Event information

9 December 2024, 18:00-19:00

Downloads

Flyer >

Voices from the Ground: Transitional (In)justice and Human Rights in Nepal

Event

People's Movement of Nepal People's Movement of Nepal

Nepal endured a decade-long armed conflict (1996–2006) between the Government of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists. During this period, widespread human rights violations — including sexual violence, torture, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances — were committed by all parties involved.

In response, the Nepalese Parliament enacted the Enforced Disappearance Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act in 2014 (TRC Act), establishing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission on Investigation of Disappeared Persons (CIEDP). However, these bodies have faced criticism for ineffectiveness, lack of independence, and prolonged delays. Despite over 63,000 registered complaints, no prosecutions or criminal investigations have yet taken place. In August 2024, Nepal passed a long-awaited bill on TRC Act. The bill, welcomed by international community in Nepal, includes of several positive provisions on reparation. However, it still has a few elements undermining accountability for serious human rights violations and does not address all concerns raised by the UN experts on Nepal.

This online event invites Salina Kafle, a human rights advocate supporting victims in their ongoing fight for justice, to discuss the complexities of accountability in Nepal. Why have been transitional justice mechanisms created by the state so inefficient? What are the main challenges human rights defenders face when engaging with these mechanisms and supporting victims in their fight for justice? What are the strategies used to face these challenges? Do international human rights mechanisms help in this context? What new changes might the amended law bring to Nepal’s transitional justice in the future?

Speaker

Salina Kafle is a human rights lawyer based in Nepal. She is the Executive Director at Human Rights and Justice Centre (HRJC), a non-profit organization that fights against torture, enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings and conflict related sexual violence in Nepal.

During her work, she has closely observed Nepalese transitional justice process, designed legal strategies and advocated the related issues at the national and international level. She has also worked as a consultant for various national and regional NGOs. She has written extensively in national Journals on the issues of gross human rights violations.

Moderators

Agustina Becerra Vazquez and Revaz Tkemaladze

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

disops News

Impact of digital disinformation unpacked in new research brief series

9 April 2025

Our new series of Research Briefs examine the impact of digital disinformation and potential solutions for its regulation

Read more

MENA Training GHRP News

Strengthening MENA Engagement with UN Human Rights Mechanisms: Second Edition of our Tailored Training

24 July 2025

Participants from six countries across the Middle East and North Africa region joined our customized training on the Geneva-based United Nations human rights mechanisms

Read more

A general view of participants during of the 33nd ordinary session of the Human Rights Council. Training

The Universal Periodic Review and the UN Human Rights System: Raising the Bar on Accountability

10-14 November 2025

This training course will explore the origin and evolution of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and its functioning in Geneva and will focus on the nature of implementation of the UPR recommendations at the national level.

Read more

Open dump Training

Protecting Human Rights and the Environment

15-19 September 2025

Participants in this training course will gain practical insights into UN human rights mechanisms and their role in environmental protection and learn about how to address the interplay between international human rights and environmental law, and explore environmental litigation paths.

Read more

Online folders Project

Digital Human Rights Tracking Tools and Databases

Started in March 2023

This initiative wishes to contribute to better and more coordinated implementation, reporting and follow-up of international human rights recommendations through a global study on digital human rights tracking tools and databases.

Read more

First annual conference of the Geneva Human Rights Platform Project

The Annual Conference of the Geneva Human Rights Platform

Started in June 2019

Read more

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2024

published on July 2025

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more