
Nepal Forum for Restorative Justice in collaboration with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) organized its first pilot workshop in Damak Municipality in Jhapa district of Koshi Province on 10-11 January, 2024. The workshop was an event to explore applicability of human rights resource book and manual that NHRC and NFRJ are developing to further a human based approach in local governments of Nepal as the local governments are currently at the frontlines of responding to human rights needs and concerns of citizenry in the changed federal context post 2017.
Though the pilot workshop, NFRJ covered areas such as fostering responsibility of local authorities to align policies with international human rights standards, fostering an inclusive and participatory environment, importance of effective monitoring mechanisms, collaborations with civil society, and education programs to ensure accountability and promote a human rights-friendly environment at the grassroots level. The resource book and manual thus developed in this process has provided a comprehensive framework for advancing sustainable and inclusive local development by prioritizing human rights principles.
In the workshop there were 29 participants including Mayor and Deputy Mayor of Damak Municipallity, Ward Chairs, Municipality officers, human rights defenders, representatives from CSOs and media in addition to the team from NHRC, NFRJ, and TrioRD (consultant expert team). This activity was undertaken through the support of The Asia Foundation/DFAT.
