June 20, 2025 — Following a landmark ruling by Nepal’s Supreme Court, Katahari Rural Municipality in Morang district has become the first local government in the country to honor the Court’s directive. The Supreme Court has mandated that all levels of government—federal, provincial, and local—ensure that laws, policies, and programs comply with ILO Convention No. 169 and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
On June 19, 2025, the village assembly of Katahari Rural Municipality took a historic step by adopting a comprehensive set of progressive policies to implement this directive. These measures are designed to protect the rights and dignity of Indigenous Peoples in the Municipality.
Chairperson Dev Raj Chaudhary, widely praised for his visionary leadership, said, “This is about fulfilling our moral and constitutional responsibility to Indigenous Peoples who have long been the backbone of this land but have been excluded from meaningful participation. Today, we commit to change that.”
This decisive action not only fulfills a legal mandate but also inspires other local governments to uphold the human rights and fundamental freedoms of Indigenous Peoples, paving the way toward a more just and inclusive society.
