UNDP facilitated access to justice for 50,000 women and individuals from marginalized communities who benefited from legal aid services. Furthermore, 300 women and marginalized individuals benefited from community legal education to pursue legal career.
UNDP supported the Government of Nepal to adopt over 40 laws, policies and procedures that were necessary to enable the implementation of the new Constitution of Nepal promulgated in 2015.
The Government of Nepal has adopted the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP), in a consultative and inclusive manner. UNDP’s facilitation of over 30 consultations with over 2,200 individuals (including 615 women and 12 non-binary individuals) contributed to a consultative and inclusive process for the NAP development.
UNDP provided training on human rights due diligence (HRDD) and responsible business conduct to 106 companies in Nepal, including some of the largest companies operating in the country.
In Nepal, the Government undertook a series of legislative initiatives that demonstrated commitment to promoting and protecting the rule of law and human rights across all sectors of society. In 2023, the Government initiated the amendment of the acts for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Enforced Disappearance to ensure they were aligned with international standards and the Supreme Court decisions. The draft amendment proposal was submitted to the Law and Human Rights Committee of the Parliament.
In addition, the Human Rights Commission retained its “A” accreditation status from the Sub-committee of the Accreditation of Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), and preliminary discussions commenced on amending the Human Rights Commission bill to further strengthen its mandate and effectiveness.
UNDP has adopted a comprehensive portfolio approach to ensure both horizontal and vertical coordination among courts, police, prosecutors and lawyers, fostering synergy among diverse programmes. This included providing support to justice sector actors, aiming to fortify a coordinated approach in advancing the rule of law and human rights in Nepal. Furthermore, UNDP facilitated ongoing dialogues among all law enforcement agencies to address the bottlenecks and barriers within the justice system effectively. With UNDP’s support, the province government has improved its cooperation with judicial actors at the sub-national and federal levels through the Office of the Attorney General. The coordination has helped to expedite justice processes and the execution of court decisions.
UNDP developed the post-Universal Periodic Review (UPR) strategy and a joint strategy among all national thematic commissions on human rights. The post-UPR strategy was fully adopted by the Government and significantly contributed to the implementation of UPR recommendations received in 2021. The strategy has served as a valuable point of reference, fostering collaborative efforts among all commissions.
With UNDP’s continuous support, the Government completed the legal aid reform that redefined the scope and beneficiaries of legal aid services. An integrated legal aid policy was introduced, laying the groundwork for a coordinated approach among diverse legal aid actors in Nepal. A draft legal aid bill was developed in line with the new policy.
Of particular note is the implementation of a pro bono approach to legal aid and community legal education, which has resulted in tangible benefits for 50,000 individuals (45 percent women), including from marginalized communities. Furthermore, this initiative has played a crucial role in empowering approximately 300 women from marginalized communities, enabling them to graduate and pursue legal careers.
UNDP supported the Government in advancing e-justice and fostering innovation in the justice sector. For example, the blueprint to implement virtual courts was adopted by the Supreme Court of Nepal. In addition, UNDP facilitated the operationalization of a digital complaint management and reporting system for the National Human Rights Commission.
BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
With support from the Government of Japan, UNDP advanced the business and human rights (B+HR) agenda in the country. The Government of Nepal has adopted the National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAP). To ensure the NAP was developed in a consultative and inclusive manner, UNDP facilitated over 30 consultations with over 2,200 individuals (including 615 women and 12 non-binary individuals). A central monitoring committee, led by the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security was established to oversee the NAP implementation. This framework is expected to be replicated at the regional level, across all seven provinces of Nepal.
