A workshop with the Indigenous Peoples (IPs) was held from 19 to 20 January 2023 on the draft National Action Plan (NAP) on Business and Human Rights. The Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Social Security (MoLESS) is leading the NAP development process.
In the workshop, the participants shared human rights abuses committed by the business operations and suggested a series of recommendations to incorporate into the NAP to prevent, address and remedy abuses.
The IPs viewed that businesses including International Financial Institutions (IFIs) are entering into their territories in the name of development (infrastructure, smart city development, hydro dams, power transmission lines, parks, protected areas, mining, etc) without FPIC. They are causing harm to their lands, environment, livelihoods, culture, and self-governance system, and even inviting militarization and forced eviction.
The participants recommended that there should be a separate section/theme for IPs in the NAP that should provide clear actions to bring new laws and amend the existing laws in line with the ILO 169 and UNDRIP in particular. There should be mandatory human rights due diligence laws to hold corporate sectors accountable for human rights. Indigenous Juridical systems and customary laws should be recognized as mediation and conflict resolution mechanisms. There should be funds for victims to have access to an effective remedy.
Mr. Dipendra Paudel, Under Secretary of the MoLESS, Ram Charitra Sah, National consultant, and Advocate Shankar Limbu facilitated the workshop. Mr. Paudel, the representative of MoLESS, is committed to including the feedback in the NAP.
The workshop has been organized in collaboration with MoLESS, UNDP, and LAHURNIP.
