KATHMANDU, Dec 3: Nepal on Tuesday joined the global community in celebrating the 34th International Day of Persons with Disabilities, underscoring the need to protect and promote the rights of persons with disabilities and to build a more inclusive society.
This year’s global theme focuses on “Restoring and accelerating progress through disability-inclusive development,” while Nepal is observing the day under the national slogan “Promoting Disability-Inclusive Society: Advancing Social Progress.”
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Extending best wishes on the occasion, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) emphasized that it has been continuously working for the protection and promotion of disability rights. However, the Commission noted that the implementation of constitutional and legal provisions related to the rights of persons with disabilities has been far from satisfactory.
According to the NHRC, many individuals with disabilities continue to face discrimination within their own families, social exclusion, domestic violence, and even sexual abuse. The absence of accessible infrastructure and the lack of disaggregated data reflecting the diversity within the disability community have further limited their access to justice. Monitoring by the Commission also shows that many persons with disabilities are unable to fully utilize government services and facilities meant for them.
Nepal is a state party to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) 2006, which—alongside the Constitution, the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act (2017), its regulations, and various policies—obligates the state to ensure effective implementation of disability rights.
The NHRC also urged the federal, provincial, and local governments to take strong, coordinated, and time-bound actions to safeguard disability rights. This includes effectively enforcing existing laws and policies, amending outdated provisions, and prioritizing disability concerns in government plans, programs, and budgets.
As Nepal reflects on the progress made and the gaps that persist, the Commission called on all stakeholders to work collectively toward building a truly inclusive society where no person is left behind.
