Contents · 2018. 11. 6. · CSOs/CSA Civil Society Organizations/Civil Society Alliances ... 2008. The government issued the Right to Information Act, a milestone for the protec-tion

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Contents

Abbreviations/Acronyms

Foreword

4 About Us 6 Where We are Operating …13 Some Highlights

18 Objective 1 People, government, law enforcing and other concerned agencies are aware of the issues and incidences of human

rights violations and act accordingly

24 Objective 2 Government promulgates and refines its policies and laws to protect and promote human rights of its people as per

international treaties and conventions 28 Objective 3 People, their representatives, law enforcing agencies and other key stakeholders are educated and trained and take

action to protect and promote human rights in the country 33 Objective 4 A vibrant network for peace building process in place for advocacy and conflict mitigation

39 Objective 5 National Laws and relative rules and regulations are reinforced against social discriminations 43 Objective 6 People and communities are protected against human rights violation and supported for rescue and Relief 46 Objective 7 Institutional competence of CBOs and other like-minded organizations enhanced to work together on human

rights, peace building and policy advocacy 50 Objective 8 Recognition as an effective organization in human rights for its effective and transparent management practices

54 A Glimpse of Some Memorable Moments

55 Human Resources and Organizational Development

Financial Summary

INSEC in Print Media

Contents

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Abbreviations/Acronyms

INSEC ANNUAL REPORT 2008

APEC All People Empowerment Centre CA Constituent AssemblyCBOs Community Based organizationsCDO Chief District Officer CEDAW Convention on Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against WomenCICSA Centre for Information Concerning Social Awareness CPA Comprehensive Peace AccordCPN-UML Communist Party of Nepal - United Marxist and LeninistCRAGs Child Rights Awareness GroupsCSOs/CSA Civil Society Organizations/Civil Society AlliancesDEAN Democratic and Election Alliance NepalDPO District Police Office DRs District RepresentativesDSP Deputy Superintendent of PoliceDYRING The Dynamic Rural Rising GroupFIR First Information Report FK FredskropsetGEOC General Election Observation CommitteeGOs Governmental OrganizationsHR Human RightsHRDs Human Rights DefendersHRERLICs Human Rights Education Radio Listeners’ Club HRTMCC Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Coordination CommitteeHUSEC Human Rights and Social Service CentreICC International Criminal CourtIDPs Internally Displaced PersonsILO International Labour OrganizationINGOs International Non-governmental OrganizationsINSEC Informal Sector Service CentreMoPR Minister of Peace of Reconstruction NA Nepal ArmyNCICC National Coalition of International Criminal Court NED National Endowment for Democracy NEMA National Election Monitoring AllianceNEOC National Election Observation CommitteeNGOs Non-governmental OrganizationsNHRC National Human Rights CommissionNRCS Nepal Red Cross SocietyOHCHR Office of the High Commissioner of Human RightsPBC Peace Building CampaignSP Superintendent of PoliceToR Terms of Reference UDHR Universal Declaration of Human RightsUN United NationsUNICEF United Nations Children FundUSAID United States Agency for International Development VDC Village Development CommitteeVMG Vision Mission and GoalYCL Young Communist League

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Foreword

Needless to say, the year 2008 was a crucial year in the history of Nepal as the historic election of the Constituent Assembly took place in this year. As in the previous years, INSEC played an important role of protecting and promot-ing people’s rights during the challenging period of election of the Constituent Assembly. This annual report is a testimony that reflects programmes and activi-ties carried out and challenges faced by INSEC while executing its plans in this reporting period, from 17 July, 2007 to 15 July, 2008.

The government issued the Right to Information Act, a milestone for the protec-tion of people’s right to information this year. The newly introduced Right to Information Act seeks to ensure that citizens have access to information of public importance and to ascertain that state proceedings are transparent and accountable. This Act came into force from August 19, 2007. Previously, there was no separate law on the right to information. INSEC welcomed the government’s move and issued a public notice inviting people to approach it for its institutional information whenever they want. INSEC firmly believes that transparency in the work of an organization helps to enhance its image in the community.

This year became historic for Nepal as the country successfully held the election of the Constituent Assembly. INSEC organized a massive campaign for a free and fair election. INSEC, besides conducting civil education in the run-up to Constituent Assembly elec-tions, conducted pre-election, during-election and post-election monitoring. Another major achievement INSEC gained this year is returning the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their places of origin. INSEC undertook a special initiative this year for returning IDPs, languishing in different parts of the country due to decade-long armed conflict and have not been able to return to their places even after signing of Comprehensive Peace Agreement on November 21, 2006. This initiative was carried out in 24 districts of Mid and Far-western regions with financial support from USAID and technical support from Save the Children–US in coordination with Nepal Red Cross Society.

INSEC also gave continuity to its regular works like Human Rights Education, Lobby and Advocacy, and Documentation and Dis-semination of human rights information during the reporting period. Efforts were made to empower human rights organizations and defenders at the grassroots level through Strengthening District Partner Organizations programme. The annual report presents the major activities undertaken by INSEC during the reporting period in order to achieve organizational objectives and analyze the extent to which the organization has been successful in doing so.

INSEC firmly believes that drafting of the new constitution on time is a prerequisite for institutionalizing the achievements of April 2006 uprising. The new constitution should be able to incorporate the issues and aspirations of diverse groups and sectors of the soci-ety and thus pave a way for restoring peace in the country. INSEC believes that a constitution based on norms and principles of human rights is the best way for addressing the diverse voices. In this light, we urge the members of the Constituent Assembly and leaders of the political parties to draft the new constitution that is human rights friendly and based on national and international principles related to human rights. The need of the hour requires the political parties to concentrate on the issue of drafting a new constitution on time rather than being engaged in political gives and takes. Human rights community stands committed to extend its support for drafting a human rights friendly constitution on stipulated time.

Subodh Raj PyakurelChairperson

Foreword

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Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC) is a human rights

organization relentlessly working for the protection and

promotion of human rights all over the country since 1988.

The institution was founded by inexorable HR defender late

Prakash Kaphley and prominent HR activist Sushil Pyakurel

during a time when the country was under the Panchayat

regime and human rights movement was almost unheard

of.

Started with the objective of protecting the rights of people

engaged in informal sectors, it has significantly contributed

in protecting and promoting the fundamental rights of peo-

ple in virtually all sectors. Immediately after the inception,

INSEC implemented a programme targeting the cart push-

ers of the Kalimati area of Kathmandu valley. Fundamen-

tally, the programme sought to protect their economic rights

through awareness on basic human rights, advocacy and

campaigning for provision of appropriate labor wage to the

cart pushers. Other efforts made during its early days made

effective contributions in institutionalizing the democratic

polity in the nation from a rights-based approach, both at

the policy and grassroots levels, especially after the restora-

tion of democracy in 1990.

Over a period of time, the core competency areas of INSEC

started to be clearer and its identified areas of strength have

been organizing campaigns, awareness creation and educa-

tion programs for making people capable of asserting their

civil and political rights and documentation of human rights

situation of the country and its dissemination at national

and international arenas. Education, monitoring, lobbying,

advocacy, research and training on issues related to human

rights have been major regular undertakings for INSEC for

more than one and a half decade already.

As a human rights NGO, INSEC is focused towards working

with disadvantaged groups. Its targeted working groups have

been the agricultural laborers, underprivileged women, and

socially discriminated people such as Dalits and children.

After regular evaluations of the programmes, INSEC peri-

odically outlines its strategies and actions for guiding the

organization in achieving its objectives and goal.

About Us


Founder Member

INSEC Executive Committee Members

Sushil Pyakurel

Kundan AryalGeneral Secretary

Puspa KarnaMember

Najir MiyaMember

Lal Babu YadavMember


Late Prakash Kaphle

Sujita ShakyaTreasure

Tika Ram BhattaraiMember

Ganga Devi KasajuMember

Yogendra GurungMember

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About Us

INSE

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Where We are Operating...

The presence of INSEC can be felt in all 75 districts of the country. The individuals and local organizations working for or in collaborating with INSEC are recognized as Human Rights defenders in their respective districts. In the five de-velopment regions, it has its regional offices, 40 district level local partner organizations in as many districts and Human Rights Yearbook representatives in each of 75 districts. The core programs are usually implemented through the district partner organizations in the districts. In addition, several shorter term projects are being implemented at national and districts levels directly by INSEC and its regional and central offices.

Network Partnership

INSEC is working with national and international networks and coalitions. The level of involvement of INSEC in these coalitions varies considerably in the sense that some are led by INSEC while it is one of the members only in others.

National• Alliance for Human Rights and Social Justice, Nepal (ALLI-

ANCE-NEPAL)• Alliance Against trafficking of Women and Children in Nepal

(AATWIN)• Civil Solidarity for Peace• National Coalition for Children as Zone of Peace (CZOP)• Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Coordination Committee

(HRTMCC)• Network on Small Arms in South Asia (SASA-NET, NEPAL)• Beyond Beijing Committee• National Coalition for International Criminal Court (NCICC)• NGO Federation, Nepal• National Election Observation Committee (NEOC)• National Election Monitoring Association (NEMA)• Women Security Pressure group (WSPG)• Shanti Malika• Art of Collaborative Leadership (AoCL) Group (A network of

ICCO partners in Nepal)• FIAN Nepal• National Network on Right to Food (RtF)

International• Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-

ASIA)• World Organization Against Torture (OMCT)• South Asian Forum for Human Rights (SAFHR)• Child Workers in Asia (CWA)• Asian Network for Free Elections (ANFREL)• Fredskorpset Norway (FK-Norway)• Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC)

INSEC’S PROGRAMME/PROJECTS COVERAGE


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Map of Nepal

(Administrative Divisions 5 Regions, 14 Zones, 75 Districts)

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Programme/Projects

INSEC programmes and projects are broadly catego-rized as core programmes (from 1 to 7 listed below) and other projects (from 8 onwards in the list below) depending upon the duration and funding partners of the programmes/projects. Those supported by Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst e.V/ Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation (EED/ICCO) and Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) are considered as the core programmes due to the fact that along with specific programme components, they pro-vide institutional financial support as well. The table lists the programme undertaken by INSEC with support from the respective funding agencies.

1. Human Rights Education The intended action of this project is primarily to make local people aware on the need for human rights Educa-tion, strengthen and mobilize district based HR NGOs, CBOs/CSOs and to sensitize concerned government authorities like bureaucrats, policy makers and political parties on human rights issues at the district level.

The activities of the programme focus on four target groups, which are firstly, the grassroots level people, secondly, human rights NGOs, CBOs and thirdly, the HR defenders and finally the government officials and leaders/members of the major political parties in the dis-tricts. Representatives from these target groups comprise of women and people from marginalized communities. This program is implemented in 10 district of Nepal, 2

in each of the 5 development regions. They are Ilam, Dhan-kuta, Bara, Dolakha, Gorkha, Rupandahi, Pyuthan, Jumla, Kanchanpur and Kailali.

2. Policy Advocacy for Hu-man RightsThe Policy Advocacy for hu-man rights programme aims at pressurizing the government to fulfill its obligations under international instruments on human rights and humanitar-ian laws and address major human rights issues through human rights based policy formulation and ensure that the human rights of disadvan-taged people are protected and the prevailing discrimina-tions based on caste, gender and ethnicity are effectively addressed. At the same time, better communication with UN human rights mechanisms and international human rights organizations and institutions are the other aspects of the programme.

Government, political par-ties, law enforcement agen-cies, human rights defenders, organizations working on the

DONORS INSEC'S PROGRAMME/PROJECTS COVERAGE

Human Rights Education 10 Districts

Policy Advocacy for Human Rights Throughout the Country

Human Rights Campaign Throughout the Country

INSEConline Throughout the Country

Victim Assistance 75 Districts

Evangelischer Entwicklungsd

ienst (EED), Germany

& Interchurch

Organization for

Development Cooperation

(ICCO), Netherlands

Strengthening INSEC District Partner Organizations

30 Districts

Human Rights Treaty Monitoring National Level DANIDA (Hugou)

Peace Building Campaign 5 District Norwegian

Agencies for Development Cooperation (NORAD)

Human Rights Yearbook & Documentation

75 Districts

UNICEF Establishment of Accessible National and Regional Databank

32 Districts

Fredskorpset Norway (FK)

South-South Exchange Programme South Asian Level

ON

GO

ING

National Endowment for Democracy (NED)

Supporting the Democratization of Political Parties in Nepal

National Level

Monitoring and Tracking the Lost Children

10 District Save the Children US Child Rights Protection (CRP) 6 Districts

Conflict Mitigation through Empowerment of Local Communities-CMP I Macro Project

6 Districts

AC

CO

MPLISH

ED

European Commission (EC) Campaign for Conflict Mediation and

Peace Building- EIDHR Micro Project 1 District


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issues of disadvantaged groups, parliamentarians, me-dia, UN human rights mechanisms and international hu-man rights organizations/institutions are the key target groups, stakeholders and beneficiaries. This programme is implemented at the national level. However, some of the activities are carried out at the regional level. Na-tional as well as international engagement with various stakeholders is the major approach of the programme.

3. Human Rights CampaignThe Human Rights Campaign programme aims at pres-surizing the government to ratify major international Hu-man Rights and Humanitarian Laws treaties as well as make sure that there are mechanisms in place and that there is increased access of the people seeking justice at the national and international levels and for dealing with impunity. The campaign also puts pressure upon the government for an immediate implementation of the declarations issued by the House of Representatives and the recommendations made by international community including the United Nations. The campaign considers the political parties and other major stakeholders as key actors to be engaged with to highlight human rights prin-ciples and commitments of the state. Strengthening the role of HRDs is also one of the most important aims of the campaign.

4. INSEConlineThis programme aims to strengthen the web based news portal, the INSEConline, in terms of the physical struc-ture, quality of information collected and disseminated and ultimately to contribute to the broader human rights movement of the country.

All organizations, institutions, researchers, students and individuals working in the field of human rights are the target and beneficiaries of this programme. The news portal caters to national and international human rights activists.

5. Victim AssistanceThis program aims to assist those victims of human rights violations who need immediate support and who approach INSEC’s central and regional offices directly for immediate assistance. The intention of the actions is not to take the whole responsibility of taking care of the people but to provide them with instant relief in the first place and then find ways for their longer term support through coordination with various I/NGO, GOs and net-works.

The target groups of this program are victims of grave human rights violations who seek instant assistance at INSEC regional and central offices and for the cases re-ported by INSEC District Representatives (DRs). This pro-gram is implemented all over the country.

6. Strengthening INSEC District Partner OrganizationsIn line with the new INSEC strategy, which is itself an outcome of regional level strategy consultancy meetings, it was decided that INSEC would now focus on develop-ing institutional capacities of its district partner organiza-tions. The fundamental intention of such effort is to help the partners become competent in meaningfully contrib-uting to the human rights movement in the country and be able to work towards this end independently.

All the existing district partner organizations of INSEC are the key targets. All other HR organizations at dis-trict, regional and national level are stakeholders as well as indirect beneficiaries. Coverage of this program is 30 districts spreading across all 5 development regions of the country.

7. Human Rights Yearbook & DocumentationINSEC has been publishing the Human Rights Yearbook since 1992, as an annual human rights report of the coun-try. Seventy-five reporters have been deployed through-out the country, one in each of the 75 districts, to collect and provide the information on human rights violations for the Human Rights Yearbook. Fact-finding missions, inspection of jails and on-the-spot visits are undertaken in case of urgency. The year-round research, analysis and interpretation of events on the overall human rights situ-ation are published annually in INSEC’s Human Rights Yearbook. The overall objective of the publication of the Human Rights Yearbook is to protect and promote hu-man rights and to raise the level of knowledge of the public, the government and other persons interested on human rights issues in Nepal.

8. Peace Building CampaignThe new phase of the Peace Building Campaign (PBC) has been implemented in Achham and Dadeldhura dis-tricts of Far-western Region, Dailekh of Midwestern re-gion and continued as a 2nd phase of the full phased project in Bardiya and Surkhet districts of Mid-Western Region from September 2006. The development objec-tive of the PBC is to establish sustainable peace through protection and promotion of human rights and social justice and the immediate objective is to promote and strengthen collective engagement of civil society actors

Where We are Operating ...

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and political forces to create an enabling environment in which people live without fear and are able to take part in decisions and processes that affect their lives.

9. Human Rights Treaty MonitoringHuman Rights Treaty Monitoring Coordination Commit-tee (HRTMCC), a coalition of 52 human rights organiza-tions, was formed in 2003. The committee is functioning as a joint forum for all major human rights NGOs in Ne-pal effectively coordinating for monitoring and dissemi-nation of information on the status of state obligations to UN human rights treaties nationally and internationally in the form of alternative/shadow reports as well as other publications. HRTMCC is also active in domestic lob-bying for the protection and promotion of human rights and dissemination of authentic and credible account of human rights situation through Fact-finding missions. IN-SEC, as the secretariat of HRTMCC, has been actively coordinating and conducting activities as set in its action plan. Treaty Monitoring Center of INSEC has been im-plementing all the activities of the HRTMCC coordinat-ing with all the sub-committee members. HRTMCC has developed its working relation with various government (ministries, police, NA), intergovernmental (UN agen-cies), non-governmental (Amnesty International, OMCT), mass based public Associations (Teacher’s Association) as well as Professional (Lawyers, women experts) organi-zations in the course of its program implementation. The project covers the whole country.

10. Establishment of accessible National and Regional DatabankINSEC in coordination with UNICEF has launched a program ‘Establishment of accessible National and Re-gional level Data bank’ in 32 districts of the country. The programme began from June 2007 for 1 year and cov-ered child rights violation, specifically on the issues of recruitment of child soldiers by the armed groups/forces, abduction of children by the armed groups/forces and attacks on schools.

11. Conflict Mitigation through Empowerment of Local Communities“Conflict Mitigation through Empowerment of Local Communities” is being implemented through INSEC Mid-western regional office in six districts Surkhet, Bardiya, Dang, Banke, Jajarkot and Pyuthan. This pro-

gram covers a total of 24 VDCs of six districts (4 VDCs of each district). This program is being implemented for two years starting form January 2006. The main objective of the project is to contribute to conflict mitigation by en-hancing the capabilities of the local communities in two aspects. Firstly, by substantially increasing their level of awareness on issues of HR and peace building so that the degree of their confidence in dealing with the con-flicting situation at local levels is enhanced. Secondly, by bringing improvements in the socio-economic condi-tion and access to basic services, especially in favour of the vulnerable sections of the communities. The target groups are the local communities of the selected VDCs, with special focus on Ex-kamaiyas, dalits and landless people. The existing Community Based Organizations (CBOs) are the means through which main activities of the project are being carried out.

12. Campaign for Conflict Mediation & Peace Building“The Campaign for Conflict Mediation and Peace Build-ing” project has been implemented in four Village De-velopment Committees (VDCs), namely Chhaulahi, Gadhawa, Laxmipur and Saudiyar of Dang district in Mid-western Region from January 2006 for a two- year period. It aims to raise people’s awareness on human rights, International Humanitarian Laws and peace build-ing, organize the community people into groups and pre-pare peace facilitators, build up their conflict mediation capabilities and mobilize them for conflict mediation and dialogue and hence contribute to peaceful transfor-mation of the ongoing conflict at community level. Local community people, especially the victims of the conflict and their family, CBOs, HR activists, conflicting parties, public officials are the target groups of this program.

13. Supporting the Democratization of Political Parties in Nepal The project “Democratization of Political Parties in Ne-pal” funded by National Endowment for Democracy (NED) aims to promote internal democratization and inclusion of disadvantage communities in the political parties and state mechanisms through lobby, advocacy, interaction, workshop, seminar, mass mobilization, and publication dissemination on the issues of inclusive de-mocracy and human rights. The project period is from December 1, 2006 – November 30, 2007.


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14. South-South Exchange Pro-grammeFK Norway is a public body ac-countable to the Norwegian Minis-try of Foreign Affairs and financed totally by the State Budget. The main objective of South-South Ex-change Programme- Fredskorpset (FK) is “Bringing People Together” through the exchange of partici-pants between partner organiza-tions of different countries in the south. The program helps partici-pants to promote reciprocal learn-ing, to integrate their know-how and experience into their own societies and help to develop and strengthen civil society in develop-ing countries. It is a 10 months long program and INSEC has been par-ticipating in it since 2005.

15. Monitoring and Tracking the Lost ChildrenThe project “Monitoring and Track-ing the Lost Children” was imple-mented in ten districts from May 15, 2006 to August 23, 2007. The districts are Kailali, Kanchanpur and Doti of Far-western region, Banke, Surkhet, Salyan and Pyuthan of Mid-western region and Lamjung, Gulmi and Argakhanchi of Western region. The main objectives of this project are to identify the situation of disappeared and abducted chil-dren and to collect information on impact of armed conflict in schools in the project areas.

INSEC Programme and Part-ner OrganizationsFrom the time of its inception, INSEC has been working in part-nership with district level NGOs referred as the district partner or-ganizations. Currently, there are 40 partner organizations in the same number of districts in Nepal. These partner organizations implement the core INSEC programmes at the

Regions Districts Programme District Partner Organizations

Kanchanpur Human Rights and Environmental Preservation Centre (HUPEC)

Kailali

HRE* Human Rights Awareness and Social

Development Centre (HURASDEC)

Bajura Human Rights and Society Development

Centre (HRSDC)

Accham Human Rights and Social Development

Project (HRSDP)

Baitadi Human Rights and Social Service centre

(HUSEC)

Bajhang Human Rights and Increasing Group

Forum (HRAIGF)

Darchula Api Community Development Centre

(ACDC)

Dadeldhura Forum for Community Development and Legal Research (CDLR)

Far-Western Region

Doti

SPO*

Human Rights and People Service Centre (HURPEC)

Jumla Human Rights and Rural Development Centre (HRDC)

Pyuthan

HRE

Mahila Sahayog Jagaran Manch (MAJAM)

Rolpa Human Rights Awareness Centre (HURAC)

Dang Human Rights Consciousness Forum

(HRCF)

Bardiya Human Rights and Environment Concern

Centre (HRECC)

Mid-West Region

Banke

SPO

Human Rights Green peace Movement

(GPM )

Gorkha Rural Strengthening Centre

Rupendehi HRE Forum for Social Awareness and

Development (FOSAD)

Gulmi Resunga Human Rights Awareness

Organization (RERE)

Kaski Women Service Centre

Arghakhachi Prakash Awareness Group (PRAG)

Kapilbastu Human Rights and Social Empowerment

Centre (HURSEC)

Western

Region

Tanahun

SPO

Nepal United Village Development Centre

Dolakha Human Rights Awareness and

Development Centre (HURADEVC)

Bara

HRE Human Rights Enlightenment Centre

(HREC)

Sarlahi Rural development Centre (RDO)

Sindhuli Human Rights Education and Enlightenment Center (HURENCE)

Nuwakot Centre for Human Rights and Social

Awareness (CENTHUR)

Sindhupalchok The Dynamic Rural Rising Group

(DYRING)

Chitwan Women Development Centre

Kavre Human Rights and Environmental

Education Centre (HUREC)

Makawanpur Ashmita

Dhanusha Centre for Society Upliftment (CESOUP)

Mid Region

Kathmandu

SPO

Manav Adhikar Udhdhyan

llam Human Rights Forum (HURF)

Dhankuuta HRE Human Rights Social Awareness and

Development Centre (HUSADEC)

Udaypur Human Rights, Environment and

Development Centre (HURENDEC)

Sunsari Centre for Information Concerning Social Awareness (CICSA)

Jhapa Human Rights Environment and Social Development Centre (HURECD)

Saptari Human Rights and Social Service Centre

(HUSEC)

Eastern

Region

Siraha

SPO

All People's Empowerment Centre (APEC)

Where We are Operating ...

*HRE = Human Rights Education, SPO = Strengthening INSEC District Partner Organizations

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community level and report the progress and achieve-ments to the regional offices, which in turn report to the central office at Kathmandu.

The table shows the local partners implementing respec-tive programme, regions and districts covered by the programmes.

The programmes with nationwide coverage are directly implemented by INSEC central and regional offices. Hu-man Rights Education Radio programme and Human Rights Protection programme cover the whole country. Similarly, nationwide programmes are Human Rights


Protection (Yearbook) programme, supported by NO-RAD and Human Rights Treaty Monitoring programme, supported by DanidaHUGOU.

The other donor agencies for certain areas are Danida-HUGOU, which has supported the Peace Building Cam-paign (5 districts). UNICEF has supported the Establish-ment of accessible National and Regional Databank and collection of information on child rights violations in 32 districts and National Endowment for Democracy (NED) has supported for the Democratization of Political Par-ties in Nepal.

INSEC district partner organization signing agreement with INSEC at eastern regional office, Biratnagar

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INSEC organized a massive campaign for a free and fair Constituent Assembly (CA) election throughout the country during the two months prior to the his-toric CA election of April 2008. It conducted civic education on the Constituent Assembly Election 2008 in many parts of the country.

Establishment of regional and central information units as an effort to document and disseminate the cases of violation of election Code of Conduct and human rights was pivotal as it became the pri-

mary source of information for most of the elec-tion observing organizations like NEMA, NEOC, GEOC and DEAN. It helped to draw the attention of concerned stakeholders on the cases of violation of Code of Conduct and human rights. The strong coalition developed among civil society organiza-tions through several formal and informal meetings proved beneficial before, during and after the CA election because in any event of violation, a united voice could be raised which restrained the viola-tors on carrying out further unlawful activities.

Public hearing programs organized in the districts of five development regions obliged the CA candi-dates of different political parties to abide by their commitment of respecting the election Code of Conduct and human rights principles. In some case like Nuwakot and Siraha districts, CA candidates of different political parties even expressed their writ-ten commitment for abiding by the election Code of Conduct and respecting human rights. The IEC materials such as posters, pamphlets and booklets published by INSEC made grassroots people con-

Local women reading INSEC publications on CA election, Baglung district

An elderly woman casting a vote in CA poll, Lalitpur district

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scious on their rights to vote and their importance in the CA elections.

Similarly, interaction programs organized in the districts and regions brought all the stakeholders to a common place thereby helping them to create a common understanding on how different agen-cies and civil societies can take part in making the Constituent Assembly Election free and fair. Spot visits and fact finding missions made by the INSEC Regional teams as well as central teams at different times to explore the election environment ensured

the presence of civil society organizations at dif-ferent places which discouraged the violators from continuing such activities. The documentation and dissemination of cases of violation of Human Rights and Code of Conduct through fact finding reports prepared and released by INSEC Regional/Central Offices via press conference or formal and informal gatherings assisted in publicizing the events to a broader spectrum of people. All in all, it can be said that INSEC’s contribution for the free and fair CA elections has been well recognized and appre-ciated by people all over Nepal.

Interaction program organized by INSEC Mid regional office on “Effective monitoring during CA elections” at Hotel Orchid, Kathmandu on 30 March, 2008

Representatives from

Forum-Asia and

Ian Martin, the then

Head of the OHCHR,

during the CA election

observation

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Even after the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA), most of the conflict induced Internally Dis-placed Persons (IDPs) were hesitant in returning to their places of origin. Even when the CPN-Maoist was leading the government itself, IDPs were feel-ing insecure to return back to their homes.

INSEC undertook a special initiative this year for returning IDPs to their places of origin in the 24 districts of the mid and far-western Nepal. It car-ried out the ‘Assistance to IDP Returnees in Nepal’ project in the 24 districts from August 2007 to Au-gust 2008 with the financial support from USAID and technical support of Save the Children-US and in coordination with Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS). The project was for assisting 5000 IDPs and their children of 1000 households in ensuring their protection rights after their return. Before the rehabilitation process, an assessment and identifi-cation process of IDPs was carried out through a survey to find out the situation of IDPs and their basic needs. The survey was carried out through INSEC District Representatives in all 24 districts, in which it was found that a total of 9485 persons of 1577 households were living in dire situations as IDPs in the places of displacement, which was usu-

ally the district headquarters and neighboring places.

In order to make the environment better in the communities, INSEC conducted several dis-trict level interactions with the key stakeholders to share the findings of assessment as well as to make them aware on the provisions in the CPA, the Interim Constitution and Policy and Directives on IDPs. The assurance of protection of IDPs was the most challenging task and therefore, frequent interaction/meeting and dialogue with key stake-holders through the project and district chapters to minimize probable disputes were organized. At the same time, interactions/meetings and coun-seling to the IDPs were carried out to assure them their safety and to encourage them to return back to the places of their origin. IDPs were willing to go back to their homes but they were not self-assured in terms of their safety and security. To deal with this realization, interaction/meeting, dialogue and other related activities were organized for sensiti-zation and reconciliation of IDPs and other con-flicting parties in the host community. Such types of reconciliation activities have been very effective for the IDPs to feel secure and sort out the differ-ences between neighbors.

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INSEC released the Nepal Human Rights Year-book 2008 amidst a program named ‘Nepal Hu-man Rights Yearbook 2008 Release Program’ in Kathmandu on 19 February 2008. Subash Chandra Nembang, the Honorable Speaker of the Legisla-ture/Parliament released the 16th Human Rights Yearbook. At the function, Nembang also present-ed awards to five best INSEC district representatives from five regions and one overall best performing INSEC district representative.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, INSEC Chair-person Subodh Raj Pyakurel opined that there is no norm of rule of law in the country and added that people do not have a sense of security at present.

Shedding light on the released Yearbook, INSEC General Secretary Kundan Aryal highlighted the in-creased violence by the non-state actors involved in the Terai. He also expressed that the CA election was the answer to check the ongoing violence. He added that the current legislature had curtailed the rights of the king but hasn’t been working for the good of the people.

An interaction program titled, ‘Constituent Assem-bly Election and Rule of Law’ was also held fol-lowing the Yearbook release ceremony. Speaking at the program, Speaker Nembang commended INSEC on the publication of Human Rights Year-book. In his address, he hoped the seminar would develop into campaign for establishing rule of law. He informed that the representation of all sections of the country has been ensured for CA. He further urged all the people to unite to defeat the conspira-cy against CA election.

Speaking at the program, former NHRC member Sushil Pyakurel accused some elements in Mad-hesh movement for threatening Loktantra by get-ting diverted. He also asked the political parties to consider the people’s mandate. Pasang Sherpa of NEFIN and intellect Nilambar Acharya also ex-pressed their views.

According to Yearbook 2008, there were 37 per-sons killed by the state while 514 were killed by the non-state actors during the year 2007.

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On the occasion of the fifteenth Prakash Me-morial Day, INSEC honored Ramrati Devi Ram, hu-man rights activist and dalit rights activist of Siraha district with Prakash human rights Award for this year with a sum of 25000 rupees and a letter of ap-

preciation in Kathmandu on 1 August 2007. CPN-UML central committee member Amrit Kumar Bo-hora handed over the award to Ramrati Devi Ram. While accepting the award, she recalled the inci-dents when the locals of her area mistreated her while she fought for rights in the society. She also expressed sorrow on the administration’s and lo-cals’ part where they had turned a blind eye over the incidents of women being raped. She further said that the award has encouraged her to commit herself more in the field of human rights.

INSEC General Secretary Kundan Aryal informed about the selection process of the award and gave

an introduction of Ramrati Devi. He also informed that individuals involved in human rights and so-cial justice has been honoured with the award since 1993.

Similarly, on the same occasion, INSEC organized a talk program entitled ‘Constituent Assembly Elec-tions for Sustainable Peace’ in Kathmandu. Speak-ing at the program, INSEC Chairperson Subodh Raj Pyakurel said that Late Prakash Kaphley always highlighted the importance of Loktantra. He added that CA election can be conducted in fair manner if human rights is given due consideration.

The Chief Guest and CPN-UML central committee member, Amrit Bohara, stressed that CA election could be conducted if all the forces moved ahead together and change the old social structure of the country. Ramraja Prasad Singh of Nawa Janawadi Manch expressed that the future of Nepali people look bright with the CA elections ahead. Similarly, President of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Na-tionalities (NEFIN), Pasang Sherpa stressed that the CA should end monarchy.

Sarita Kaphley, wife of late Prakash Kaphley, paying tribute to him on the occasion of Prakash Memorial Day

Ram Rati Devi Ram, felicitated by Prakash Human Rights

Award 2063

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INSEC has been publishing Human Rights yearbook both in Nepali and Eng-lish Language since 1992 as an annual human rights report of the country. It provides overall human rights situation of the country.

“People, government, law enforcing and other concerned agencies are aware of the issues and incidences of Human Rights violations and act accordingly.”

Objective-One Publication & Dissemination of HR Related Reports, Books & Magazines

Systematic documentation, publication and dissemina-tion of the human rights related issues have always been the key priority of INSEC. The series of publication in-cludes Human Rights Yearbook, Prachi, Informal, INSEC Abhiyan and other special publications which, depend-ing on the nature, are published in an annual, quarterly, bi-monthly and monthly basis. Sometimes the publica-tions are also brought out based on necessity. Basically, these study materials have been designed to aware and inform people about the fundamental principles of hu-man rights, legal rights and the overall situation of hu-man rights in the country. Distributed widely among grassroots people, INSEC district partner organizations, local Human Rights Education Radio Listeners’ Clubs, government schools and also some of the government authorities these publications have served as reference materials for human rights and legal awareness at all lev-els. Human Rights Yearbook, a compilation of the HR violations cases throughout the year has been used as evidences for legal action by the judiciary on several oc-casions.

INSEC has published a number of materials on different issues related to human rights. These publications play crucial role to make people aware on the principles of human rights, legal rights and situation of human rights of the country. Basically INSEC magazine-like publica-tions are published monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly and annually. Similarly, book-like publications are published as per the need. Some of the publications have been study materials for human rights and legal rights aware-ness and advocacy classes at the grassroots levels as well as for the professionals and students.

Most of INSEC’s publications have been disseminated to the grassroots level. It includes all its partner organi-zations, local Human Rights Education Radio Listeners’ Clubs, INSEC child rights program implemented schools and local groups where INSEC’s programs have been im-plemented. INSEC’s publications are highly demanded at such level too. With the help of these publications lo-cal youths have become human rights activists and they have been advocating for human rights at local level.

INSEC mid-western regional office of Nepalgunj made use of the opportunity to disseminate human rights infor-mation accumulated by the regional office in a Human Rights Exhibition organized by the Regional Office of

Local people reading INSEC publications

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Objective-One

the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) during 23-24 September 2007. The exhibition was attended by more than 3 thousand teachers, intellectuals, students, journalists, NGOs and common people. The INSEC re-gional office was able to sale and/or distribute a large amount of its publications during the exhibition. The event helped in informing the people about the human rights situation of the region as well as INSEC’s contri-bution to the cause of protecting and promoting human rights in the region.

INSEConline (www.inseconline.org)

In July 2004, INSEC launched its online news portal, the Inseconline, with the objective of circulating informa-tion on human rights of the country instantly to a wider audience. The information thus uploaded in the web-site has been very crucial for taking urgent actions by concerned organizations, including the UN agencies, against the cases of human rights violations. As a result, it has contributed in saving rights of many people all around the country. The portal is frequently visited by media personnel, activists, intelligentsia, students and other ordinary people of the country.

Visitors taking INSEC publications during the Human Rights Exhibition held in Nepalgunj

A glimpse of some INSEC publications

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Human Rights Resource Centre

INSEC human rights resource centre is also known as human rights library. Every year different documents re-lated to human rights have been added in the library. In total, 458 books were added in Resource Centre of IN-SEC central office in which 47 were INSEC publications. Furthermore, different book bindings of news clipping, newsletters were documented into the database of Re-source Centre. Similarly news, articles, editorial, photos and other important documents from newspapers were documented into INSEC media monitoring database. Digital documents, different types of photo album and different types of newsletters were also documented into INSEC media monitoring database.

Downloaded documents have been photocopied and indexed in different files. Likewise, books, reports, ar-ticles etc. important documents have been downloaded from internet and documented. Different national and international press statements are also documented into press statement database. Photos and videos are scientifi-

YCL releases an abducteeDeepak Kunwar 38, a resident of Rajkut VDC-2, Baglung district, and a son of Jeet bahadur Kunwor, a local leader of Rastriya Prajatantra Party, was ab-ducted by YCL, a Maoist sister wing on 24 March, 2008 while he was in his door to door campaign during for Constituent Assembly Elections. The news of his abduction was uploaded and dissemi-nated through INSEConline via INSEC District Rep-resentative Ram Bahadur G.C. ‘Soon after INSEC-online broke the news, YCL released my son’, the victim’s father said. Jeet Bahadur thanked INSEC District Representative for his work through INSEC-online.

Security personnel vacate a schoolIn Kapilbastu, a school was occupied by the state security forces. The security personnel had been taking shelter inside the Shiva Primary School in Khurhuriya, Kapilbastu for a long time. The students of the school were compelled to attend their classes outside the building. The case was publicized by INSEConline, highlighting the violation of the rights of the children to education. The security person-nel left the school building soon after the news was published on INSEConline and other local papers on 16th June, 2008.

cally documented in the Resource Centre.

Many researchers, scholars, students and visitors visit the resource centre. Every year about 400 people visit INSEC Resource Centre. Photocopy and internet facili-ties are provided for the visitors. Other additional activi-ties of the INSEC Resource Centre include:• Photography & video shooting on various human

rights related events. • Photo & video footages of human rights provided to

the eight different organizations on demand• Video Documentary on IDP


A letter of appreciation given to INSEC by Equal Access, an INGO based in Lalitpur, for providing useful materials on human

rights for their programs

INSEC Resource Centre, central office

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Objective-One

Fact -Finding Missions

Organizing fact-finding missions is a major component of INSEC initiatives. INSEC regularly organizes different fact-finding missions for detailed investigation on cases of human rights violations. Such missions are organized both under the banner of HRTMCC and independently

by INSEC. After the fact-finding mission, findings of the incidents are shared via press conference. Some of the incidences are also followed-up if further investigation is needed. Among the fact-finding missions two repre-sentative examples and the findings of the mission are presented below.

Discrimination institutionalized by tradi-tionBaitadi is a remote hilly district located in the Far-western Development Region of Nepal. There are many temples of Gods and Goddesses and has ma-jority of population following Hindu Religion. Many devotees come from Nepal and India to sacrifice goats and buffaloes, especially during the Dashain festival, in a belief that their wishes will come true if they do so. Since a long time back in history, thousands of devotees come to various hindu tem-ples of this district to sacrifice animals, especially male goats and male buffaloes.

According to a tradi-tional custom, dalits in this district are sup-posed to eat buffalo that is left in the temples after they are brutally killed in the name of holy sacri-fices by so-called higher castes people and when goats are sacrificed, those who bring them take away everything for consumption. In the changing context, people are raising voices against the cus-tom of sacrificing animals in the temples since it is considered as an act of violence. The fact that the dalits are to take away the dead buffaloes for consumption against their will is a manifestation of discrimination against them. In recent times, Dalits Community has decided not to consume such meat and have started boycotting the tradition. One of the reasons for it is the increase in the awareness level of the dalits. Maoist affiliated Dalit Mukti Mor-

A CASE OF BEATING AND CASTE-BASED DISCRIMINATION OVER DALITS IN DIFFERENT VDCS OF BAITADI DISTRICT

cha (United) has also been raising this issue public-ly and organizing a campaign against caste-based discrimination for the last three years. As a result, the Dalits community from two VDCs, Melauli and Malladehi, has already stopped eating such kinds of meat. However, a violent clash occurred in one of the festivals between the dalits community and other higher caste people.

In Kartik 2064 (October/November, 2007), Dal-its community from Hi-mandu, Udayadev and Patan VDCs disagreed to take away dead buffaloes since they felt that they are being discriminated on caste grounds and made to consume meat of buffaloes sacrificed by the other communities.

Due to this reason, some so-called higher community

people became aggressively offensive and beat-up several Dalit men and vandalized their open shops in the fairs organized during the festivals.

The policemen who had come for ensuring secu-rity to the people were mere by-standers. Although, Dalits community knew about the existence of caste-based discrimination, they have not filed any complaints against such discrimination per se. However, they have registered FIR for thrashes and damage to their properties from the higher caste people and demanded for compensations. The po-lice did not take any action on the case and were not serious about the incident.

Ninglashainee temple, of Dehimandu VDC, Baitadi district

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It seems that there is little possibility of prosecuting the perpetrators since there is fear that this might lead to communal riot in this area. The temple premises became full of dead and decaying meat and causing damage to the whole environment. Lo-cal and wild dogs were roaming around the areas night and day. There was a danger that some dis-eases might spread in the area due to rotten meat and bones.

In the whole incident some of the dalits were found to be caught in between. Though the non-dalits claim that they haven’t exerted any pressure on the dalits for eating the sacrificed buffaloes, the dalits are customarily obligated to do it. Moreover, in some places, like in the incident mentioned above, the non-dalits have physically attacked dalits who have refused to take away the dead buffaloes and caused other damages. At the same time, the Maoist affili-ated Dalit Mukti Morcha (United) who initiated the

campaign in the district to boycott the tradition has directly warned against taking the murdered buffa-loes for consumption even when some of the dalits want to eat them. As a result some of the dalits have been displaced from their places of residence.

“We used to eat the meat of dead buffaloes slaugh-tered in the temples. But now due to the political changes taking place we have decided to discontin-ue this practice. The Maoists have made us aware

and they are right in a way. From this year, we the villagers have reached this decision although the non-dalits, such as Boharas and Bhandaris, have tried to force us to eat the buffalo meat.“

- A Dalit man, Dehimandau VDC-2

“Like every year, we wanted to eat the buffalo meat this year too. But we didn’t due to fear of being punished. The buffaloes slaughtered this year have been buried in a big pit dug near the temple. Some people didn’t allow even the interested people to take the meat.”

- A Dalit man, Patan VDC-9

“After the Dalit Mukti Morcha started campaigning against slaughtering of animals in temples during festivals from 2061 BS, I have stopped showing any concern towards sacrificing animals for gods. We have been practicing this tradition from a long time back and I feel that we should continue it. I sug-gest that whether it is goats or buffaloes, those who bring the animals to the temples should take care of its management. I don’t have anything against the dalits and allow both dalits and non-dalits to enter this temple. I don’t allow anyone to enter the place where only priests can enter.”

- The main priest, Udayapur Temple, Patan

“Baitadi is a district inhabited by people with strong religious sentiments. I see this incident as an exam-ple of conflict between progressive and traditional people and not as racial conflict. The Dalit Mukti Morcha had circulated their warning for punishing those who eat buffaloes two days prior to the day in which the incident occurred. Even the dalits were divided into two factions on this issue. Security preparations were made and formal and informal decisions were made whereby those who bring the animals for slaughtering should manage the meat. Some villages have followed this understanding.

Whether to eat the dead buffaloes or not is one’s personal freedom. Those who force anyone to eat it should be brought under the law. The incident of beatings did actually take place and we will take necessary legal actions against the perpetrators in-volved in the beatings.”- Dilliraj Bista, DSP, District Police Office, Baitadi

Bhagirath Dayal, 70 years old, a so-called dalit was beaten up in Udayadev temple, Udayadev VDC


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Late Pashupati Shrestha, 56, and Ga-jendra Shrestha, 37, lived in Kalyan-pur VDC-8 in Saptari disrtict. On 3 Push 2064 (18 December 2007), 15 to 20 activists of Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) came to their houses and abducted both Pashupati and Gajendra Shrestha along with Bhola Chalise and 19-year-old Bhes Bahadur Shrestha from their respective houses. All of them were taken to a farm land, some 700 meters away from Pashupa-ti’s house.

There the JTMM activists held some discussion and decided to kill the two men. They then or-dered Bhola Chalise and Bhes Bahadur Shrestha to run away. Both of them ran towards their own village and called their neighbors. At this very mo-

ment they heard gun shots and went back to the incident site. They found the bodies of Pashupati and Gajendra lying on the ground with their eyes blindfolded. Separate groups of policemen (both armed police and Janapath police) went to the in-cident site immediately after the incident. One of the groups took the body of both the victims for postmortem in Sagarmatha Regional Hospital, Raj-biraj. The police promised to arrest the perpetrator as soon as possible. But, this incident shows that Special Task Force, which has been functioning in the district, has not been able to work as promised. Pashupati Shrestha was a simple farmer making his living through agriculture and Gajendra Shrestha had been working in a ticket counter for about 10 years. Both the men murdered in the incident had no records of being involved in criminal or politi-

A CASE OF MURDER AFTER ABDUCTION IN KALYANPUR VDC OF SAPTARI DISTRICT

cal activities and were found to be ordinary people of the village. Though the JTMM has taken the re-sponsibility of the incident the reason for their mur-der is still very unclear. The police investigations have not said anything clearly about the reasons for their killing. The security is speculating that it could be an attempt to ignite communal violence in the region. “I know about this case, I had gone to the inci-dent site myself and have met the victims’ family members. Though there was a minor dispute with the Muslim community over the electricity line, the victims do not seem to have been involved in any serious conflicts. The JTMM has taken the responsibility and we have arrested few people in Kalyanpur and Lahan for investigation. I suspect that the murder was to ignite communal violence. The victims belong to Newar community and this

community has a guthi (traditional institution). We are trying to make sure that a communal riot does not take place. We are taking all security measures to give security to people and have even posted a temporary unit alongside the Newar guthi in Ka-layanpur.”- Chhabilal Joshi, SP, District Police Office, Saptari

“We are shocked by the incident since this is the first time that such an incident has happened here. Both Pashupati and Gajendra had no interest in politics nor were there any donations or ransoms involved. On the day I returned from their funeral ceremonies I have received threats over the phone. I have informed the police but do not feel secure. The situation is very serious here.”

- Ramji Shrestha, President, Newa Samaj Kalyan-pur, Kalanpur-3

Late Pashupati Shrestha

The fact-finding mission team talking with the locals Bereaved wife (in white) of Pashupati Shrestha and her neighbors

Objective-One

Late Gajendra Shrestha

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The Human Rights Monitoring and Advocacy Department at INSEC has been primarily involved in wide array of activities aimed at influencing national policies and judiciary and most notably it has extended its contributions through its role as the secretariat of the HRTMCC. In INSEC’s leadership, the HRT-MCC has developed its working relation with various govern-ment (Ministries, Police, NA, APF), intergovernmental (UN agencies such as UNICEF, UNIFEM, OHCHR), non-govern-mental (Amnesty International, OMCT), mass based public as-sociations (Teacher’s Association, trade unions, medical associa-tions) including political parties, professional (lawyers, women experts, journalists) organizations as well as newly established OHCHR in Nepal. HRTMCC has been well recognized for its efficiency among general public and human rights organizations and currently it has approximately 50 organizations as its mem-bers. Currently this department also houses the secretariat of the NCICC.

“Government promulgates and refines its policies and laws to protect and promote Human

Rights of its people as per international treaties and

conventions.”

Objective-Two

Photo: Demonstration at Maitighar Mandala, Kathmandu

Organization of Interactive Forums for Trea-ty Monitoring as the Coordinating Agencies

INSEC has been hosting the Secretariat of Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Coordinating Committee since 2003, which has been collectively monitoring the state obliga-tions under core treaties and reporting to the UN treaty bodies. It has been established as a platform for the de-velopment of civil society reports and joint intervention at different levels from national to regional and to inter-national level. Besides, it has been coordinating cam-paigns for the ratification of the core treaties and their Optional Protocols.

Development of Collective Shadow Report

INSEC has been facilitating shadow report preparation through a coalition. It has effectively coordinated the de-velopment of the civil society report for the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Assessment and Monitoring the Status of Implementation of International Treaties and Convention

INSEC has reviewed existing domestic legislations re-lated to the rights of the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) in Nepal on the basis of international human rights laws such as Big Six Conventions and ILO Conventions. For the purpose, the Interim Constitution, Civil Code, dif-ferent acts and regulations were reviewed. A total of 39 laws, 22 regulations including the provisions of Interim Constitution and civil code were identified as being in

Participants including members of CA, in an interaction program “Meaningful Role of Women CA Members in Constitution Making

Process” organized on 10 July, Kathmandu

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Objective-Two

contradiction with the provisions of international human rights laws.

A half-day interaction program named, ‘Meaningful Role of Women CA members in Constitution Making Process’ was organized with women CA members. The key ob-jective of the interaction was to initiate discussion on Women Rights in new constitution and their meaningful roles in the new constitution making process. A total of 100 women CA members representing all 25 political parties participated in the interaction and the CA Mem-bers and advocate Sapana Pradhan Malla, reminded the participants about state obligation under CEDAW. Special focus was on implementation of CEDAW and its Optional Protocol. During the interaction, provisions of Women Convention, contradictory national legal provi-sions and mechanisms were also discussed. The forum pointed out the need for a withdrawal of reservation on articles of OP to CEDAW and also for approving the pending bill on domestic violence.

Sensitization on the Status of International Treaties

This year, one of the major campaigns undertaken by INSEC has been for creating pressure on the government to ratify the Rome Statute of the ICC. A series of activi-ties, at central, regional and district levels were carried out towards this end. It has even developed a separate website to inform people about ICC, as a part of the cam-paign (http://icc.inseconline.org).

To start with, an interaction programme was held with major stakeholders on September 28, 2007 at Hotel An-napurna, Kathmandu. Representative of political par-ties, from international and National Coalition for ICC (NCICC) and different non governmental and human rights organizations participated in the program. Later on, an informal talk program was held with Honourable Speaker of House of Representative, Subash Chandra Nembang, representatives from ICC coalition and other political leaders on the topic.

On the occasion of the International Day of Justice dif-ferent sit-in programs were organized with the initiation of the NCICC, for which INSEC is the secretariat, on 17 July and 27 September 2007. More than 250 people, in-cluding family members of disappeared people, human rights activities and media personnel participated in the sit-in programs. In this program, signature campaign was

also conducted by INSEC at Maitighar Mandala, Kath-mandu to create pressure on government for ratification of Rome Statute.

As an integral part of the ICC campaign, NCICC launched a year-long campaign on ending impunity. A ‘Task Force to Combat Against Impunity’, consisting of more than 50 HR organizations in the country, has been formed and was responsible for organizing the sit-in programs orga-nized on 1 June and 1 July 2008 at Maitighar Mandala, Kathmandu. The programs, participated by more than a hundred people, demanded an end to impunity and to publicize the whereabouts of the disappeared people. The coalition has formed an 11 member core group in-cluding INSEC, which is performing crucial role for the campaign and is mainly responsible for launching the campaign on ICC. Forum-Asian, a South Asian human rights organization uploaded the news of these sit-in pro-grams in its web site.

Sit-in program urging the Nepal Government to accede to the Rome Statute at Maitighar Mandala on 1 July 2008, Kathmandu

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Later, on 22 May 2008, to bring all major stakehold-ers together in order to force the government to respond to ending the culture of impunity and to discuss on the situation of impunity in Nepal an interaction program, ‘Culture of Impunity and Role of CA’ was organized.

Speaking at the program, INSEC chairperson Subodh Raj Pyakurel said that the culture of impunity has been rising in the country. He added that the government is yet to form the commissions as mentioned in the interim constitution and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). He reminded that in the CPA, the government and the CPN-Maoist agreed to disclose whereabouts of disappeared within 60 days but they have only been blaming one another in the incidents of violation of hu-man rights and humanitarian law in the past. Victims of the decade long armed conflict and human rights activ-ists have sought actions against the perpetrators of hu-man rights violations.

Signature Campaigns for Ratifying Rome Stat-ute of the ICC

INSEC has also been uniting regional and district level human rights organizations with the objectives of creat-ing pressure for the ratification of ICC. To pressurize the government for ratification of the ICC treaty, more than 2500 signatures were collected urging the government to “Provide Reparation for Victims and Punish the Perpe-trator and Ratify the ICC treaty for Peaceful Nepal”. The campaign started on 1 July 2008 and ended on 10 July 2008 in all INSEC Regional offices (Biratnagar, Kathman-du, Pokhara, Nepalgunj and Dhangadi). In the signature campaign, participants demanded punishment against the person involved in the grave HR violations.

National Workshops and Round Table Dis-cussion on the Issues of HR Violation

With the realization that Human Rights Defenders (HRDs) are at constant risk in the country, INSEC launched a campaign to protect the rights of human rights defend-ers. To sensitize the political parties, security personnel, government representatives, human rights defenders, in-stitutions and media concerned with human rights about the rights of the HRDs and collect the views on ways for protection of rights of HRDs an interaction program, ‘Rights and Situation of Human Rights Defenders’ was organized on 10 January, 2008. In the program, INSEC released a research report pre-pared by Stijn Daneyer, an INSEC intern from Belgium, on the situation of HRDs in Nepal. According to the re-search report, human rights defenders continue to be fre-quently targeted in post-conflict Nepal. The report says that a total number of 43 cases of rights violations of HRDs were reported in the last three months of 2007, in which as many as 66 human rights defenders were

Signature campaign in Biratnagar

An interaction program on ‘Rights and Situation of Human Rights Defnders’ organized on 10 January, Kathmandu

INSEC in a sit- in program with other human rights organizations organized by Task Force to Combat Againt Impunity

on 1 June 2008, Kathmandu


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Signature campaign for women’s rights (UN SCR article 1325) in Kathmandu orgnized by INSEC mid-regional office

victimized. The report further says that most HRDs were targeted by the Maoists and the armed groups.

Lobbying and Advocacy Independently as well Together with the Network Members for Promulgation and Refinement of Laws and National Policies in Line With International Convention and Treaties

In this reporting period, several lobbying efforts were initiated by INSEC, both independently as well with network and coalition members. A memorandum was submitted to Honorable Minister, Ram Chandra Paudel, the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, Singadurbar, Kathmandu, Nepal on 7th March, 2008. The memo-randum tried to focus on the subjects of peace build-ing process like ‘Involve Women in all Peace Process in compliance to UN Security Resolution 1325 (2000)’ and demanded the establishment of ‘Truth and Recon-ciliation Commission’, ‘Commission for disclosing the whereabouts of Disappeared Persons’ and other com-missions that help to establish sustainable peace in the country. The memorandum was submitted on the oc-casion of 98th International Women’s Day. The con-cerned letters of the memorandum were handed over to Honorable Prime Minister’s office, Honorable Minister

of Women, Children and Social Welfare. Likewise, simi-lar memorandums were submitted to UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and Office of High Commis-sion of Human Rights (OHCHR).

To raise the issues of women in peace building in line with the UN Security Council Resolution 1325, INSEC regional offices distributed 5000 copies of brochure and handbooks on UN Security Council resolution 1325 to the people of all levels and to local stakeholders. As the intended publication was already translated and pub-lished by UNIFEM, INSEC distributed such publication in coordination with UNIFEM.

INSEC regional offices at five regions conducted the signature campaign on UN Security Council Resolution article 1325 during 25 November - 10 December. IN-SEC Far-western regional office, Dhangadi conducted the signature campaign on 8 December 2007. INSEC Mid-western regional office, Nepalgunj conducted the signature campaign on 25 November 2007. Likewise, INSEC Western regional office, Pokhara, Mid regional office, Kathmandu, Eastern regional office, Biratnagar conducted the program on 25 November, 7 December and 28 November 2007 respectively.

Objective-Two

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Through district partner organizations, INSEC has been conducting several literacy and awareness classes for disadvantaged groups at grassroots level and various campaigns at regional and national levels. Various workshops and training sessions are organized in order to sensitize community people, local institutions, organizations and concerned stakeholders on human rights issues. Furthermore, HR education and knowledge on human rights laws have been delivered to professionals, security person-nel, lawyers and journalists and other stakeholders as a result of which, various actors and concerned stakeholders have expressed their commitment for protection and promotion of human rights.

“People, their representatives, law enforcing agencies and other key stakeholders are educated and

trained and take action to protect and promote human rights in the

country..”

Objective-ThreeAwareness Classes and Empowement Program for Parents, Teachers, Women and Children

To unite and to inform people about basic human rights issues, various regional, district and VDC level interac-tion on human rights are regularly organized at grass-roots level among CBOs, local teachers, Child Rights Awareness Group (CRAG) members, HRERLICs and lo-

cal dignitaries. The interactions are organized in a par-ticipatory way. Participants have been aware and united about their rights. Local people have started to approach the CBOs and record HR violations and for seeking sup-port for justice. CRAGs have been formed in programme districts to unite children in government schools and mo-bilize them on child rights issues. Extra curricular activi-ties such as essay writing competition, elocution, quiz, debate etc are organized as a part of their capacity build-ing process. Child rights awareness classes have increased the con-cern of children on child rights issues and made them aware on their role and duties for promoting child rights.

An interaction program with an members of a women CBO (Parroha group) organized by western regional office, Pokhara

Students reading a wall magazine entitled Bal Srijana produced by a CRAG, Sreekutee Danda Secondary School, Dolakha district

Photo: Representatives from political parties participating in a Human Rights Study Session, Dhulikhel, Kavre district

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Fight for Rights to Participate

After implementation of Peace Building Campaign (PBC) in Dadeldhura district, women are participat-ing and sharing their views on women’s rights, so-cial issues in VDC level interactions and consulta-tions without fear and sense of domination.

Jaishara Paneru was beaten by her husband Giri Raj Paneru for participating in VDC level meet-ing on 10th August, 2006. After this incident she didn’t come to VDC level interaction meetings. She shared the reason for not participating in interac-tion meeting to Kailpal Ama Samuha, a targeted CBO under the PBC. Then member of Kaipal Amma Samuha met Jaishara Paneru and her husband and tried to convince them. Finally, Jaishara Paneru and her husband both were convinced and started to participate in VDC level interaction under PBC. She became aware on the issues like women rights, hu-man rights, social justice etc, which helped her to struggle with her husband for protection of her own rights to participate in the public programs. Now she shares her learning and information to commu-nity level people. In this way PBC, is becoming a success to empower people on their rights.

It has helped in capacity building of children especially through writing skills, drawings, elocution and debate competitions. Some of the CRAGs have published Child Rights wall magazine voluntarily in their respective schools. CRAG members have started to talk about the importance of ‘Schools as Zone of Peace’ and advocate for it.

Development of HR Leaders through Educa-tion & Training

Trainings on human rights and child rights are also or-ganized among school teachers to make them aware on human rights and child rights, to work out and finalize the yearly action plan of CRAGs and to perform the role of a patron teacher for the CRAGs.

In the ‘Trainings on Human Rights and Child Rights’ provided to the patron teachers of CRAGs at Hetauda and Nepalgunj on 1-3 October, 2007, human rights and child rights issues were discussed and the teachers

were informed about the updates and concepts on child rights. At the end of the training, the teachers prepared action plans for mobilizing the CRAGs in their respec-tive schools.

In order to produce human rights leaders at local level, a five-day intensive training on human rights and Advo-cacy was organized in 10 districts of Nepal. The main focus of the training was to discuss on the meaning and definition of human rights, historical developments of HRs, role of UN, UDHR including six big treaties, role and responsibility of HR defenders and CA election, interim constitution and human rights, restructuring of Nepal , peace process and challenges. The participants were human rights community members and HRERLIC members. The skills and knowledge imparted in these training programs have made them capable of work-ing as local human rights defenders in their respective places.

Participants of the training on Human Rights and Child Rights at Hetauda, Makawanpur district

Participants of human rights leadership training organized in Jumla district on 3-7 January, 2008

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Elderly becomes a Human Rights Defender

Peace Building Campaign encouraged 76 year old Pratap Singh Rawal of Lungra VDC of Achham to be a human rights defender. The man who used to be involved in social service has now become a human rights defender. Pratap Singh Rawal knew about human rights issues while participating in in-teraction programs organized by peace facilitator at VDC level. He confessed that when he previously worked as a social worker, he had been involved in social work unknowingly. Sometimes in the pro-cess of giving justice the rights of perpetrators could have been violated. But now -a-days the situation is different and he has facilitated in resolving disputes between the perpetrators and victims. He regularly participates in the interaction programmes, studies the HR related book and magazines distributed by PBC and disseminates information to the communi-ties. Now a days people call him a ‘Human Rights Grandfather’.

Focusing on the national level human rights defend-ers, INSEC organize a training entitled, ‘Defending the Rights of Human Rights Defenders in Nepal’ in Goda-vari Resort, Lalitpur on 29-30 May, 2008. The purpose of the training was to promote practical knowledge on international and national mechanisms for the protection of rights of the human rights defenders, provide a clear picture about the human rights defenders, their rights and duties, explore the role that national human rights institutions can play for the protection of human rights defenders, encourage discussion regarding human rights defenders, promote collaboration between national hu-man rights institutions and to identify the areas of coop-eration.

Participants of the training on ‘Defending the Rights of Human Rights Defender in Nepal’, Godawari, Lalitpur district

Richard Bennett, the representative of the OHCHR put his special remarks in opening ceremony of the two days training. Subodh Raj Pyakurel, Chairperson of IN-SEC and Bijaya Raj Gautam, the Executive Director of INSEC addressed the program. INSEC staff and district representatives were the participants of the training. Resource persons from OHCHR and National Human Rights Commission were invited for facilitating the train-ing. Tika Ram Bhattarai, INSEC board member, Prekshya Ojha, Chief of Department of Documentation and Dis-semination and Samjha Shrestha of HR Campaign Unit facilitated the sessions of the training.

Democratization of Political Parties through Inclusion of Disadvantaged Communities

A series of activities have been organized to promote internal democratization and inclusion of disadvantaged communities in the political parties and state mecha-nisms through lobby, advocacy, interaction, workshop,

seminar, mass mobilization, and publication/dissemina-tion on the issues of inclusive democracy and human rights. For instance, a workshop was organized on ‘In-clusiveness in Political Process of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal’ in support of need on 17th June 2008 at Kathmandu. Bargaining capacity of the disadvantaged people to assert for their rights and to bring them into national polity has been enhanced through training, workshop and conferences. This program has played a facilitating role and encouraged the political parties to become more democratic, inclusive and participatory and efficient in decision making process. This will ulti-mately help to promote inclusive democratic culture in the country and establishing efficient, equitable, transpar-ent and accountable state governance on the one hand

Subash Chandra Nembang, Honorable Chairperson of CA, (Cen-tre), Subodh Raj Pyakurel (right), Chairperson of INSEC, Lucky

Sherpa (left), Member of CA in the workshop on ‘Inclusiveness in Political Process of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal’


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and encouraging participation of disadvantaged group of people through capacity building on the other hand.

Interaction/Workshop for Promoting Right to Quality Education

For promoting right to education, INSEC has been in-volved in various education campaigns since its es-tablishment. It has launched district level interactions, workshops and meeting with concerned stakeholders on quality education at different times and places this year. The representatives of political parties and their sister or-ganizations, District Development Committees (DDCs), District Education Offices (DEO), other governmental line agencies, teachers’ unions, school management committees, guardians, members of civil society, human rights organizations and district level I/NGO representa-tives were the participants of these programs.

In addition, as a part of the campaign, a national work-shop on ‘Education in Mother Tongue and Current Chal-lenges’ was held in Kathmandu, on 12 September 2007. The participants comprised of the Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Education, the Chairperson of the Nepalese Federation of Indigenous People (NEFIN), representa-tives from curriculum development centre, language academicians, ethnic communities, student wings, jour-nalists and human right organizations. In the workshop, issues and challenges on development of curriculum in mother tongue and its applicability were discussed in-tensively after papers were presented by experts on the subject. In a similar spirit, a one-day national workshop on ‘Qual-ity Education: Challenges and Role of Stakeholders’ was organized in Kathmandu on 31 August 2007. The chief guest of the workshop was the then Honourable Minister

Pradeep Nepal the then Hon. Minister for Education & Sports (second from right) presenting his view on the national workshop on ‘Quality

Education: Challenges and Role of Stakeholders’, Kathmandu

Ex-Kamaiyas Empowered to Campaign for Right to education

INSEC partnered with an Ex-Kamaiya group in Ma-daha, Motipur VDC-5, Bardiya, to implement some of its grassroots level activities aiming to organize and empower the group and then to mobilize them to take forward the campaign on right to educa-tion. They took part in human rights classes where they were amply introduced with variety of rights including land rights, child rights, and rights to edu-cation. They were actively involved in awareness campaign for school enrolment for poor children, guardians’ awareness and so on. Then, they real-ized the meaning of education and decided to send all their children to school. However, the school was located in a far away area.

Realizing the practical difficulty and the necessity of educating their children, the Ex-Kamaiya group opened an Early Child Care and Development Centre (ECCD), under their own initiation in their village on August 22, 2007. There are altogether 30 children studying there. A five member school management committee has been formed to run the classes effectively. Since their freedom in 1999, twenty kamaiya households have been residing in Mahada.

for Education and Sports, Pradeep Nepal. The prevailing issues concerning quality education, mainly the student teacher ratio, student drop out rate and pass out trends, physical, human resources and educational environment at school were discussed during the workshop. Apart from this, the role of political parties, DEO, civil society, education office, guardians, students, school manage-ment committee, I/NGO in ensuring quality education were also brought during discussion.

During the program, situation analysis of education sec-tor, programme interventions and their impacts and les-sons learned were also shared. A renowned education specialist from Department of Education, Tribhuwan University, Dr. Bidhyanath Koirala presented the key issues and challenges for providing quality education and emphasized on the policy gaps, standard of quality education, access to vulnerable children to education, pro-market and employment educations, quality mea-surement, incorporation of HR and peace education in formal and informal education, necessity of giving high

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priority on education for development of the country, stopping politicization of education system and the need to build capacity of school management committees.

HR Education through Radio

HRE Radio program has been found effective in raising human rights awareness at local level. This program is even more popular among youths at grassroots level and has been able to organize local youths under Human Rights Education Radio Listeners’ Clubs (HRERLIC).

The episodes aired through Radio Nepal and local FM stations has pinpointed the necessity of ratifying the In-

ternational Criminal Court (ICC) by the Nepal Govern-ment and most often it has pressurized the government to take action against the perpetrators of HR incidents. In some instances, victims of HR violation have been able to get compensation from District Administration Offices.

Backstopping Support to Radio Listeners Club

Human Rights Education Radio Listeners Clubs (HRERLICs) are voluntarily formed groups under HRE Radio program of INSEC. HRERLICs have voluntarily or-

ganized several activities for the protection and promo-tion of human rights throughout the country. Due to its recognition and wide coverage, National Election Com-mission had also given it the permission for observing the Constituent Assembly (CA) election held on 10 April, 2008.

INSEC has been supporting the listener’s club by provid-ing INSEC regular publications like Nepal Human Rights Yearbook, INFORMAL, Prachi, INSEC Abhiyan and other contemporary publications. INSEC has also been supporting the National Committee of Listener’s Club as resource persons in the training organized by local level Listener’s Club by providing travel and daily allowances. INSEC has supported the mobilization of HRERLIC mem-bers by increasing then involvement in the district and regional level activities of INSEC. INSEC has also been supporting HRERLIC with the administrative cost for run-ning its National Committee.

Different meetings, interaction program, competi-tions, trainings and conference have been organized by HRERLIC in different districts and places of the country. National Committee Meeting of HRERLIC and National Youth Human Rights Assembly were also organized by HRERLIC in Morang District.

INSEC HRE radio team during recording and editing a radio program at INSEC central office

HRERLIC members observing the CA election held on 10 April 2008, Kathmandu

Signature Campaign for fixing the date of CA election organized by HRERLIC in Pokhara, Kaski district


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INSEC has been contributing towards peace building in the country by coordinating and mobilizing different organizations. Its regional offices have been able to es-tablish themselves as the focal points of peace building initiatives in their respective regions. The coordinated efforts of the networks and collaborations have been able to produce remarkable results. INSEC has devel-oped a system of linkages with other organizations through sharing of learning, best practices, process and methodologies at district, regional and national levels. Such relationships and linkages have proved to be vi-tal for working safely in difficult situations and it has also contributed in raising voices vehemently against human rights violations and taking collective actions for peace.

“A vibrant network for peace building process in place for

advocacy and conflict mitigation (Sharing of experience and

working together).”

Objective-Four

Photo: INSEC in a rally on Loktantra Day for promoting peace, loktantra & human rights organized by Civil Society Network for Peace on LoktaPokhara, Kaski district

Objective-Four

Interactive Discussion at VDC, District, Re-gion and National Level to Assess the Conflict Context, Awareness Raising

For peace, reconciliation and development, differ-ent interaction and workshops have been organized at grassroots, district, regional and national levels. In such programs, discussions were held on peace build-ing and reconciliation processes. The interactions were held among the local teachers, intellectuals, students, women, youth, elderly people, representatives of politi-cal parties, representatives of civil society, government officials, security personals and previous representatives of local bodies.

For instance, INSEC eastern regional office, Biratnagar, organized an interaction program titled, “Transitional Period and Human Rights” in Ilam district on 26 January 2008. A total of 46 persons from different human rights organizations, civil society members were present in the program.

Similarly, INSEC far-western regional office organized 2 interaction programs on “Present Situation of the Coun-try and Sustainable Peace” in Kailali and Kanchanpur districts. The interaction programs were organized to discuss on the situation of human rights in respective districts.

Interaction program on “Issues of Conflict Victims and the Question of Sustainable Peace in the Present National Context” organized by INSEC far-western regional office, Kailali district

on 13 July 2008

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Barbed Wire Removed

CSO Alliance, Bardiya facilitated the removal of a barbed wire from the road which was placed for the security of Government Office during armed con-flict in 2059 BS. During armed conflict, Ranasher Gulma of Nepal Army had set up a camp in irriga-tion office at the district headquarters of Gulariya, Bardiya. They had encircled the camp with barbed wire for security purposes. The wire blocked half of the road and created inconvenience on the mobility of the general people.

Even after the formation of new government of CPN (Maoist) the barbed wire wasn’t removed from the road. Realizing the difficulty of people’s mobility, CSA Bardiya decided to take initiative to remove that wire from the road through dialogue with the Army Personnel. Based on that, joint team of CSA coordinated with the CDO and the Army Person-nel, discussed on the issue and removed the wire from the road. Now-a-days it has become conve-nient for the people to travel around.

Raising Collective Voices for Peace and Con-flict Transformation (Women, Youth, Chil-dren and Adults)

In addition to uniting the local people and making them aware on their rights, the peace initiatives undertaken by INSEC have been able to leave impact by organiz-ing collective programs. People from the program areas who are organized in groups have been sitting together

Interaction program, ‘Role of Stakeholders in a Changing Nation-al Context’ organized INSEC district representative, Argakhachi

district on 25 May 2008

and identifying their common problems regarding HR violation and taking initiatives to dialogue with con-cerned parties and stakeholders. District level groups, VDC level groups including women, youth and elderly persons, child groups in government schools have been involved in peace building and conflict transformation in their communities.

For instance, INSEC mid-regional office Kathmandu or-ganized an interaction program titled, ‘Human Rights Situation and Concern of Victims’ in Kavre district on 16 August 2007. A total of 48 persons representing different government and non- government organizations partici-pated in the program.

Similarly, INSEC western regional Office, Pokhara, or-ganized 2 interaction programs titled, ‘Present situation and role of civil society’ in Gulmi and Arghakhanchi districts. The participants of the program raised their concerns on the issues of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), arms management of Maoists, new government and its problems etc.

Reconciliation Between Political Parties

Political dispute roseover burning of flags and pam-phlets of political parties during CA election cam-paign by an unidentified group has been resolved with joint initiation of CSA, INSEC & other organiza-tions of Dadeldhura. The flags of different political parties like CPN (Maoist), CPN (UML), Jana Morcha Nepal, Rastriya Janamorcha, were torched and de-stroyed on 30th March 2008 at midnight. Political parties blamed cadres of Nepali Congress for this destruction. As a result they staged a strike on 31st March 2008 putting forth different demands like Sher Bahadur Deuba’s public apology and replace-ment of their flags at the respected places. Deuba, a senior leader of NC, refused their demand and clash ensued between YCL & NC cadres. During the clash, YCL vandalized office of Rural Woman De-velopment and Unity Centre (RUWDEC) belonging to Aarju Deuba, NC leader and Deuba’s wife. Simi-larly, NC cadres vandalized office and motorcycle used by Maoist cadres. This induced a clash among three parties which left 12 cadres of CPN (Maoist) and 15 cadres of NC injured. Owing to the exacer-bating situation in the district, local administration was forced to clamp curfew for two days from 2 PM on 31 March 2008, which continued till 1 April, 2008 midnight.


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The clash between NC and Maoist cadres in the dis-trict headquarters created an environment whereby NC cadres were starting to get displaced from vari-ous VDCs. Politically active NC cadres were dis-placed to the district headquarters due to security reasons. In this situation INSEC, CSA, Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) and other organizations jointly started to facilitate in making the situation normal by holding dialogues with the party leaders. A joint press statement was released demanding es-tablishment of peace in the district headquarters. A series of meetings and dialogues were carried out with different political leaders, CDO, DSP in the district headquarters. Meanwhile, the far-western regional team of INSEC also reached Dadeldhura for facilitation. Finally, leaders of political parties agreed to discontinue strike and to make the envi-ronment normal for holding the CA election. The displaced NC cadres also returned to their VDCs and the CA election was organized in a fear-free en-vironment. In this way, due to joint effort of INSEC, CSA and other organizations, political environment was made normal.

Return of IDPs through Reconciliation Efforts

INSEC carried out the ‘Assistance to IDP Returnees in Nepal’ project in all the 24 districts of the mid and far-western development regions from August 2007 to Au-gust 2008 with the financial support from USAID and technical support of Save the Children-US and in co-ordination with Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS). The project was for assisting 5000 IDPs and their children of 1000 households in ensuring their protection rights after their return.

Before the rehabilitation process, an assessment and identification process of IDPs was carried out through a survey to find out the situation of IDPs and their basic needs. The survey was carried out through INSEC Dis-trict Representatives in all 24 districts, in which it was found that a total of 9485 persons of 1577 households were living in dire situations as IDPs in the places of displacement, which was usually the district headquar-ters and neighboring places. Among them 2805 persons were males and 2738 were female and included 2068 boys and 1874 girls as well. Among them 2272 were Janajatis, 831 Dalits and 6191 Brahmins/Chettris. They were compelled to leave their homes and live as Inter-

nally Displaced Persons (IDPs) because of the decade long armed insurgency and were willing to go back to their places of origin.

To return back the displaced people in their places of origin it was important to establish a favorable environ-ment for them in their home villages. In order to make the environment better in the communities, INSEC con-ducted several district level interactions with the key stakeholders to share the findings of assessment as well as to make them aware on the provisions in the CPA, the Interim Constitution and Policy and Directives on IDPs.

The assurance of protection of IDPs was the most chal-lenging task and therefore, frequent interaction/meeting and dialogue with key stakeholders through the project and district chapters to minimize probable disputes were organized. At the same time, interactions/meetings and counseling to the IDPs were carried out to assure them their safety and to encourage them to return back to the places of their origin. IDPs were willing to go back to

their homes but they were not self-assured in terms of their safety and security. To deal with this realization, interaction/meeting, dialogue and other related activi-ties were organized for sensitization and reconciliation of IDPs and other conflicting parties in the host com-munity. Such types of reconciliation activities have been very effective for the IDPs to feel secure and sort out the differences among neighbors.

To disseminate information about IDPs and related ac-tivities for providing assistance to IDPs and the return-ees, a total of 15 information centers were established in coordination with NRCS. Most of the information cen-ters were established at NRCS offices and in some dis-

Puskar Pandey (standing in blue jacket) coordinator of the project facilitating community interaction with IDPs

Objective-Four

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tricts, INSEC District Representatives worked as the focal persons. In connection with the above survey, data entry process was completed on database prepared by INSEC with the technical support from Save the Children-US.

Through continuous efforts of INSEC, all the political parties, especially the CPN-Maoists agreed to welcome IDPs in their homes and promised to create a favorable environment for them live in their own homes. In addi-tion, some of the District Administration Offices (DAO) has also made a mechanism to implement the govern-ment’s IDPs policy and directives. With the collective efforts of INSEC, NRCS and Save the Children a total of

Reconciliation Through A Cultural Program

Thawang VDC of Rolpa district is one of the most con-flict affected areas where around 60 people were killed during the armed conflict. Many houses of local people were burned down by the Nepal Army alleging them as Maoists guerillas. The people of Thawang VDC still view the police and army with fear, terror and distrust.

Recently, a police post has been established at Thawang but local people are not friendly towards them. They be-have with the police as enemies and the police in-charge is never invited in any function organized by the com-munity.

After an interaction meeting and dialogue organized be-tween the police and the local people, the people are convinced that the police are also a part of state and with the responsibility to establish peace and harmony in community. An interaction was organized in Thawang of Rolpa on 15 June 2008 with the participation of Mao-ist local cadre Ujwal, Police Inspector Ram Singh Bista, health post in charge of Thawang, Ramakant Chaudhary. Both Bista and Chaudhary actively took part in the pro-gram and delivered speech on rights and duty of police and health workers to the community people.

Likewise, a local festival ‘Noke bunge’, a special festi-val of Magar community, was organized where police inspector Bista and health post in charge Chaudhary were invited where they danced together with commu-nity people as well as human rights activists. These types of activities have helped the people to familiarize with each other and start a healthy relation between the state agencies and community people.

5991 IDPs of 981 households were able to return back to their places of origin. Among them a total of 1717 were returned with direct assistance from INSEC and the rest were encouraged to go back voluntarily through its programs. INSEC has thoroughly monitored the process to ensure the protection of IDP returnees. A total of 9 events of farewell program were organized at the district headquarters in presence of all political parties, govern-ment authorities, human rights activists, journalists, civil society members and other key stakeholders to encour-age the IDPs to go back to their homes and lobbied with the key stakeholders to support IDPs. All political parties paid attention and committed publicly to contribute to


37

fulfilling the provisions made in CPA and IDP policy and directives and other related documents for the IDPs.

Besides this, a total 1037 IDPs of 172 households were found to have settled in the new place where they have already started small business or built own houses. Some of them had also received government support as well as the support from NRCS for their return. However, they are still in district headquarters living in their own houses

Compensation To IDPs in INSEC’s Recommendation

Conflict victims profile prepared by INSEC peace activist under PBC has been recommended by Dis-trict Peace Committee of the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction (MoPR) to be referred to for com-pensation. The profile included humanitarian and physical loses, names of Internally Displaced Per-sons during armed conflict and their current situ-ation.

After Comprehensive Peace Agreement and vari-ous other agreements, the government of Nepal has made a policy to form a Local Peace Commit-tee (LPC) in every district to recommend loses of victims of armed conflict and names of IDPs for compensation. In Achham district, when collecting the names of IDPs, LPC asked political parties to recommend names of the IDPs in the district. The political parties prepared their own profiles and submitted the lists to LPC. The LPC then organized a meeting on 20 June, 2008 to finalize the names of the IDPs to make their own recommendations to the MoPR. The meeting was presided by commit-tee’s coordinator, Padam Bohara, and attended by CDO, Gyanraj Koirala, and LDO, Bishwa Prakash Subedi, among others. Since the lists provided by the political parties differed to a great extent, the meeting decided to take the list of persons prepared by INSEC as the most impartial one.

The names of a total of 303 IDPs have been recom-mended for receiving compensation. Meanwhile, the meeting also decided to send a list of 453 IDPs, 13 disappeared persons and 177 killed persons to Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction (MoPR) for compensation. This decision recognized the im-partiality of the local peace activists and the PBC district team and used their information for provid-ing compensation to the real victims of the armed conflict.

and engaged in business like tea shop, fruit shop, hotel and restaurant and do not want to be known as IDPs.

After living as displaced people for a long time, IDPs are able to return back to their homes for the first time through initiatives and mediation carried out by INSEC. During their return, the community people and Maoists cadres welcomed IDP returnees by organizing formal ceremonies. Now after their rehabilitation, IDPs have started reconstructing or renovating their houses and ploughing their field for cultivation. Neighbors are also assisting them to carry out their work more easily.

To monitor the living condition of IDPs at the places of origin, regular follow up and monitoring at the district headquarters and local level were conducted through INSEC’s District Representatives and project team. Peo-ple as well as the key stakeholders were sensitized and made aware about the rights and duties of IDPs.

Solidarity and Collaboration Events with Vari-ous Coalitions and Networks INSEC also regularly works with other networks and co-alitions, both national and international on the issues of human rights and peace. On 9 April 2008, a day before the CA election, INSEC and representatives from Forum-Asia met and interviewed major political party leaders and the election commissioner regarding the violation of election code of conduct and other relevant issues. On the Election Day itself, with INSEC’s coordination, an international election observation mission initiated

Objective-Four

Women security pressure group organizing a mass rally in Kathmandu

38

by Forum-Asia organized an election observation tour in Kathmandu.

INSEC also coordinated and/or participated in the pro-grams organized by its partner organizations and network members as well as like-minded organizations working in the field of socio-cultural discriminations. It partici-pated in a solidarity campaign conducted by Women Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC) on 15 July 2008. The campaign has demanded the action against the perpe-trators of Laxmi Bohara (who was killed because of her work against domestic violence), to form an investiga-tion commission to investigate into the case and also de-manded protection for women human rights defenders. The organization also participated in a rally organized by Women Rehabilitation Center (WOREC), to mark the International Day of migration on 18 December 2008.

INSEC has actively expressed solidarity in the activi-ties of various national level coalitions for children and

women rights protection such as Children as Zone of Peace (CEZOP), SANTIMaLIKA, Women Security Pres-sure Group (WSPG) and Alliance Against Trafficking Women and Children in Nepal (AATWIN). INSEC being an active member of these coalitions is playing an effec-tive role in such initiatives such as the rally organized by WSPG in the capital on 8 January demanding 33 percent women representation in all sectors of state.

Likewise, the 98th International women day was cel-ebrated in Kathmandu on 8 March 2008. The day was celebrated in co-ordination with different women right and human right organizations. As an executive mem-ber of WSPG, INSEC central office and regional office took part in the rally organized by WSPG with a slogan “Guarantee Women’s Participation in Constituent As-sembly”. INSEC, Women Pressure Group, Nepal Differ-ently Abled Women’s Group among other groups had participated in the rally.


INSEC in a rally on the Women’s Day (8th March) demanding 33 percent of women participation in the CA, Maitighar Mandala, Kathmandu

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INSEC has been advocating for putting an end to social discrimination by organizing campaigns against the practice of untouchability, domestic violence and for establishing appropriate wages for agricultural labours in rural communities. Campaigns for release or publicity of where-abouts of the disappeared or abducted people, rally/demonstrations for peace, and Dharna (sit-in, especially at entrance/exit as a protest) programs have also been organized. The cam-paigns have made people aware on discrimina-tory practices so that they are pressurizing the government for their economic, social and cul-tural rights due to which some of the national laws and rules have been revised and modified

“National Laws and related rules and regulations are reinforced against social discriminations

(Advocacy against social discrimination).”

Objective-Five

Photo: Sarita Gyawali, officer of NHRC presenting a paper during an interaction program on ‘Violence Against Women and Its Remedies’ in Nepalgunj, Banke district

Campaign on Child Rights, Minority Rights, Women Rights and Discriminatory Social Practice

To make people aware and conscious on child rights, women rights and different discriminatory social prac-tices existing in societies, INSEC has organized various campaigns throughout the country. By being involved in those campaigns people of grassroots level as well as regional level have started showing their concerns and raising voices against violation of their economic, social and cultural rights in their respective areas.

INSEC western regional office, Pokhara, organized an interaction program titled, ‘Domestic Violence and Concerns’ on 10 December 2007. The Chief Guest of the program was Sushil Pyakurel, a former member of NHRC and INSEC’s founder member. Many people, in-cluding security forces and civil society organizations, participated in the program.

Members of a women CBO in a monthly interaction program discussion on women’s rights at Belbas, Pyuthan district

A Guardian Teacher of a CRAG conducting a class on child rights at Swargadwari Secodary School, Pyuthan district

Objective-Five

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nized by INSEC with political parties, Women CA Mem-bers and other concerned stakeholders against socio-economic discrimination. For instance, an interaction was conducted under a theme ‘Common Agreement of Women CA members for Women Rights’. The objective of the interaction was to discuss and get the commit-ment from CA members to come up with the common agenda and agreement in women issues in the assembly. During the meeting, the CA members expressed their commitments to stand above the party whip while ad-dressing the issues of women rights. The meeting real-ized a need to form a coalition of women CA members to bring all women CA members together for a common understanding and agreement on women issues and also to agree on women representation in different positions such as chairperson, vice chairperson, president of dif-ferent committees in the CA.

Similarly, a 16-day long campaign namely, ‘Demanding Implementation, Challenging Obstacles: End Violence against Women’ was organized from 25 November to 10 December 2007 by various human rights organiza-tions and women groups. It called for greater account-ability and political commitment from states to prevent and punish all forms of violence against women in prac-tice, urged for increase in awareness of the impact of violence against women-including engaging in measures to end such violence also demanded for securing a space for advocacy and defending the rights of Women HR Defenders during their work. The campaign was aimed at making efforts to end all forms of gender-based vio-lence.

Farmers Get Organized for Their Rights

In the initiation of Peace facilitators mobilized in Latikoili and Uttarganga VDCs, Surkhet, the Adhiya Bataiya farmers have organized themselves to strug-gle against landlords for guaranteeing minimum wage. In the name of farming, under Adhiya system (Equal sharing of grains produced) Adhiya Bataiya Farmers were abused by landlords under Kola, Jeer-ayat and Thamuati practice. According to these practices, the farmers have to do both household and agricultural work for the landlords without be-ing paid the minimum labor wage.

These practices have been continued since an-cient times. To eradicate this practice they have prepared annual work plan for staging a protest, including awareness campaign, formation of ward farmer groups, media dialogue in the district head-quarters, data collection with the facilitation of peace facilitator of PBC. They have formed ward level farmers’ group and organized demonstrations and rallies against these practices. Similarly, they have prepared a project named Adhiya Bataiya Sa-chetana Abhiyan to submit in the DDC of Surkhet with the help of INSEC far-western regional office team. These forums of farmers have been formed after they were informed about their rights during monthly interactions organized by Peace Facilita-tor under the PBC. Now-a-days they are advocating for protection of their rights with the landlords and district local stakeholders.

Lobbying and Advocating against Socio- economic Discrimination, Superstitious Be-liefs and Practices Lobbying and advocacy on human rights issues is a continuous undertaking of INSEC to sensitize different stakeholders and concerned authorities through differ-ent workshops and discussions.

Different Interactions and workshops have been orga-

Women CA members during the interaction program on Common Agreement of Women CA Members for

Women Rights, held in Kathmandu


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Objective-Five

Policy Advocacy at National Level on Land Issue

To contribute to the national level land policy, INSEC has been launching different workshops and interaction on land issues at regional and national levels on different dates. A national level interaction workshop, ‘Land Re-form in the Process of State Restructuring’ was organized at Annapurna Hotel Kathmandu on 5 December 2007. In the ineraction program participants were from differ-ent background and represented major political parties and their sister organizations, high ranking officials from

Srijana Kattel Succeed in Getting Married after Child Birth

Srijana Kattel, aged 21 was a resident of Dhoodari-9 Bipatpur, Bardiya and came to district headquarters Guleriya for appearing in the S.L.C examinations. During her stay in Guleriya, she got into a sexual relationship with Bikash Gharti Magar, who worked in the police office. He had persuaded Srijana Kat-tel for a sexual intercourse by promising her to help in her SLC examinations.

When she came to know that she had become pregnant she informed Bikash about it and tried to meet him several times. However, he always tried to ignore her and told her that he had been trans-ferred to another district. When her family found about her pregnancy, they started to hate her and forced her to leave the house. She left her home and gave birth to a child in Tulapur-7, Guleriya on 19 Kartik, 2065 B.S. After the birth of the child she took shelter in a house of Bimala Devi Gurung with a help from Ratna Devi Pun. Bimala Devi Gurung informed about Srijana Kattel’s situation to CSA, INSEC and other organizations working for women rights. Then with the initiation of these organiza-tions and in coordination with the District Police Office (DPO), Srijana Kattel was taken to the DPO to identify Bikash Gharti Magar. She recognized Bikash Gharti Magar, who was still in Guleriya po-lice office. Bikash accepted Sirjana as his wife and the child as his son and married her.

In this way, Srijana Kattel succeed in legalizing the birth of her child and her marriage by a joint initia-tion of CSA, INSEC, Aawaj and other organizations of Bardiya . Now they are residing in Guleriya Ba-zaar.

government agencies, policy makers, civil society orga-nizations, land rights and other right activists, academi-cians and individuals. Dr. Jagadish Chandra Pokharel, Vice-Chairperson of National Planning Commission was the Chief Guest in the program.

The workshop focused its discussion on land reform in relation to state restructuring, land reform/management modalities as a priority agenda of socio-economic and political transformation of Nepal. INSEC presented its re-search paper on the landholding pattern in Mid-western Nepal and shared about the research methodology, find-ings and conclusions, types of interventions, results and

outcomes of interventions made by the INSEC on land reform and management at community, VDC, district and regional levels, commitments and recommenda-tions made by the stakeholders at community, district and regional level for policy level interventions and les-sons learned while carrying out land reform advocacy activities.

In the program, renowned land rights activist Jagat Bas-net, from Community Self-Reliance Centre (CSRC) and National Land Rights Forum (NLRF) presented a paper on ‘Transformative Land Reform Modality’ for policy level interventions on land reform and management. Keshav Badal, the Coordinator of High Level Land Reform Com-mission, Babu Ram Aryal, the Secretary of Land Reform and Management, Pasang Sherpa, the Chairperson of Nepalese Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) and other distinguished guests presented their views on land reform in the process of state restructuring.

As a result, the national level stakeholders and policy-

Honorable Vice-Chairperson of NPC, Dr. Jagadish C. Pokharel launching a research report and inaugurating the national work-

shop on land reform, Kathmandu

42

makers agreed that existing land reform policy, insti-tution and processes were insufficient for progressive transformation of politico-economic power relations and that there is a need to formulate progressive land reform policy, decentralized mechanisms and pro-farmers land reform processes to achieve proper land reform. The ma-jor political parties and their wings, the National Plan-ning Commission and the Ministry of Land Reform and Management, civil society organizations initiated debate and advocated for progressive land reform in the process of state restructuring. High level land reform commis-sion is in the process of formation to formulate scientific and progressive land reform policies and decentralized structure and institutions and participatory processes for implementing the policies.

Labour Wage in the Informal Sector

Appropriate wage to labours in the informal sector has always been of concern to INSEC. An interaction work-shop titled, ‘Issue of Appropriate Wage for the Labour of Informal Sector (Agriculture and Non-Agriculture)’ was organized in Kathmandu on 16 November 2007 in which the then Honourable State Minister of Labour and Transport Management, Ramesh Lekhak was the chief guest. The other participants for the workshop included representatives from sector line ministries, departments, trade unions, political parties and civil society, HR orga-nizations and NGOs.

The interaction was focused on issues of determination and implementation of appropriate wage for the labourer of informal sector. INSEC shared its experiences on ap-propriate wages for labours of informal sector with spe-cial reference to mid-western development region, sta-tus of wage labours including bonded and child labours, minimum wage rate, its determination procedures, gen-der discrimination on wage, complaints over inappro-priate wage and hearing, campaigns on minimum wage and its achievement, gap between formal rate and pre-vailing rate in informal sector, problems in fixing and getting appropriate wages.

Similarly, working paper on appropriate wage in informal sector was presented and shared by Umesh Upadhaya from General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GE-FONT). He highlighted on some vital statistics on wage labours and their present status, major areas of informal labour, minimum wage of labours, labour income, social security and fringe benefits, nature of labour of informal

sector, wage fixing, labour wage in agriculture and non-agriculture sector, further actions and interventions on appropriate wage for labours.

As a result, the concerned authorities like the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management agreed to rede-fined the appropriate wage that is sufficient for support-ing education, health and livelihood of wage labourer including his/her dependants. The subsidies on different services and accidental insurance should be granted to the poor. The trade unions committed to facilitate the trade unionization in informal sector as well. The con-cerned authorities agreed that the exiting mechanism at district level is not effective enough and in a position to formulate the policy and mechanism of monitoring and minimum wage in formal and informal sectors. The effective monitoring and support mechanism is being processed to make the country free from different types of bonded labour like Kamlahari, Haliya, Harawa and Charawa in reality.

Campaign against Caste-based Discrimina-tion

INSEC has continued its campaign against discrimina-tion of people on caste grounds. Various activities, rang-ing from the grassroots level to the national level have been organized to lobby an advocate for the equal rights of the dalits.

Dalits Women Entered Into Shiva Temple

With the initiation of Kailpal Ama Samuha of Kail-palmandau, Dadeldhura district, five Dalit women have entered into a Shivalaya temple during Shiva Ratree, a major Hindu festival observed to gratify lord Shiva. The Kailpal Ama Samuha, focused CBO under PBC, has been mobilized for protection and promotion of human rights for social justice. They have conducted a series of interactions on caste-based discrimination in the communities. During interactions, people have shown commitments to minimize the existing caste-based discrimination and have decided to facilitate entry of Dalits into the temple, which has always been forbidden. Five Dalit women were allowed to enter the temple dur-ing Shiva Ratree on 6th March, 2008. In this way, PBC has increased awareness level of community people towards their rights and people have gradu-ally started minimizing unfair traditional beliefs and practices and have started to respect the rights of people.


43

Objective-Six

Eversince its inception, especially after the start of the ‘People’s War’ by the CPN-Mao-ists, INSEC has been making continuous ef-forts at ensuring rights of the victims of human rights violations. INSEC, as always, has raised the issue of impunity thereby pressurizing the government to investigate on the cases of HR violations, prosecute the perpetrators so as to ensure justice and compensation to the victims. It has tried to create pressure against human rights violations by issuing urgent appeals and sending details of the cases to the International organizations like OMCT/ Amnesty Interna-tional and UN agencies.

“People and communities are pro-tected against Human Rights Viola-tion and supported for rescue and

relief (HR protection).”

Objective-Six

Photo: CICSA, INSEC partner organization at Sunsari district taking information from IDPs

Emergency Rescue and Relief of the Victims of HR Violation

The victims of human rights violation were provided with different forms of relief in INSEC’s initiation. As a result, number of victims have been released from cap-tivity, rehabilitated and have received compensations from different organizations as well as from concerned authorities. Some exemplary cases of such efforts are as follows.

INSEC eastern regional office at Biratnagar, distributed 48 sets of clothes and quilts for the 48 families of Haripur VDC of Sunsari district displaced by threats from Mad-heshi Tiger, an armed group operating in the area. These displaced persons have been living near Koshi Tappu since August 2007.

A disabled child was found near Manab Dharma Sewa Samiti, Pokhara. She had been roaming around the place for about a month. After hearing about the case on 10 March 2008, a team of human rights defenders visited the place and found her lying down on wet floor wearing very dirty clothes. INSEC played a coordinating role to rehabilitate the child to Shakti Samuha, which is a shel-ter for women and children. The child now has started to learn reading and writing in the shelter.

Displaced families living near Koshi Tappu, Haripur VDC, Sunsari district due to threats from an armed group

44

Litigation on HR Protection

After getting information on cases of human rights viola-tion, INSEC has issued different urgent appeals and press statement. Through the urgent appeals concerned stake-holders has become serious and made commitment for not repeating such violations. Some times through the urgent appeals victims get compensations, legal remedy and self relief for themselves.

INSEC has issued urgent appeals on the case of Bara dis-trict based journalist Birendra Sah (see the box) who was abducted and killed by the Maoists, on the case of Kan-chanpur based journalist Prakash Thakuri, on the killing of advocate Jagdish Acharya, 50, Mardasa tole, Kalaiya Municipality-8, Bara district by Akhil Terai Mukti Mor-cha (ATMM).

Lobby Advocacy with State Authorities & Political Parties and Coordination with Other Organizations to Rehabilitate IDPs

To rehabilitate the Internally Displace Persons (IDPs), INSEC has organized different coordination meeting as well as workshops in district, region and central levels. Such coordination meetings and workshop have been organized among the key stakeholders, political parties, civil society organizations, journalists, I/NGos and gov-

Hari Kumar Basnet-38, candidate of Nepal Bikash Party for the member of Constituent Assembly for Morang-7, Biratnagar, was abducted by Nepal Defense Army on March 25. After get-ting the information of abduction, IN-SEC representatives visited the family and the district police office. After the initiation and persistent efforts of INSEC and other human rights organization he was released after 1 week of his abduction from an unknown place.

Kopila Shrestha of Pokhara Sub-metro-politan-8 was badly beaten by her hus-band. Her husband used to assault her and demand dowry. She came to IN-SEC western regional office at Pokhara seeking assistance on 7 February 2008. After hearing the about case, INSEC called her husband and relatives to office and made them sign an agreement not to repeat it again.

Hari Kumar Basnet

6 November 2007

Press Release

On 10 October, 2007 INSEC released a Fact-find-ing report about the abduction of Bara district-based journalist Birendra Sah from local Pipara Bazaar that occurred on 5 October. The report said that the Maoist cadres were involved in the abduction and had asked the Maoists leadership to probe into the matter from the central level. But, the Maoist lead-ership remained busy in refuting the report which incriminated Maoist cadres in the abduction, for nearly a month.

A central level committee formed by the Maoists to find out about the Maoist cadres’ involvement in abduction of Birendra Sah revealed on 5 November that Maoist cadres including their People’s District Government Chief Lal Bahadur Chaudhary had ab-ducted and shot Sah dead on the same day.

The Maoist attempt to keep on claiming the reports as biased when all the reports were pointing fin-gers at the Maoist cadres instead of finding out the truth, breaking its own commitment not to disrupt the media sector has raised question marks on the party’s reliability. Maoist leadership is claiming that Chaudhary, the prime accused, is out of contact. Recklessness from the Maoist side has allowed Chaudhary to flee and has the incident has promot-ed impunity. We would like to draw Maoist leadership’s atten-tion towards the fact that lack of regards for free-dom of expression and rule of law is responsible for lack of reduction in such criminal activities.

Therefore, we urge the Maoist leadership to expose rather than suppress the weaknesses of its cadres and to prove its significant contribution to the peace process and that it is implementing the com-mitment expressed at various occasions and in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.



Kopila Shrestha

45

Objective-Six

ernment authorities. For the right of the IDPs, national level coordination and meetings with authorities such as the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction (MoPR) and agencies such Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) have been organized. Such initiatives have helped the stakeholders to be sincere in making efforts for resolv-ing the problems of IDPs by making good coordination mechanism from district to central levels. They have also realized that the coordination mechanism decrease the duplication of works carried out by the government au-thorities and non-government agencies. The government agency has also coordinated with INSEC by sending for-mal letter to support for identification and verification of IDPs and others conflict victims.

Similarly, a national level sharing meeting on IDPs in Nepal was organized on 21st August 2008 with national level stakeholders at Himalaya Hotel Kupondol, Lalit-pur. The program was organized to share working ex-periences of INSEC on rehabilitation of conflict induced IDPs in Nepal with the national level stakeholders and to draw their attention for working towards overcoming the challenges of conflict induced IDPs through out the

country in future.

A video documentary prepared by INSEC on IDPs titled “BIRSANA KOJIYEKO PIDA” (Unforgettable Grief) was also shown during the program. In the meeting, the Joint Secretary from Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction (MoPR) also shared about the latest developments on the efforts made by the government on IDPs policy and programs.

The program was chaired by INSEC’s Chairperson Subodh Raj Pyakurel and was participated by Honorable member of the National Planning Commission, Dipen-dra Bahadur Chhetri, Joint Secretary of the MoPR, Durga Nidhi Sharma, and other government officials and politi-cal leaders from major political parties of Nepal. In the meeting a total of 55, including 11 female participants, represented the major political parties, government au-thorities, human rights community, media and I/NGOs working on IDPs.

Not only through its program but INSEC also collaborates with other organizations for the cause of human rights protection when required. For instance, it was one of the organizers of a rally on 30 August, 2007 organized to create public pressure for bringing out the whereabouts of disappeared people. More than 150 people including family member of disappeared people, human rights ac-tivities and media persons participated in the rally.

Further, INSEC joined a solidarity campaign on 1 June 2008 conducted by Impunity Task Force demanding rep-aration to the victims caught by impunity in Kathmandu. On the day families of disappeared demanded immedi-ate investigation on whereabouts of their families, disap-peared by states agencies as well as Maoist.

National level sharing meeting on ‘Assistance to IDP Returnees in Nepal’, Lalitpur district

‘Where ary they?’ a rally demanding whereabouts of disappeared people on ‘International Day of Disappeared People’, Kathmandu, on 30 August 2007

46

INSEC is working towards fostering the culture of peace by discouraging human rights violations and socio-economic discriminations through mobilizing and strengthening local NGOs and CBOs. It has forty partner organizations in as many districts, working with around 1200 Human Rights Education Radio Listeners’ Clubs in 73 districts, and number of CBOs at grassroots level. INSEC district partner organiza-tions have been raising voices against human rights violations and atrocities and are recognized as lead-ing human rights organization in their respective dis-tricts. Besides INSEC programs, other human rights related activities i.e. Fact-finding missions, rallies, special day celebrations and campaigns are carried out independently by partner organizations. Some of them have strong network with I/NGOs and CBOs from grassroots to national level.

“Institutional competence of CBOs and other like-minded

organizations enhanced to work together on human rights, peace building and policy advocacy (ID/OS of partner organizations).”

Objective-Seven

Photo: Metal boxes distributed to women CBOs for keeping their record books, Pyuthan district

Capacity Building Efforts

After conducting Organizational Development work-shops, among the INSEC district partener organizations the partner organizations are taking positive steps to-wards their institutional development.

In most cases, the organizations have prepared or amended their administrative and financial regulations and, in few cases, even the organizational statutes. About half of the partner organizations have restructured their organizations and provided specific ToRs to its staff members. Some of these organizations (like DYRING, Sindhupalchowk) have even reformulated their VMGs. The practice of preparing and working according to spe-cific actions plans is well established in these district organizations. Many of the organizations have started getting their documents better organized. A few have produced organizational brochures.

Many of the partner organizations have gone through restructuring of the organization itself, based on prin-ciples of inclusion. HUSEC of Saptari, for instance, has changed its executive committee altogether since the organization was not able to make much impact in the district. This process has invigorated the organizations as a whole. The most outstanding outcome has been the fact that many of the partner organizations have started formulating periodic plans and their actions have been monitored on the basis of those plans. After the workshop on organizational development, many of the partner organizations have started organizing regular monthly meetings on institutional issues.

Tulasha Dahal, representative from INSEC district partner organization of Dhanusha district, presentating assessment of her own organization in the Organizational Development workshop,

Hetauda, Makawanpur district

47

Objective-Seven

Increased Initiatives on Project Development

Some of the district or-ganizations have started launching programs in-dependently and also seeking for new proj-ects on their own. Vari-ous project proposals have been submitted by the district organiza-tions to different agen-cies. HUSEC of Baitadi has done very well on this regard. It is imple-menting a “community peace building” project with support from the Asia Foundation, a “civ-ic and voting awareness program” with the sup-port of Pro-public and an income generation

and skill development program for the conflict victims and the displaced people with the support of DFID-CSP.

Institutional Support

As an institutional support strategy, INSEC has been providing minimum financial support for rental and ad-ministrative purposes to the district partner organization. Now these organizations run smoothly even when they do not have particular projects. Since not all organiza-tions have sufficient reach and influence on donor com-munity, and though some of the organizations were in a difficult financial situation even to participate in human rights based activities, all the 30 organizations now ap-pear stable in terms of their presence as human rights organizations in the districts.

Due to such kind of support, the level of involvement of many of the partner organizations in the human rights sector has increased noticeably. The involvements of the partner organizations have increased in the follow-ing activities.• Monitoring of the human rights situation in the dis-

tricts• Active participation in the human rights coalitions

and networks in the districts

• Active participation in human rights programs or-ganized by national and international human rights organizations. Among the programs, rallies, interac-tions, meetings were the main types.

• Participation in the programs and activities related to the upcoming constituent assembly election, either independently or under other alliances like NEOC.

• Any other specific human rights issues in the particu-lar districts like IDPs.

The partner organization in Siraha district, APEC, has organized a monitoring visit to the detainees in the dis-trict prison. Similarly, CICSA, the partner organization in Sunsari district has organized a field study of the IDPs from Haripur VDC.

The front page of the contract for ‘Schools are Zone of Peace (SZOP)’

project, between NGO co-ordination committee, Achham

and INSEC district partner organization Accham

Detainees in Siraha prison visited by APEC, district partner organization of Siraha district

A peace rally on the occasion of 59th International Human Rights Day organized by INSEC district partner organization Sindhuli, on

10 December

48

During this reporting period, the partner organizations in the east worked together to organize peace rallies amidst a growing violence in the eastern Terai. In Siraha, Saptari, Morang and Sunsari districts. APEC, the partner organization of Siraha district is a case in point. With the limited financial support provided by the project, APEC has launched its own website, “Samagra Nepal” and quoted INSEC as one of its main partner organizations.

Due to the institutional support provided to the partner organizations, the partner organizations have been able to undertake extra activities on their own and coordi-nation with other stakeholders and other likeminded organizations have been enhanced. For instance, APEC of Siraha district organized a training session on basic human rights for the Rana Singh battalion of the army located at Chandralalpur VDC. After the training the army reflected on their weaknesses regarding their sensi-tiveness towards human rights and committed to correct them in future.

In general, the following trend in the outcome has been observed.

• The involvement of these partner organizations in the human rights sector has increased.

• Coordination with the district stakeholders and par-ticipation in different civil society alliances has in-creased.

• Increased recognition as a human rights organization in their respective districts.

Ashmita Nepal of Makawanpur in central region has been active in a different variety of rights-based activi-ties. It has been conducting informal education program for Chepangs, one of the endangered minorities of the country. Asmita, in collaboration with four other district organizations, is carrying out programs on reproductive health and sex education and against traffficking.

INSEC partner organizations are working for the human rights movement and are organizing several activities


Subodh Raj Pyakurel , Chairperson of INSEC speaking in a mass gathering jointly organized by civil society organizations, Siraha district

49

Objective-Seven

like talk program, public hearing, memorandum submis-sion, interaction programs. The organizations played a proactive role during CA Elections. District partner orga-nizations were actively involved in the INSEC campaign for the CA election. INSEC was part of the election obser-vation networks and alliances like the NEOC (National Election Observation Committee), NEMA (National Elec-tion Monitoring Alliance). Most of the district partner or-ganizations were coordinators and key members of the either of the networks and were actively monitoring the election.

District level human rights alliances of human rights NGOs with the INSEC partner NGOs as the lead and including other working NGOs, HRERLICs, civil society have been formed at districts.

These human rights alliances so formed have undertak-en several initiatives for the promotion and protection of human rights in their respective districts. As a part of the initiative, human rights alliances at Kailali organized a district level mass rally in order to pressurize the Nepal government to initiate the process for the rehabilitation of Ex-kamaiyas.

Involvement of INSEC District Partner Orga-nizations during the Historic Constituent As-sembly Elections

As specified in the plans, all the organizations actively took part in collecting information on cases of violations of election code of conduct, violations of human rights in the period, issuing press releases, conducting election

awareness programs, taking lead in maintaining coordi-nation among election observers and documenting over-all situations in their respective districts. In this way, the partner organizations played active role for creating fear-free environment for the CA elections in the region.

All partner organizations of INSEC have played the role of focal persons and institutions in their respective districts for the CA election. Many of the key persons of these organizations led the alliances and coalitions of human rights organizations for observing the election under the banners like NEMA, NEOC, GEOC and DEAN.

The partner organizations have shown more interest in collecting and disseminating information on human rights violations in the districts, general monitoring of the districts and assisting INSEC in collaborative activi-ties like issuing press statements and carrying out urgent actions. For instance, the Social Upliftment Centre of Dhanusha district, as a part an alliance consisting of vari-ous organizations monitored and documented the 24-day Madhesh agitation. It is one of the core members of the peace committee of the district.

Partner organization of Sarlahi district organizing a dummy election before the CA election

Siraha-APEC secretary and INSEC DR taking a class on human rights for the army personnel

50

“Recognition as an effective organization in human rights for

its effective and transparent management practice”

Objective-Eight

Photo: INSEC eastern regional office team participating in an Executive Committee meeting of partner organization, Siraha district

14th General Assembly of INSEC

The fourteenth general assembly of INSEC started on 5 January 2008 with the slogan “Constituent Assembly Elections for Sustainable Peace and Democracy” at Ho-tel Himalaya, Lalitpur. The welcome remarks were made by INSEC Chairperson Subodh Raj Pyakurel who briefly discussed on the progress of programme activities ex-ecuted by INSEC. All the speakers during the program, including Chief of OHCHR, Richard Bennett, President of National Human Rights Commission, Kedarnath Up-adhyaya spoke on the importance of free and fair CA elections and the contributions made by INSEC on com-munity awareness. They also highlighted on the need of protecting the rights of the marginalized communities while ensuring their proportional representation in all state structures. The speakers of the program included the former Election Commissioner Surya Prasad Shrest-ha, General Secretary of NGO Federation Shanta Mulmi, President of Human Right Alliance, Shanti Adhikari, Se-nior HR activist, Krishna Pahadi, General Secretary of National Indigenous Federation, Ram Bahadur Thapa and Dr. Birendra Mishra.

In-House System for Planning Monitoring & Evaluation (PM&E)

Planning Monitoring and Evaluation unit has also been established in all five INSEC regional offices for system-atic planning, monitoring and evaluation of all INSEC programmes, projects and activities. In addition, it is also a system for organized documentation of the progress through scientific management and analysis of data and information. The system is based on a conceptual frame-

Speakers of the 14th general assembly of INSEC, Hotel Himalaya, Lalitpur district

51

work of a common project cycle and the tools developed for implementation of the system heavily relies on the Logical Framework Approach (LFA) used for program/ project management. Each of the planning, monitoring and evaluation process has specific sets of tools. This is a participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation sys-tem designed in a bottom up approach and has been designed as per the requirement of INSEC.

To make aware about new program/project, its objec-tives, outcomes, output and activities INSEC has regu-larly organized orientation and planning meeting at central and regional level before implementing them. For instance, PM&E Unit organized Central Programme Orientation & Planning Meeting to outline INSEC’s pro-gramme activities for the next three years (2007-2010), at Budol, Kavre on 23- 25 August 2007. Participants of the meeting were INSEC Chairperson, Director, Depart-ment Heads, Unit Chiefs, Programme Coordinators, Re-gional Coordinators, Regional & Central Accountants and PM&E Officers.

Similarly, to review the programme/project and plan for the next phase, programme/project review and planning meetings are regularly held in regional offices with dis-trict partner organizations. In addition central level re-view and planning meetings are being organized twice in a year by Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) Unit. For instance, INSEC (PM&E) organized both “Cen-tral Half Yearly/Yearly Programme/Project Review and Planning Meeting” on 6-7, February, 2008 and 1-3 July 2008 in Dhulikhel, Kavre. The meetings were set with an objective to review the programme/projects activi-ties and to make work plan of INSEC core programmes. INSEC Director, Department Heads, Unit Chief, Central Program Coordinators, Regional Coordinators, Regional

Program Coordinators and PM&E Officers were present during the program.

Similarly, to analyze the pre and post Constituent As-sembly Election environment, adoption of strategies in the context of post CA elections and to review INSEC strategy and planning for ongoing programme and proj-ects, PM&E unit organized a 2-day INSEC Strategic & Review Meeting at Prakash Memorial Hall of INSEC cen-tral office on 5-6 May 2008. INSEC Chairperson, Direc-tor, Department Heads, Unit Chief, Central Programme Coordinators, Regional Coordinators and PM&E Officers were present during the meeting.

Aiming to monitor the programme/projects regularly, regional offices organize field monitoring on a quarter-ly basis and central office monitoring biannually. Pro-gramme monitoring visits were carried out according to the PM&E system. Five teams consisting of 2 persons in each team were deployed from the central office in all the regions for the monitoring purpose. Before the mon-itoring visits, a meeting was held in the central office among the programme coordinators, the PM&E Unit and the management for coordinating the monitoring visits.

INSEC staff members in the strategic & review meeting, INSEC central office

52

During the monitoring visits, both the activities and its financial management were observed. During the visits, meeting with the members of the executive committee of the respective organizations were organized, the local CBOs were visited and discussions held and some of the target groups were met in their own places.

Somraj Thapa Awarded On a seminar organized by Biratnagar Jaycees, Somraj Thapa, the Regional Coordinator of the INSEC east re-gional office was felicitated on 24 Jestha 2065 for his contribution in the human rights sector in the region. The Chief Guest, Balkrishna Pokharel, a linguistic Profes-sor presented Thapa with a letter of appreciation. A short biography of Thapa was also recited in the program.

Speaking in the program, Thapa expressed that he has been deeply motivated to continue fighting for human rights, social justice, peace, truth and justice in the days to come. Other personalities such as hotelier Rajan

Shrestha, Industrialist Avinash Bohara, sportsmen Binod Marik and Binod Chandra Rokcha were also felicitated during the same program.

The Chief of the program, the President of the Jaycees, Sandeshdas Shrestha stated that he has been fully satis-fied with the selection committee for selecting Thapa for felicitation, especially after knowing about him in the program.

Research on Contemporary Issues

INSEC mid-western regional office Nepalgunj organized a book release programme on 27 March 2008 in the presence of INSEC Chairperson Subodh Raj Pyakurel. The book entitled “Sasastra Dwanda Ma Madhyapa-shim: Madhyapashim Le Gumayakharu” (Mid-Western Region in Armed Conflict: Those lost by Mid-West) is a compilation of data of people killed in various districts of Mid-Western Region during the decade long Maoist insurgency and people disappeared during the insur-gency period. As the decade long Maoist insurgency was formally ended following signing of Comprehen-sive Peace Agreement between the government and the Maoists in November 2006, but the exact number of people killed or disappeared during the Maoist insur-gency are yet to be known. INSEC mid-western region with financial assistance from Action Aid Nepal Region-al Office published the book incorporating information collected from all 15 districts of mid-western region. The programme chaired by Regional Coordinator of INSEC mid-western Region, Bhola Mahat was participated by Regional Chief of Action Aid Nepal Rajesh Hamal, Vice-Chairman of Nepal Bar Association Central Committee, Prahlad Kumar Karki, Chiefs of human rights Organiza-tions and journalists of various media. The book con-tained two sections, one is data of people killed or disap-peared from various districts of the region and another section is objective presentation of overall scenario of decade long Maoist insurgency and its impact in Mid-Western Region and all districts of Mid-Western Region. As per the book four thousand people were killed and 579 are still disappeared in the region. Rolpa district has the highest number of killings in the region, while Bardiya tops the tally in terms of disappeared people. In their writings, INSEC district representatives have written about general scenario of the district during the decade long insurgency. It also gives clear picture about how people have to suffer from both the Maoists and the state during the insurgency period. In his writing, Pratibebdan Baidya described about the causes of Maoist insurgen-

Som Raj Thapa (right), Coordinator of INSEC eastern regional office addressing the program organized by Biratnagar Jaycees to

felicitate him


INSEC programme monitoring team discussing with local HR group, Ilam district

53

cy and also presented analytical overview of impact of armed insurgency in mid-western region and its pros and cons in various sectors. Similarly, regional coordinator Mahat had presented clear picture on how INSEC had worked during the insurgency period and the challenges they had to face during the period. Mahat in his writing describes that the period is very challenging and new experience to INSEC at a time when the organization is concentrating on the issues of freed kamaiyas and social movement.

Objective-Eight

INSEC Chairperson Subodh Raj Pyakurel releasing the book entitled ‘Sashastra Dwanda Ma Madhyapashchim: Madhyapashchim Le Gumayakaharu’, Nepalgunj

Releasing the book, INSEC Chairperson Subodh Pyakurel said that the book was prepared to have exact statistics of the people killed and disappeared in the region during the decade long Maoist insurgency. He further said that INSEC district representatives had gone to every village to collect the information and also urged all to point out the mistakes of the book, which will be corrected later. Similarly, the book is a precious history of the decade long Maoist insurgency, which had very bad impact in the mid-western region and INSEC had published the book to pressurize political parties to heed the voices of the conflict-hit people while crafting new constitution as the issue was not given appropriate priority in the in-terim constitution.

Similarly, INSE Mid Western Regional office Nepalgunj released a book entitled “One and Half Decade of INSEC at Mid West” on 8 September 2007 at Nepalgunj. INSEC General Secretary Kundan Aryal released the book. IN-SEC achievements during one and half decade and name lists of disappeared peoples of Mid-West during armed conflict have been mentioned in the book.

SN Date City, Country Name of the Program Participant/s 1. 9-14 June 2008 Bangkok, Thailand Executive Committee Meeting

of Forum-Asia Subodh Raj Pyakurel & Bijaya Raj Gautam

2. 28-30 April 2008 Bangkok, Thailand FK Exchange Program meeting phase IV

Bijaya Raj Gautam

3. 22-27 February 2008 Bangkok, Thailand Regional Workshop of National Human Rights Institutions

Bijaya Raj Gautam

4. 23-24 February 2008 Bangkok, Thailand 1st regional consultation of Asian NGOs Network on National Human Rights Institution (ANNI)

Bidhya Chapagain

5. 17-20 January 2008 Bangkok, Thailand Donor’s & staff meeting, EC meeting in Forum-Asia

Subodh Raj Pyakurel & Bijaya Raj Gautam

6. 18-22 September 2007 Manila, Philippines World Forum For Democratization in Asia

Subodh Raj Pyakurel

7. 10-14 September 2007 Manila, Philippines Study workshop and Asia-Pacific NGO Consultation with the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women

Bidhya Chapagain

8. 3-5 September 2007 Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok for HR Forum & EC Meeting.

Subodh Raj Pyakurel Bijaya Raj Gautam

9. 25 August 2007 Malaysia Malaysia- South East Asia Subodh Raj Pyakurel

10. 5-12 August 2007 Colombo, Sri Lanka South Asia Human Rights Forum Bijaya Raj Gautam

INSEC Participation in National and International Forums/Programs

54

Pujan Acharya, Program Coordinator of HURADEVC, INSEC district partner organization of Dolakha district, on the top of the

Mt. Everest

The famous comedian duo, Madan Krishna Shrestha & Haribamsa Acharya performing in a ‘Join Hands for Human Rights and Peace’ program coordinated by INSEC eastern regional office, Biratnagar

An informal interaction with Chepangs living in a remote Chepang village of Belwa VDC, Bardiya district. The interaction

was a part of awareness campaign on voter’s education conducted just before the CA election.

g

INSEC employees participating in a victrory rally to welcome the transformation of the country into a republic nation

gg

55

Human Resource & Organizational Development

Staffing

INSEC adopts inclusiveness both in its policy and prac-tice on staffing. Since its establishment INSEC has been promoting gender sensitivity in its staffing. For instance, currently out of 82 staff members, 23 (28.05%) are wom-en. It should be noted that the women’s involvement is even more as we consider the upper half of the staff members in terms of staff hierarchy. 30.16% of the staff members from supervisor level upwards are women. The most noteworthy aspect is that out of five departments, 3 (60%) are headed by women. In this way, INSEC is in a continuous process of promoting women in its staff structure.

The existing human resource of the organization has been allocated in central, regional and district project offices on the basis of expertise, places of residence and other factors. The central office undertakes activities mainly related with planning, research, consultancy, na-tional level lobby/advocacy, documentation and dissem-ination. The five regional offices implement INSEC pro-grammes through district partner organizations as well as monitor the human rights situation of their respective regions. For this reason, the human resources of the or-ganization have been allocated accordingly. Moreover, the project staff members are appointed and placed at the project offices at region and district levels.

Recruitment

As in the past, recruitment in INSEC has been through open vacancy announcements. It has been an established practice that the policy of equality be adopted in terms of selection of people representing disadvantaged groups of population and preference for women. The employ-ment of people or engagement of people-regardless of the activity-is in-line with INSEC’s policies, non-discrim-inatory and one that encourages the development and maintenance of a fair and egalitarian society.

Capacity Building of Staff

INSEC tries to enhance the capabilities of its staff mem-bers by giving them opportunities to participate in na-

tional or international training/internships on relevant themes, exposure visits and letting them take necessary package courses. The training need identification takes place continuously through the annual staff performance appraisal. Specific training needs that cannot be support-ed through local training may occasionally be referred to abroad training/educational institutions. Based on the overall needs of INSEC, the management may select em-ployees to be nominated for such training, which could be in South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries, other Asian Countries or anywhere else in the globe. Thus, for capacity building, INSEC staff members have participated in the trainings and study programs at national and international levels. After par-ticipating they have been applying their expertise for INSEC activities. In addition to regular staff members, the district representatives have also been trained or refreshed on their knowledge on human rights instru-ments, concepts of human rights and their role in the respective districts. The following table shows the list of staff members who have participated in various capacity building programs in this reporting period. Some rep-resentative examples have also been presented on the achievements of participating in such training or capac-ity building programs.

Samjha Shrestha, Senior Officer at the HR Monitoring and Advocacy Department, INSEC central office had an opportunity to learn about UN advocacy during the UN Advocacy Training Session for Asian Human Rights

Samjha Shrestha, Sr. officer (second from left-first row) with other participants in the UNATS, Bangkok, Thailand


56

SN Date City, Country Name of the Program Organizer Participant/s

1 May 2008 to March 2009

Ulaanbataar, Mongolia

FK Staff Exchange Program FK-INSEC Bhuwan Adhikari

2 May 2008 to March 2009

Bangkok, Thailand

FK Staff Exchange Program FK-INSEC Prasannata Wasti

3 29 June-6 July 2008

Bangkok, Thailand 1st UN Advocacy Training Session for Asian Human Rights Defenders (UNATS)

Forum-Asia, Thailand

Samjha Shrestha Prasannata Wasti

4 8 -29 June 2008

Montreal, Canada

29th International Human Rights Training Program (IHRTP)

Equitas, The International Centre for Human Rights Education

Pratik Dhakal

5 21-28 June 2008

Bad Honnef, Germany

Outcome Oriented Monitoring (Co-trainer)

InWent, Germany Bidyanath Bhurtel

6 28 April-3 May 2008

Mumbai, INDIA SAARC Regional Learning Program on Human Rights Based Development

Dignity International, The Netherlands

Madan Paudel

7 Feb-March

2008 USA

International Visitor Program on HR

Advocacy and Awareness US Government Somraj Thapa

8 27-28 November 2007

Bangkok, Thailand

Regional Workshop on Women in Armed Conflicts in Asia “UN Security Council Resolution 1325: Making it work in Asia”

Forum-Asia

Geeta Gautam

9 29 October-16 November 2007

Wellington, New Zealand

17th Annual Human Rights and People’s Diplomacy Training for Human Rights Defenders from the Asia-Pacific Region and Indigenous Australia

Diplomacy Training Program (DTP) in partnership with Amnesty International New Zealand and the Council for International

Development, New Zealand

Krishna P. Subedi

10 7-27 October 2007

Bangkok, Thailand 11th Annual Asian Training and Study Session for Human Rights Defenders

Forum-Asia Bidhya Chapagain

Defenders (UNATS). With the general objective of in-creasing the impact and effectiveness of Asian Human Rights NGOs’ advocacy and lobby at the UN human rights bodies in order to make Asian Governments more accountable to their international human rights obliga-tions, the training proved very important in contributing to the work of INSEC on advocacy.

Krishna Prasad Subedi, Senior Officer, Head of the Hu-man Rights Education Department, INSEC central office, could learn about diplomacy skills needed to work as human rights defender in the 17th Annual Human Rights and People’s Diplomacy Training for Human Rights De-fenders from the Asia-Pacific Region and Indigenous Australia. During the training, he also helped in facili-

Krishna P. Subedi, Sr. officer, head of HRE department facilitating the DTP training, Wellington, New Zealand


57


Bidyanath Bhurtel, Sr. officer (second from left-first row), with the chief trainer (third from left-first row) and trainees in InWent,

Germany

tating few of the training components. While he learnt new ideas during participation in the training session, he also had the opportunity to demonstrate his training facilitation skills.

Bidyanath Bhurtel, Senior Officer at the PM&E section, INSEC central office had the opportunity to co-facilitate a training session on ‘Outcome oriented Monitoring’ or-ganized by InWent, Bad Honnef, Germany. It was an opportunity to share about the monitoring system that INSEC has been adopting and getting feedbacks from the international participants during the course of the week long training program. The experience has helped the INSEC PM&E unit to review its system and incorporate the new ideas learnt while facilitating the training pro-gram.

Another event in which INSEC showed its strong pres-ence was the Regional workshop on Women in Armed Conflicts in Asia organized by Forum-Asian in Bangkok. Geeta Gautam, Senior Officer and the Head of the Peace and Democracy Department, INSEC central office pre-sented the case of Nepal through a paper titled, ‘Un-derstanding and Implementation of UNSC Resolution 1325 in Nepal’, in which she highlighted the issues of women and children involved or affected by Nepal’s armed conflict. The whole theme of the workshop was called, ‘UN Security Council Resolution 1325: Making

it work in Asia’ in which 20 women from 10 countries working in 12 different conflict areas in Asia discussed on how to apply UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 to the differ-ent conflict situations. The event was also useful in facilitating networking among human rights defenders working in conflict situations. Dur-ing the workshop participants also discussed the relationship between the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and their work as hu-man rights defenders with UNSCR 1325.

Information and Communication Sys-tem of INSEC

INSEC believes in strengthening its capability and enhancing efficiency through proper utili-zation of ICT. Since the early days of its incep-

tion, ICT has been adopted in different areas of operation such as production of documentation and publication materials, internal and external communication system, databases and many more. This has resulted in increased productivity of the staff in delivering quality outputs in a timely manner.

INSEC carries out its operation throughout the country through its regional and central offices. Communication among the regional offices is vital in ensuring the flow of accurate and timely information. This has been made possible through the deployment of Virtual Private Net-work (VPN) in all regional offices which connect to the central IT infrastructure for communication, accessing central databases, emails and Internet. Internet is acces-sible in all regional offices through high speed leased connection. INSEC maintains state of the art ICT infra-structure in its central office using popular brand for its servers, routers, switches and accessories. Email servers are hosted in central office to provide email communica-tion among its staff members.

The IT adopted by INSEC has been utilized by its staff members on a daily basis. The networking and commu-nication system has been smoothly running. As expect-ed, there are minor complications from time to time and these have been taken care of through regular checking, monitoring and upgrading the system. The computers used in the offices are regularly updated or replaced as per the requirements.

58

Financial Sources

INSEC core programmes have been running since 1994 through the fi nancial support of ICCO and EED. NORAD, the second major donor of INSEC, has been supporting the annual publication of the “Nepal Hu-man Rights Yearbook” regu-larly. Apart from the above do-nors, INSEC projects have been funded by DanidaHUGOU, The Asia Foundation (TAF), Eu-ropean Commission, UNICEF, FK Norwey, Save the Children-US and National Endowment for Democracy (NED).

Fund Accountability Statement

In every Annual General Meeting (AGM), INSEC management presents a comprehensive report containing audited fi nancial statement, yearly budget and programme/projects for approval.

financial contribution from main funding agencies (17 July 2006 - 16 July 2007)

3,280.50

8,286.92

28,577.17

2,136.42 2,465.15 1,070.26

12,339.15

25,817.13

47,160.87

-

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

50,000

ICCO/EED NORAD Danida EC Save theChildren US

UNICEF TAF NED FK, Norway

Funding Agencies

NR

s.

Th

ou

sa

nd

s

59

Statement of Financial Position

Statement of Financial Position as of Ashad 31, 2065 (15 July 2008)

Summary of Fixed Assets

Note: For more information on fund accountability statement, please contact our Account Section

2064/065 2063/2064A

1

5,610.87 52,295.70

8,689,828.44 27,865,521.95

8,695,439.31 27,917,817.65

2 33,333,078.82 31,906,133.65

3 10,592,046.00 8,383,421.90

52,620,564.13 68,207,373.21

B1 33,333,078.82 31,906,133.65 2 3,540,223.42 21,347,359.90 3 8,388,436.98 10,003,618.70

C 45,261,739.22 63,257,112.25

4 1,305,263.31 2,185,077.88

5 6,053,562.04 2,165,183.08

6 600,000.00

52,620,564.13 68,207,373.21

Fiscal YearParticulars

Assets And Balance

Cash and Bank Balance

a. Cash Balance

Insec Core Fund (Represents Cash, Bank and Advances)

Insec Reserve Fund (Represents Fixed Assets)

b. Bank Balance

Sub Total

Fixed Assets

Advance

Total Fund and Liabilities

Balance of Fund

Payables - INSEC Core

Programme Payable

Loan

Total Assets and Balance

Funds And Liabilities

Donors Fund

SN Particulars Book Value (NRs.)

1 Land 6,903,502

2 Building 6,803,112

3 Computer & Office equipments 11,782,699

4 Motor Vehicle 6,017,702

5 Furniture and Fixtures 1,826,064

33,333,079 Total Assets

60

Documents

Contents · 2018. 11. 6. · CSOs/CSA Civil Society Organizations/Civil Society Alliances ... 2008. The government issued the Right to Information Act, a milestone for the protec-tion