50

victims supported

2

cases
at domestic level

2

cases
at international level

60

legal practitioners trained

287'816

annual budget (CHF)

Establishing its first Kathmandu-based structure and hiring new Nepali staff, local integration was a high priority for the Nepal program.

Timid steps towards reconstruction

2017 saw the first parliamentary elections in Nepal since the end of the civil war, 11 years ago. Hailed as a step towards greater representativeness, the polls were unfortunately clouded by clashes between opposing parties’ militants.

Slow progress was also made in the field of transitional justice. The first criminal convictions for war-related crimes, in the iconic case of murdered youth Maina Sunuwar, were a particularly welcome development. It is now up to the judiciary to enforce the pronounced sentences.

Murdered teenager becomes a figure of hope in Nepal

 

The Truth and Reconciliation Committee (TRC) and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP), both saw their mandate extended by one year. Although necessary, this measure has not quashed critics on their inefficiency, opacity and structural deficiencies.

Transitional justice obstructed by political meddling and faulty processes

A brand new Human Rights and Justice Centre

Recognizing the need for a stronger in-field presence, TRIAL International established its first litigation center in Kathmandu. Opened in April, the Human Rights and Justice Centre informs victims on their rights and offers them free legal representation.

The Human Rights and Justice Centre opens in Kathmandu

Expanding to new venues, testing new strategies

True to TRIAL International’s mandate to explore less-trodden paths, the Nepal program has extended its reach beyond the capital. The farther they are from the capital, the less likely victims are to uphold their rights and initiate proceedings.

A new coaching program for lawyers in Biratnagar (Eastern region) was launched to ensure equal access to information to every victim, regardless of their location. For the same reason, the Human Rights and Justice Centre strives to work with lawyers from across Nepal, and not exclusively based in or around Kathmandu.

Empowering the most vulnerable groups of society

In legal terms too, the program tested new avenues, such as the filing of a Public Interest Litigation before the Supreme Court of Nepal. The authorities’ reluctance to enact United Nations decisions means that few victims see concrete change in their situations, making it a suitable topic for the Court to address.

A recognition of the issue by Nepal’s highest legal body could finally prompt the authorities to guarantee victims justice and reparation.

Local authorities repeatedly failing enforced disappearance victims

TRIAL International’s unique role in Nepal

  • It established the first center in the country able to litigating human rights cases nationally and internationally.
  • It leads the NGO coalition to implement United Nations decision at domestic level.
  • It is the only NGO to provide year-long training to local actors, using a combination of theory and practice.

 

Child tortured by policemen receives compensation