President Bhandari urges all sector to ensure human rights

Kathmandu, Dec 10: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has underscored the need for all sectors to be active and to manage resources prudently to guarantee human rights. In a message of best wishes on the occasion of 70th International Human Rights Day today, President Bandari said the new constitution had ensured the recognition, protection and promotion of human rights while it has provisioned various agencies in the constitution to implement human rights.

President Bhandari in the message said, “I believe that one and all could feel the human rights ensured once these agencies would start discharging their duties. Therefore, although the principle of Human rights is universal, its implementation lies within the territory of a State.”

Furthermore, the Head of the States asserted, ” It is imperative for us to pay attention to the fact that human rights would be ensured in a democratic that is capable and has a strong national unity.” She urged the authorities concerned to incorporate human rights education in the education system to make sure the ideals of human rights reaches far and wide among the people.

Similarly, in a separate message on the same occasion, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said that the government has accorded high priority to the issues related to the transitional justice and human rights and was committed to ensuring justice to the conflict victims.

PM Oli also reaffirmed his commitment for amendment in the legal and structural provisions for enhancing performances of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP).

Oli said that every December 10 used to kindle hope and inspiration in him while he was jailed for fighting for reinstatement of human rights and democracy in the country. December 10 every year is celebrated as the International Human Rights Day in commemoration of the promulgation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

The Head of the Government expressed also confidence that December 10 would still add new enthusiasm and energy among the people as the country was ushering towards realizing the national motto of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’. Stating that the political rights were already guaranteed by constitution and law, PM Oli said, “The incumbent government is moving ahead with clear vision and concrete action-plan to ensure socio-economic rights of the common citizens.”

He further said, “Our major action-plan in the realm of human rights in the current political scenario is to ensure all types of human rights enshrined in the new constitution as fundamental rights. Towards this end, the current constitution and laws have already guaranteed the political, social, economical and cultural rights of citizens.”
According to him, the formulation and implementation of 16 laws relating to the fundamental rights was a landmark achievement. He said that the new Civil Code and Criminal Codes had already come into effect since August this year, replacing the long-existing Muluki Ain (General Code of Nepal).

The PM, acknowledging that compliance with the laws and good-governance were inevitable for the protection, promotion of human rights, shared that rules were formulated to consider amendment of the laws contradicting with the constitution by March 4 next year.