Nepal has been afflicted by violent insurgency since 1996 which has claimed more than 12,000 lives. Since the beginning, the anti-government forces have committed human rights abuses, committing murder, abductions, systematic intimidation and forced recruitment, including child soldiers. The Government of Nepal has signed or ratified all major international human rights treaties, however, implementation of these international obligations, and their translation into domestic legislation and practice, has been slow and ineffective.

The objective of this politically complex project is, therefore, to assist the European Commission and three target organisations in Nepal, the Nepal Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the Nepal Bar Association (NBA) and the Nepalese Judiciary, to improve the human rights situation in the country. This will be achieved by enhancing the accountability of the parties involved, improving the efficiency of judicial institutions and reinforcing the rule of law and access to justice across the country.

Specifically, WYGI experts will contribute to the following:

• Enhancing the capacity and effectiveness of the NHRC independently to monitor human rights violations across Nepal;
• Developing conditions (including comprehensive provision of legal representation and access to legal aid) under which access to justice becomes available to all people in Nepal;
• Enhancing the capacity of the Nepalese Judiciary to deliver justice in accordance with international human rights standards.

While the programme cannot resolve the issue of impunity, its three components are relevant long-term processes which, given appropriate will, can help mitigate the consequences of the conflict and address some root causes. The WYGI-led project team is supporting the long-term institutional strengthening of the target organisations by building sustainability in the project and addressing institutional development and management issues where necessary. Gender issues are fully integrated in the programme - women will be adequately represented in the programme activities and all training will be gender sensitive.