Latest news with #GovernmentofNepal
Scoop
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Nepal: Joint Submission To The UN Universal Periodic Review - 51st Session Of The UPR Working Group
A Joint Statement* by the Asian Human Rights Commission & CIVICUS In this submission, the two organisations examine the Government of Nepal's compliance with its international human rights obligations to create and maintain a safe and enabling environment for civil society. Specifically, we analyse Nepal's fulfilment of the rights to freedoms of association, expression and peaceful assembly and unwarranted restrictions on human rights defenders (HRDs) since its previous UPR examination in January 2021. To this end, we assess Nepal's implementation of recommendations received during the 3rd UPR cycle relating to these issues and provide follow-up recommendations. During the 3rd UPR cycle, the Government of Nepal received 13 recommendations relating to the space for civil society (civic space). It accepted 11 of these recommendations and noted two. An evaluation of a range of legal sources and human rights documentation addressed in this submission demonstrates that the Government of Nepal has not implemented seven recommendations relating to civic space and has only partly implemented the other six recommendations. The government has persistently failed to address unwarranted restrictions on civic space since its last UPR examination. Acute implementation gaps were found with regard to the right to freedom of expression and protection of civil society actors. We are deeply concerned by increasing incidents of attacks and threats against journalists and media workers in retaliation to their work. We are further alarmed by restrictions to the right to peaceful assembly and the use of excessive and disproportionate force against protesters, including the repeated use of teargas and water cannon.
India Gazette
14-06-2025
- Health
- India Gazette
India gifts 40 ambulances to various health institutions across Nepal
Kathmandu [Nepal], June 14 (ANI): The Embassy of India in Kathmandu, on Saturday, gifted 40 ambulances to various health institutions, spread across different districts of Nepal. 'The vehicle handover ceremony was organised simultaneously at four locations, including the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, the Consulate General of India in Birgunj and the Pension Paying Offices of the Embassy of India in Pokhara and Dharan,' a release from the Indian Embassy in Nepal stated. As per the embassy, 40 ambulances were gifted today, which covers 33 districts across all 7 provinces of Nepal. 'Out of these, 22 ambulances were handed over in Kathmandu. Further, 7 ambulances were handed over in Birgunj, 7 ambulances in Pokhara and 4 ambulances in Dharan by representatives of the Government of India,' the release added. At the ceremony held in Kathmandu, the keys of the vehicles were handed over by Prasanna Shrivastava, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India, Kathmandu. During the event, the Deputy Chief of Mission highlighted that gifting of ambulances has been one of the long-standing initiatives of the Government of India under the Nepal-India Development Partnership to bolster the efforts of the Government of Nepal to strengthen its infrastructure in the health sector. He added that 'this initiative is a part of the larger robust and vibrant development partnership between India and Nepal, which has expanded, deepened and diversified over the last seven decades.' During their interactions with the Deputy Chief of Mission at the event, the beneficiaries expressed their gratitude for India's support towards various ongoing developmental projects in their districts and Nepal at large. They expressed confidence that the newly gifted ambulances will help enhance accessibility to health services in their respective regions. Similar sentiments were expressed by the beneficiaries in Birgunj, Pokhara and Dharan as well. The Government of India has been gifting ambulances for more than three decades to various beneficiary organisations in different parts of Nepal, giving high priority to Nepal's health sector. Since 1994, the Government of India has gifted 1049 ambulances across Nepal, including those gifted today. Similar vehicle-related logistical support has been extended to the Government of Nepal on previous occasions as well. To date, 300 school buses have been gifted to various educational institutions in Nepal. In 2022, 200 vehicles were gifted to the law enforcement agencies and the Election Commission of Nepal for the conduct of elections. More recently, in May 2025, 15 electric vehicles were gifted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal to facilitate the organisation of the first edition of the 'Sagarmatha Sambaad'. India and Nepal enjoy a multi-faceted and multi-sectoral development partnership that is reflective of the closeness of the people of both countries. The extension of these logistical provisions reflects the continued commitment of the Government of India to the development of Nepal and to further strengthening of the people-to-people links between both countries. Mayors and Chairpersons of Municipalities and Rural Municipalities of various districts of Bagmati, Karnali, Lumbini and Sudurpaschim provinces, as well as representatives of various beneficiary organisations, political representatives, and social workers, were also present on the occasion. (ANI)
News18
29-05-2025
- Sport
- News18
International Mount Everest Day: Why Climbing Mount Everest Remains A Monumental Achievement?
International Mount Everest Day: This day commemorates the first successful ascent by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953. International Mount Everest Day: May 29 is observed as International Mount Everest Day to commemorate the first successful ascent of the world's highest peak. On this day in 1953, Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa of Nepal made history by reaching the 8,848-meter (29,029 ft) summit of Mount Everest. The day not only recognises the courage and determination of these pioneering climbers but also celebrates the spirit of mountaineering, human endurance, and the cultural and environmental significance of the Everest region. This year, let's take a moment to reflect on the historic climb, its lasting global impact, and why summiting Everest continues to be one of the most awe-inspiring feats in human history. International Mount Everest Day 2025: History Climbing Mount Everest was an achievement for Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay that left the world spellbound. Despite facing frostbite, storms, and high-altitude exhaustion with basic mountaineering gear, the climbers managed to achieve this feat. After Hillary's death in 2008, the Government of Nepal declared the day as International Everest Day. This decision was made to not only honour the summit but also to celebrate their legacy, perseverance, and collaboration between diverse cultures united to achieve one singular objective. International Mount Everest Day 2025: Significance Moreover, International Everest Day sheds light on the vital role Everest tourism plays in Nepal's economy. It also serves as a call to action for promoting sustainable and responsible mountaineering practices. The occasion provides a critical platform to address growing environmental concerns in the Himalayas, including climate change, glacial retreat and the urgent need for improved waste management on the mountain. International Mount Everest Day 2025: Quotes 'Climbing to the top demands strength, whether it is to the top of Mount Everest or to the top of your career."– APJ Abdul Kalam 'Everest for me, and I believe for the world, is the physical and symbolic manifestation of overcoming odds to achieve a dream." – Tom Whittaker 'I don't think you can climb Mount Everest with a broken leg, but I did break my leg prior to going to Mount Everest, so I was really climbing with a healing broken leg. I had the good fortune of climbing the highest mountain on each of the seven continents."– Gary Johnson 'Qualifying for the Olympic Games was one of those moments where you just cry because it was like you've climbed Mount Everest."– Natalie du Toit 'I have climbed my mountain, but I must still live my life."– Tenzing Norgay Why Climbing Mount Everest Remains A Monumental Achievement? Decades after Hillary and Norgay's pioneering ascent, summiting Mount Everest remains one of the world's most formidable and captivating challenges. Extreme Altitude: Above 5,000 meters, the air becomes dangerously thin with critically low oxygen levels, severely affecting cognitive function. Everest climbers face breathlessness and symptoms of altitude sickness such as headaches, fatigue, dizziness, stomach issues, and sleep disturbances. Treacherous Terrain: The Khumbu Icefall presents a deadly challenge with its shifting ice blocks, deep crevasses, steep ice walls, and exposed ridges, demanding expert navigation and caution. Unpredictable Weather: Sudden blizzards, hurricane-force winds, low air pressure, intense UV radiation, and extreme cold make weather one of the most unpredictable and dangerous factors on Everest. Constant Dangers: Avalanches and rockfalls loom as ever-present threats, capable of causing catastrophic outcomes. Despite advancements in climbing gear, weather forecasting, and logistical support, climbing Mount Everest demands rigorous preparation and often luck. Altitude sickness, bad weather, high winds, and considerable risks linked with avalanches and the dangerous Khumbu Icefall can often be significant obstacles for climbers. First Published: May 29, 2025, 07:20 IST News lifestyle International Mount Everest Day: Why Climbing Mount Everest Remains A Monumental Achievement?
Scoop
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
‘On Thin Ice': UN Chief Sounds Alarm Over Rapid Himalayan Glacier Melt
16 May 2025 António Guterres issued the warning in a video message to the inaugural Sagarmatha Sambaad, or 'Everest Dialogue,' convened by the Government of Nepal in Kathmandu. ' Record temperatures have meant record glacier melt,' he said. 'Nepal today is on thin ice – losing close to one-third of its ice in just over thirty years. And your glaciers have melted 65 per cent faster in the last decade than in the one before.' Named after Mount Everest (Sagarmatha in Nepali), the international platform convened ministers, parliamentarians, climate experts, and civil society to focus on climate change, mountain ecosystems, and sustainability. Two billion futures at stake Glaciers in the region have served for centuries as vital freshwater reservoirs. Their accelerated melt now threatens not only local communities but vast populations downstream who rely on Himalayan-fed rivers. Reduced water flow in river systems such as the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Indus threatens not only water but also food production for nearly two billion people across South Asia. Combined with saltwater intrusion, this could trigger collapsing deltas and mass displacement, the UN chief warned. 'We would see low-lying countries and communities erased forever,' he said. Children raise their voices Ahead of the summit, Nepal's children and youth stepped into the spotlight with their own call to action. In a declaration submitted to the dialogue, over 100 children and young people demanded urgent and inclusive climate action that recognizes them as rights-holders and climate actors – not just passive victims. Among their key demands: ensuring child participation in climate decisions, supporting youth-led programmes, and promoting their innovations and climate action. ' The climate crisis is a child rights crisis – disproportionately impacting their health, nutrition, education and well-being,' said Alice Akunga, head of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Nepal, which supported the deliberations. 'Listening to the voices of the 'future of humanity' is critical to designing and implementing meaningful and lasting solutions to address the adverse effects of climate change on children and youth.' Stop the madness In his message, Mr. Guterres reiterated his call on the world to 'stop the madness' of fossil fuel-driven global warming, a warning he made during his previous visit to the Everest region in 2023. At the time, he stood amid glacial basins in the Himalayas, warning that the 'rooftops of the world' were rapidly vanishing. 'And that is why you are gathered together focused on Sambaad – dialogue,' the UN chief said on Friday, applauding Nepal's climate leadership, including reforestation programmes, early warning systems and its goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2045. Act now The world must act without delay to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C, he continued – the target set by the Paris Agreement on climate change – with the biggest emitters leading the way. This includes investing in renewable energy, fulfilling the $1.3 trillion climate finance goal agreed at COP29, doubling adaptation finance to at least $40 billion this year as pledged by developed countries, and providing robust, sustained support to the Loss and Damage Fund. ' Achieving these goals demands bold collaboration, ' Mr. Guterres concluded. 'The United Nations is your ally in this essential task.'
India.com
19-05-2025
- India.com
Nepal Asks Citizens To Carry Valid Documents While Travelling Via India
Nepal on Monday warned its citizens travelling to Gulf countries through India against using fake documents, citing increased detentions by immigration authorities. Nepali Embassy in India urged the Nepali citizens travelling to foreign countries for employment to obtain labour approval (Labour Permit) and No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from Nepal's Department of Foreign Employment or the embassy in New Delhi. It further mentioned that without obtaining the NOC, travel will not be permitted. In an advisory issued, the embassy stated that it has come to the attention of the Government of Nepal through concerned authorities in India that the number of people travelling via Indian airports to Gulf countries without obtaining labour approval NOCs from the Department of Foreign Employment has been increasing. The embassy warned citizens against using forged documents, citing that several Nepali citizens have faced interrogation, detention, and even been barred from flying. Last year, the Nepal Embassy eased NOC requirements for migrant workers using Indian airports, stating that Nepali citizens holding a valid foreign employment permit issued by the Department of Foreign Employment were not required to obtain a NOC when travelling through Indian airports. The embassy, in its notice in November, specified that other travellers heading to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Iraq, Libya, and Lebanon via Indian airports must secure an NOC. Additionally, those travelling to Russia, except for recipients of scholarships from the Russian government and business visa holders, must obtain an NOC from the embassy or the Department of Consular Services of Nepal. According to a report in the leading Nepalese daily, The Kathmandu Post, the rapid rise in economic woes and unemployment in Nepal is leading more people to travel to foreign countries in a desperate search for work. Last year, official figures revealed that more than 300,000 Nepalis have gone abroad, most of them to the Gulf states and Malaysia, on a work visa.
