Nepal’s Human Rights Journey: Reflections from New York

Participating in international forums on human rights is not new to me. Over the years, I have had opportunities to attend various international events, including the High-Level Political Forum at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. Yet my most recent visit to New York felt different. It was not simply another international engagement; it became an opportunity for reflection—on human rights globally and, more importantly, on Nepal’s own human rights journey.

My engagement with international human rights programs dates back to 2018, when I was selected for an international leadership program on human rights and advocacy under the U.S. Government’s International Visitor Leadership Program. During that three-week program, I visited several U.S. states and interacted with human rights organizations, civil society groups, government agencies, and activists.

The experience provided valuable insights into the functioning of human rights organizations, resource and financial management, government support for civil society, and institutional mechanisms for protecting human rights. Those experiences have remained important to my understanding of human rights advocacy.

On July 28, 2026, I returned to New York as part of that continuing journey. An international human rights conference was organized under the theme “Education for Peace,” bringing together human rights activists, civil society representatives, youth delegates, campaigners, and representatives from different sectors from approximately 80 countries. The conference was organized primarily in collaboration with international human rights campaigns associated with organizations such as Youth for Human Rights International and United for Human Rights. Its central focus was the engagement of young people in the protection, promotion, and advocacy of human rights.

A New Generation of Human Rights Advocates
One of the most striking aspects of the conference was the active participation of young people from around the world. Youth delegations from approximately 50 countries shared their national experiences through various sessions, side events, and interactive discussions.

Amrit Raut participated as a youth delegate from Nepal, while I attended as a civil society representative. Due to technical circumstances, I was given an opportunity to address the gathering and convey messages of goodwill and congratulations on behalf of Nepal. That moment carried a deep sense of responsibility. Speaking at an international forum as a civil society representative is one thing. Speaking on behalf of Nepal and delivering the country’s message before an international audience is something else. It made me particularly conscious of the responsibility that comes with representing one’s country on an international platform.

Human Rights Are Universal, but Their Realities Are Different
The three-day program, held from July 30 to August 1, included discussions, presentations, and exchanges on the human rights situations, experiences, and future plans of participating countries. The first two days focused primarily on these discussions, while the third included special orientation sessions and further interactive activities. Listening to the experiences of different countries led me to an important realization: human rights are universal, but the realities surrounding them are not the same everywhere.

Every country has its own historical, social, economic, political, and cultural context. Consequently, human rights priorities also differ. For some, the right to housing is the most pressing concern. For others, it is the right to identity. Some emphasize the right to live with dignity, while others focus on freedom. In some contexts, ending discrimination is the primary concern; in others, equality and self-respect take greater importance.

The language of human rights may be universal, but the way people experience those rights in their daily lives varies considerably. There is another important realization: no country can claim to have fully guaranteed every human right for every citizen. Even in developed countries, various communities and groups continue to struggle for their rights. Human rights, therefore, are not a completed project. They are an ongoing journey.

The experiences shared by Namibia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, and Timor-Leste demonstrated different dimensions of that journey.

Namibia has grounded its democratic system in constitutional rights, equality, and human dignity. Yet challenges involving gender-based violence, discrimination against gender and sexual minorities, reproductive rights, and the rights of indigenous communities remain. At the conference, Namibia emphasized the importance of educating young people about rights, equality, and democratic participation through human rights education.

Saint Kitts and Nevis has emphasized youth leadership alongside justice, gender equality, social protection, and institutional strengthening. Discussions highlighted the importance of human rights education, youth empowerment, and peacebuilding, with young people viewed not only as beneficiaries of human rights but also as active leaders of social change.

Timor-Leste’s experience is closely connected with conflict, independence, reconciliation, and the development of democratic institutions. Despite challenges involving poverty, development, gender inequality, and limited institutional capacity, the country has made significant progress in democratic development. Within the conference, particular attention was given to the relationship between education, peace, democracy, and human dignity.

Nepal: From Constitutional Rights to Lived Rights
These international experiences naturally led me to reflect on Nepal.

Nepal has achieved significant constitutional and legal milestones in the field of human rights. The Constitution comprehensively guarantees fundamental rights, and the country has also committed itself to various international human rights conventions and instruments. But one question remained with me:

To what extent have the rights guaranteed in our Constitution actually reached the everyday lives of citizens?

The existence of laws and constitutional guarantees is essential, but it is not sufficient. The realization of rights requires strong institutions, effective implementation mechanisms, adequate resources, human rights education, and public awareness. Citizens must know their rights, and society must develop a culture that respects the rights of others. My experience in New York reinforced my sense that this is an area where Nepal continues to face challenges. We have established important constitutional and legal provisions, but a significant gap remains between legal guarantees and implementation. Various institutions exist, yet their resources and capacities are limited. Many organizations and activists working in the human rights sector also operate with limited resources, human resources, and access.

Ultimately, these limitations have a direct impact on marginalized communities.

The Rights of Marginalized Communities
Listening to representatives from different countries speak about the challenges facing their communities also encouraged me to look at Nepal through the same lens. Nepal has made progress in many areas, but significant work remains in relation to the rights of Dalit communities, marginalized groups, gender and sexual minorities, and persons with disabilities.

Dalit Community
The Constitution guarantees equality and protection against discrimination. Yet the remnants of caste-based discrimination remain deeply embedded in social practices. For the Dalit community, human rights are not simply about formal legal equality. They are also about the right to live with dignity, equal access to opportunities, education and employment, political representation, land and resources, and social respect.

Laws have been enacted, but laws alone cannot transform social attitudes. That requires education, social campaigns, institutional interventions, and sustained commitment from the state.

Gender and Sexual Minority Communities
The concerns of gender and sexual minority communities are among the sensitive issues within the broader landscape of marginalization. The right to identity, equal treatment, protection from discrimination, access to education and employment, and the right to live with dignity are not merely demands of a particular group. They are fundamental human rights issues. Although legal recognition by the state represents an important step, practical implementation and social acceptance continue to pose challenges.

Persons with Disabilities
Our understanding of disability also needs to move further toward a rights-based approach. Persons with disabilities should not be viewed primarily through the lens of pity or sympathy. The focus must be on rights and equal opportunities. The state has an obligation to ensure equal access to education, employment, public infrastructure, information, technology, transportation, political participation, and public services. We must therefore move beyond simply assisting persons with disabilities and work toward creating an environment in which they can participate meaningfully in decision-making processes.

Human Rights Education: Where Protection Begins
The question that stayed with me most strongly throughout the “Education for Peace” program was simple but fundamental:

Where does the protection of human rights begin?

In my view, it begins with education. People who are unaware of their rights face greater difficulty in asserting and protecting them. Similarly, when a society lacks awareness of the rights of others, discrimination, violence, and exclusion can become normalized. Human rights education therefore needs to reach schools, universities, communities, government institutions, security agencies, judicial structures, and civil society programs. Young people, in particular, should be prepared not merely as beneficiaries of human rights but as their guardians and advocates. The active participation of young representatives from different countries demonstrated the potential that exists in this area. They came not only to present the challenges facing their countries but also with a strong willingness to learn from international experiences and explore ways forward.

The Importance of International Cooperation
Another important aspect of the conference was the support and resources provided by various international missions and organizations for youth and human rights initiatives. For Nepal, there is an important lesson in this experience. Organizations working in the human rights sector should not be viewed merely as program implementers. They should also be understood as institutional partners in democracy and human rights. Cooperation among the government, parliament, national human rights mechanisms, civil society, the international community, and grassroots organizations is essential. At the same time, external support alone cannot be the answer. Nepal must also invest in its own resources, institutional capacity, and political commitment.

The Way Forward
Returning from New York, I feel that Nepal’s human rights journey now needs to move to its next stage. We have enshrined rights in the Constitution. We have enacted laws. We have made international commitments. The challenge now is to translate those commitments into realities that citizens can experience in their everyday lives. The New York conference did not necessarily introduce me to something entirely new. Rather, it brought into sharper focus the work that remains to be done in Nepal.

Conclusion
Sitting in the same hall and listening to representatives from nearly 80 countries made one thing particularly clear: the struggle for human rights is not confined to any single country. The journey remains incomplete until everyone’s rights are secure. Peace is not simply the absence of war. Peace exists when people feel safe, respected, equal, and free. In that sense, education for peace is also education for human rights.

Nepal has achieved much, but much remains to be done. Strong collaboration among the state, parliament, civil society, and young people is essential, particularly to ensure that the rights of Dalits, persons with disabilities, and other marginalized communities are upheld in practice.

We have a Constitution, the language of rights, and international commitments. What we now need is the political will, institutional capacity, resources, and sustained campaigns necessary to transform these commitments into realities that citizens can experience in their daily lives. In this continuing journey, the roles of human rights activists, civil society, the state, and the new generation are equally vital.