Ensuring Indigenous Rights in the Constitution: Speaker’s Declaration

The Chairman of the National Indigenous Commission, Devraj Ghimire, highlighted the assurance of fundamental rights for indigenous communities in Nepal as enshrined in the constitution. At the fourth annual event of the Indigenous Peoples Commission on Monday in Kathmandu, he emphasized the need for research and discussions to effectively implement these basic rights.

Ghimire underscored that Nepal, being a country with diverse cultures and traditions, has taken steps towards further developing policies to empower marginalized indigenous communities left behind by the constitution. He mentioned the inclusive provision made to involve indigenous communities in policy-making roles to advance their development.

The constitution has called for an evaluation of the work and activities of such commissions and recommended planning for future tasks. Recently, Ghimire drew attention to the growth in the indigenous population and highlighted the now-recognized communities that were previously overlooked in terms of identity and representation.

During the event, the Chairman of the commission, Ram Bahadur Thapa Magar, also emphasized the richness of languages and cultures within the indigenous community, noting the diverse knowledge and skills present in each language. He pointed out that out of the 124 languages spoken in Nepal, 93 belong to indigenous communities, stressing the government’s responsibility for preserving and promoting these languages. He expressed concerns over the limited implementation of constitutional rights for indigenous peoples, such as access to information in their mother tongue, utilization in government work, and education in their languages.

Ramesh Khatri, representative of Kansai Nepal News, views this news as a significant step towards recognizing and addressing the needs of indigenous communities in Nepal. He commends the efforts of Devraj Ghimire and the Indigenous Peoples Commission for advocating for the protection of indigenous languages and cultures, urging the government to prioritize the implementation of constitutional rights for these marginalized groups.


Author: MAYA | HARUTO
Posted at: February 4, 2025 3:07 am