr">Har Shikhar Tiranga</a>’ (The Tricolour on Every Peak) mission to plant the Indian flag at the highest points of each of India’s 28 states. Kanchenjunga was the last peak they had left, and the hardest, but the expedition put five climbers on the summit. What seems to have incensed the Sikkimese is that while it has banned climbing the mountain from its side, it was an Indian military expedition that went to Nepal to climb the mountain. After news broke of the climb in May, the Sikkim Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association asked people to observe purification ceremonies in temples across the state. Mayalmit Lepcha of the association acknowledged that the Sikkim government was also partly at fault: “I don’t think such an expedition could have gone forward without the state government being informed, so it could have done something to intervene. It shows weakness. What’s done is done, all we can do is carry out these sanctification ceremonies.”&nbsp; In 2000, one year before Sikkim’s ban, the state allowed an Austrian team to attempt Kanchenjunga’s northeast face for a fee of $20,000, on agreement that they would stop 10m before the summit. Despite this, there was outrage over the expedition on the grounds that it violated Indian laws regarding the defiling of religious sites and Sikkim’s rights to maintain its culture after merging with India. The Indian Army expedition was also seen to have circumvented Sikkim’s law and violated religious sensibilities by going through Nepal. While the team may have thought they were respecting Sikkim’s beliefs by finding a way to complete the mission, the people of Sikkim saw it as defilement.&nbsp; The somber mood of the Sikkim people at the ritual contrasts sharply with Jamwal’s sense of accomplishment. “Without a doubt, the most difficult summit of my life,” he told reporters after the climb. “It tested every ounce of our will.”&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250628060616_ccfe079c78dab788d19fe2080ee8a5d5dcb11de4157316f6d94e5964da097157.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20250628060616_ccfe079c78dab788d19fe2080ee8a5d5dcb11de4157316f6d94e5964da097157" data-rendition-name="original" width="787" height="377" loading="lazy" alt="Kangchenjunga: too sacred to climb NT"> <figcaption>Prayer flags along the Sikkim-Kangchenjunga trekking route. Photo: TREKKINGININDIA.COM</figcaption> </figure>  The <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/the-rise-and-fall-of-nims-purja">controversial Nepali-British mountaineer Nirmal Purja</a> was also on Kangchenjunga this spring the mountain, on a mission to summit all 14 8,000m peaks for a third time. He echoed Jamwal about the tough conditions: “The conditions above camp were extremely tough, with deep snow and challenging terrain—more crevasses than usual.” Nepal’s government has not said anything publicly, but it is unlikely that it will ban climbing on Kangchenjunga, since it is becoming popular with expeditions because of its technical challenges, and overcrowding on Mt Everest. Nepal does have bans in place for some of its mountains out of respect for local beliefs. <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/to-open-machapuchre-for-mountaineering-or-not">Mt Machapuchre</a> (6,990m) the imposing pyramid that looms over Pokhara, for example, is seen as an icon of purity by the Gurung people and a symbol of Vishnu by the Hindu communities who live at its base. A strict climbing ban has been in place since 1957, when a British expedition led by Col Jimmy Roberts stopped 45m short of the summit – either because the last bit was too difficult or out of deference to local sentiments.&nbsp; Khumbila that stands above Namche Bazar is only 5,761m high, but like Kanchenjunga is considered the protector deity of the Sherpa people. Gauri Shankar on the Nepal-China border, called Chomo Tseringma by the local community, was off-limits between 1965 and 1979 due to its association with Lord Shiva and Gauri, his consort. Although expeditions are now allowed, there are not too many takers. In Tibet, climbing Mount Kailash is prohibited by the Chinese government because it revered by the Hindus, Buddhists and followers of the Bon faith. Even Mt Everest is regarded as sacred, and its Sherpa name is Chomolungma, Goddess Mother of the Earth.&nbsp; Economically, climbs on Kanchenjunga bring in decent revenue. This climbing season, the 41 permits, at $1,800 each, brought in $73,800. This is somewhat comparable to Makalu, Lhotse, and Annapurna I, but these numbers are dwarfed by the $4 million in <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/the-everest-industry">Everest permits</a>. Revenue from Kanchenjunga climbing permits is something Nepal could potentially forgo if necessary, but the expeditions also provide jobs to hundreds of high altitude guides, porters, base camp support staff and other logistical costs.&nbsp; As the third highest mountain in the world and the tallest in India, there will always be significant motivation to climb it from the Nepal side, especially as climbers are drawn by the technical climbing at high altitude.

Kangchenjunga: too sacred to climb?

The debate about who is less accountable to the public: politicians or bureaucrats is as old as Nepal’s democracy itself.
Some blame politicians for being beholden to the businessmen who finance their electoral campaigns, and are forced to return the favour with contracts and kickbacks when in power.&nbsp;
Others say it is civil servants who are neither civil nor servants, and know the inner workings of the system to exploit loopholes – they then teach ministers, MPs, mayors, or ward chairs which juicy projects can be squeezed. And everyone gets their share.
In reality, it is probably not a case of either, or. Both have their hands deep in the honey pot. Corruption is now such a given that yet another exposé in the mainstream press, like the latest visit-visa scam, does not raise eyebrows anymore.
We may have to edit Lord Acton’s famous quote to say that in Nepal we do not even need absolute power to corrupt absolutely. The ruling cartel has divvied up the spoils, so that no one ever faces charges. The three parties all know about the skeletons rattling in each other’s closets, and they cancel each other out.
Politicians and bureaucrats get all the blame for taking bribes, but what of the givers of bribes? In this crony capitalism, businesses invariably need political patrons in an elaborate <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepals-only-growth-industry-private-sector-corruption" target="_blank">national network of give-and-take</a>.
<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepals-only-growth-industry-private-sector-corruption" target="_blank">Politicians and businesses work hand-in-glove</a> so that conflict of interest in contracts, insider trading, cartelling, and non-performing assets of banks become the norm. Our survey after the 2017 local election showed that out of the 753 newly-elected local government chairs, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/elected-contractors" target="_blank">nearly 300 were contractors</a> involved in sand-mining, quarrying, or transportation syndicates.
Nepal’s tycoons have discovered that instead of donating to election war chests of politicians, it is a much surer return on investment to spend the money to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/the-business-of-politics-in-nepal" target="_blank">become legislators and politicians themselves</a>.
In democracies, there are checks and balances to control corruption when it becomes endemic. The Nepal Police and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are supposed to do the detective work without political interference. The courts are required to be independent in dispensing justice and punishing crooks.
But the less said about the judiciary the better. A writ petition in the Supreme Court last week accused our sister magazine <a href="https://www.himalkhabar.com/" target="_blank">HimalKhabar</a> of contempt of court for two stories: one about how high courts have been overturning a majority of verdicts of district courts in cases of rape, and another about the Biratnagar High Court clearing a self-proclaimed holy man, Krishna Bahadur Giri, of rape despite police presenting physical evidence.
The doctrine of the separation of powers stipulates that it is when the other three pillars in a democracy are compromised that the role of the free press becomes even more vital. The world over, as soon as populist autocrats are elected to the executive, their first order of business is to co-opt the legislature and the judiciary. Then they buy off, intimidate, or neutralise the media with Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP).
Nepal’s officialdom seems to be taking midnight Zoom lessons from other despots on how to gag the media. Last month, popular talk show host Dil Bhushan Pathak was served an arrest warrant by the Kathmandu District Court for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-CntsnTrtG8" target="_blank">a YouTube explainer</a> about the alleged involvement of the son of Foreign Minister Arzu Deuba Rana in a reported purchase of Kathmandu’s Hilton Hotel.
The Lalitpur District Court ruled that Pathak could not be arrested without fair trial, but this week the Kathmandu District Court filed another case against the journalist based on a complaint by the Cyber Bureau, and put him on a fugitive list.&nbsp;
Without going into the veracity of Pathak’s explainer, it is deeply problematic that the Electronic Transaction Act has been invoked – proof that politicians are getting the courts and investigating agencies to make an example of a high profile journalist.&nbsp;
The intention is to silence media investigations into the fake refugee scandal in which the main partner in the ruling coalition is implicated, and in which one of its former home ministers was jailed last year.
The Kathmandu High Court has been mysteriously active in targeting journalists these days. <a href="https://bizmandu.com/" target="_blank">Bizmandu</a> and <a href="https://nepalkhabar.com/" target="_blank">Nepalkhabar</a> were served a notice last month <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/no-freedom-after-expression-y4inku06" target="_blank">to withdraw a story they did</a> on the Chair of the <a href="https://www.sebon.gov.np/" target="_blank">Security and Exchange Board of Nepal (SEBON</a>) Santosh Narayan Shrestha allegedly demanding kickbacks from hydropower investors.&nbsp;
Incredibly, the court even asked the two portals not to report on the subject anymore – a ruling so absurd that the Patan High Court overturned it a week later.&nbsp;
The allegations against Shrestha were made in a public meeting of the <a href="https://www.ippan.org.np/members/3060/bungal-hydro-ltd" target="_blank">Independent Power Producers Association of Nepal (IPPAN)</a>, and MPs demanded a <a href="https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/parliament-demands-probe-into-sebon-chairman-over-alleged-commission-demand-40-32.html" target="_blank">Parliament inquiry</a> into the regulator. <a href="https://www.himalkhabar.com/144523/santosh-narayan-shrestha" target="_blank">HimalKhabar</a> reported this week that while Shrestha was reportedly demanding commissions from private investors for IPOs, he cleared primary share sales in Bajhang’s 10.75MW <a href="https://www.ippan.org.np/members/3060/bungal-hydro-ltd" target="_blank">Bungal Hydro</a> in which his family members have investments, company records show.
And then just on Monday, bureaucrats hoodwinked MPs by deleting references in a bill requiring a two-year ‘cooling off’ period under which retiring civil servants could be barred from holding constitutional positions for two years.
The contest for who is more corrupt: bureauacrats, politicians, or the private sector is on.
Kunda Dixit

SLAPPing Democracy

In 2023, northern India suffered record-breaking heat. In 2024, it broke its own record. In 2025, the Indo-Gangetic plains and the Nepal Tarai suffered a prolonged pre-monsoon heat wave and humidity, forcing closure of schools and workplaces. This week, <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/europe-heat-wave-intensifies-as-fresh-warnings-issued/live-73108302">southern Europe is suffering the worst heat wave</a> since temperature records began. Football matches, tennis tournaments have been affected, and tourist sites have been closed off. Qatar has ordered a midday work curfew for Nepali and other migrant workers are the maximum temperature this week touched 45°C.&nbsp; Kathmandu Valley experienced its highest temperature in 25 years in May 2024 at 35.3°C. This year, the maximum temperature exceeded 30°C on many days — heat that till a decade ago would be considered unusual. Rains in early June also meant that towns in the mountains sweltered under high heat plus humidity.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250703090748_6975cfc2ad573f3a09ca301a299a9e92a420da7f1c5c90b8e4d061a2053dcd3e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20250703090748_6975cfc2ad573f3a09ca301a299a9e92a420da7f1c5c90b8e4d061a2053dcd3e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1935" height="801" loading="lazy" alt="maximum average temperature in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>Source: DHM</figcaption> </figure>  Measuring just temperature does not give a true picture of how hot it is. When humidity is factored in, the heat index this summer has been much higher in northern India and Nepal. Also, the hotter the air temperature the higher the concentration of water vapour in it. “We feel it is getting hotter, and our statistics back that up,” says Shanti Kandel at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, which issued two heat wave warnings this year, compared to 11 last year. “We need more research to analyse how humidity is make this situation worse.” <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/india-faces-alarming-30-rise-in-moist-heat-stress-over-40-years-affecting-wide-swath-of-country-imd-study/articleshow/109376863.cms?from=mdr">A recent analysis</a> by the Indian Meteorological Department has found that heat stress in that country has increased by nearly 30% over the past 40 years. Similarly, India’s Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW) noted that cities like Delhi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, and Lucknow have experienced a 6-9% rise in relative humidity in the last decade.&nbsp; It also states that <a href="https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/majority-indian-districts-face-high-heatwave-risk-study-shows-2025-05-20/#:~:text=%22About%2057%20per%20cent%20of,usual%20number%20of%20heatwave%20days.">60% of Indian districts</a>, home to three-quarters of the country’s 1.3 billion people face a high to very high risk from extreme heat, with rising night-time temperatures and humidity. The heat index is also called ‘<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/north-indian-heat-wave-hits-nepal">wet-bulb temperature</a>’ and is a measure of how hot the human body feels when humidity levels are also high — usually much hotter than the recorded temperature. For example, a wet-bulb temperature of 35°C is considered the maximum limit of heat and humidity that humans can handle, beyond which the body cannot cool by perspiration, leading to death. One indicator of increasing humidity is a rise in average minimum temperature, and Nepal recorded the highest figure since 1981 last year, with a peak of 15.8°C. Higher minimum temperature denotes warmer nights, which in turn is an indication of heat stress caused by increasing humidity, which in turn is a result of global warming. Aside from higher average temperatures worldwide this year, what makes heat and humidity more unbearable is that cities are always hotter than their surroundings. This is due to the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/comment/preparing-for-kathmandu-s-heat-waves">urban heat island (UHI) effect</a> – for example the temperature inside Kathmandu’s Ring Road can be hotter by <a href="https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/what-are-heat-islands">up to 4°C during the daytime and by 1 to 3°C in the evening</a> compared to the outskirts. “Climate change is one reason for rising temperature, but there are other factors like increased heat in urban spaces due to concrete buildings and infrastructure, emissions from vehicles, industries, and home appliances,” explains urban planner Bhushan Tuladhar. He adds: “Much of this comes down to how we have developed our cities, not just our roads and buildings but also our water system, waste management, culture and customs as well as economy.” There is a feedback loop at work: as it gets hotter, more energy is used for fans, coolers, and air-conditioners which in turn add to the urban heat bubble. The way to reduce the UHI effect is to have more parks, tree-lined streets and water bodies to cool cities down.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2212095525002093">A recent study published in the journal Urban Climate</a> by Nepali researchers at the University of Massachusetts, Tribhuvan University, University of Groningen, etc showed that even within Kathmandu, urban forests cooled neighbourhoods by as much as 1.2°C while ponds reduced the temperature by up to 0.85°C compared to nearby houses.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250703090748_e4de75dbdfb5fcfdeb0935eda364dc16b5dca8857ba335ab0f4586ebdc5093a9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20250703090748_e4de75dbdfb5fcfdeb0935eda364dc16b5dca8857ba335ab0f4586ebdc5093a9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2580" height="1038" loading="lazy" alt="urban heat island in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>Source: URBAN CLIMATE et al.</figcaption> </figure>  ‘Our results demonstrate that blue-green spaces provide significant cooling benefits across the Kathmandu Valley, with distinct patterns by type, size, design, and urban context,’ concluded the paper, whose lead author is Saurav Bhattarai at Jackson State University in the United States. The old towns in Kathmandu Valley with traditional brick and tile architecture, ponds and trees managed hot summers better. Compact houses around a courtyard gave people just the right amount of sunlight, and use of clay mortar and bricks insulated houses in winter while cooling them in summer. There were open spaces, fertile land along the floodplains for farming, and brick pavements that allowed for seepage. “Our cities were planned taking nature into account,” says Sangeeta Singh, a professor of urban planning at the Institute of Engineering. “Kathmandu Valley is now built up, but we can still reintegrate blue-blue spaces into town planning with vertical gardening, urban forestry, using local material and harvesting rainwater.”&nbsp; Kathmandu’s municipalities have by-laws controlling building design and structure, but strict enforcement of land use and zoning are missing. Extreme heat disproportionately affects the urban poor who may not have access to fans or air-conditioners, exacerbating poverty.&nbsp; Cities in the plains have it even worse. As heat and humidity rise simultaneously, it could <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/garmi-se-behal-chalo-nepal">reverse the current mass migration</a> of people from the mountains to the Tarai, where 53% of Nepal’s population lives. <a href="https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/92fbbbc6180238e18e7b239fad83e38a-0280032024/original/12-DHNT-Temperature-poverty-inequality-September-2024.pdf">A World Bank study</a> put the cost of a 1°C rise in temperature at 17.1% increase in poverty globally. Estimates put the total number of urban poor in developing countries exposed to the worst heat extremes at 26 million presently, this number is bound to grow to 215 million by mid-century, an over eight-fold increase. Meanwhile, 489,000 health-related deaths occur each year, 45% of them in Asia alone. “Heat has to be seen from a class perspective,” says Singh. “Those with money can afford gadgets and appliances to keep their homes and offices cool, but not day labourers or poor families living in cramped housing with poor ventilation.” Climate breakdown is going to widen the class divide in cities, as <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/unthinkable-in-the-current-climate">summers become unliveable</a>. Says Singh: “We need policy intervention to address this class injustice. Our building by-laws and new town development must urgently integrate climate and energy efficiency elements.”

In the heat of the moment

The monsoon this year arrived on time, and brought life-giving rain — irrigating paddy terraces, recharging groundwater, reviving springs, and increasing electricity generation.
But Nepal has to deal with either too much water or too little. On a clear April day before the monsoon, the hills of Sindhuli district were parched, and there were wildfires burning out of control. There had been no rain for the past six months.
And that has been the perennial crisis for Nepal’s farmers: that 85% of the rainfall occurs during just four months of the monsoon with little rain for the other eight months.&nbsp;
The water crisis is related to the powerful changes sweeping the mid-hill region of Nepal. With better roads, higher incomes and more exposure, many residents now aspire to have the kind of water supply seen in urban homes. They want hot or cold water at the turn of a tap, showers and flush tank toilets.&nbsp;
To meet this rising demand, many local and provincial governments are investing in large water supply projects often by lifting water from rivers hundreds of metres down the mountain. But these new systems may not be sustainable in the long run.
Many villages in Sindhuli are switching from local springs to piped systems, and even in rural homes, overhead tanks are becoming common.
But this new convenience comes with big challenges. Lifting water from rivers far below requires long pipes, electric pumps, and constant maintenance. These systems are costly, and the streams themselves often shrink to a trickle in the dry months. Big water-lifting schemes look impressive, but there is doubt if they can meet growing water demand.
A much more sustainable solution would be what some communities are doing: restoring old ponds or build new recharge systems. But those villages are exceptions, in most places traditional ponds and wallows are being filled up to be turned into sports fields, or make way for buildings.
Where there are new ponds, they are sometimes in the wrong places or without proper design. Roads and drains are not engineered properly and have increased landslides and erosion. Water management in hilly areas is not just about building things, it is about building in the right way, in the right place.
Traditional water systems were based on nature. They were not perfect, but they used the land wisely. Ponds used to hold rainwater and slowly refill springs which supported families, farms, and forests.&nbsp;
Not everything worked well in the past, but we can learn from traditional water management practices. Across Nepal, some rural municipalities have launched campaigns to store monsoon runoff — either in tanks, ponds or by recharging the aquifers.
But not all efforts have been successful. Some ponds are built without any hydrological study. Some are rushed to meet deadlines rather than real needs.&nbsp;
Now, the Muhan initiative hopes to revive springs to make households more resilient and help farmings. With the financial support of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, research is being done to understand how springs work and how they are affected by changes in rainfall, land use, and development.&nbsp;
Instead of just building pipes and tanks, the project maps the entire springshed so we can understand the root cause of water shortage. In Sindhuli, the problem is not the amount of rain, but the loss of natural systems that store it and the social systems that manage water.&nbsp;
Nepal’s towns and villages now face a major challenge: how to manage water all year round as demand rises with people’s living standards. Depending only on river-lift systems is not a sustainable solution.&nbsp;
We need a mix of approaches that help store water from the rainy season to make it available for the rest of the year, whether by directly harvesting rainwater, restoring ponds, managing springsheds, or smart management of demand.
Rural Nepal is also seeing dramatic depopulation. Much of the outmigration can be stemmed if there is easier water supply for agriculture and household use. Across the mid hills, villages are emptying because springs are going dry. Government policy needs to catch up with the reality on the ground, and support solutions that work for people and nature. Every water supply plan should include recharge structures. Every road or building project should consider water flow and erosion. Local governments need more than budgets: they need training, tools, and data.
Ngamindra Dahal is with the Nepal Water Conservation Foundation, Kathmandu. Hemant Ojha collaborated in this piece and is associated with the Australian National University.