HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS TO VISIT NEPAL

19 January 2005


United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour will make a first-hand assessment of the situation in Nepal when she visits the country from 23 to 26 January.

During her stay in Kathmandu, Mrs. Arbour will meet senior officials of the Government, the judiciary and the military to discuss the state of human rights in the country. She is also set to meet with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), human rights defenders and journalists. The visit will begin officially on 24 January with the High Commissioner’s participation in the Conference on Peace and Human Rights, which is being organized by the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal (NHRC).

On 26 January Mrs. Arbour will take part in the launching of a report on children in the Nepal conflict issued by Watchlist -- a New York-based NGO network encompassing CARE International, the Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, the Norwegian Refugee Council, the Save the Children Alliance, the Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children and World Vision.

OHCHR in Nepal

The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has had a Senior Human Rights Adviser posted in Nepal since March 2003. The Senior Adviser works with the United Nations team in the country to identify ways to address the serious human rights problems resulting from the conflict. He also interacts with the Government, civil society and the international community to carry out advocacy on measures to improve the human rights situation.

OHCHR has been engaged in a number of technical assistance activities in Nepal since the transition to democracy in 1990. In 1994, OHCHR initiated a project focused on the administration of justice, enhancing the capacity of local NGOs and supporting initiatives for a national human rights commission. This project contributed to the establishment in 2000 of the NHRC.

During its sixtieth session last year, the Commission on Human Rights adopted a Chairman’s statement expressing support for the Government’s efforts and those of the OHCHR aimed at developing technical assistance, advisory services and to facilitate the necessary external assistance, especially to the NHRC. The statement led to the signing of a memorandum of understanding on 13 December 2004 between OHCHR and the Nepalese Government to help the NHRC develop its capacity and human resources so that it can carry out nation-wide monitoring and investigations in an independent, impartial and credible fashion. OHCHR and the United Nations Development programme are working together with the Government to implement the agreement.


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