On 13 June 2014, JuRI-Nepal and National Dalit Commission (NDC) jointly organized an interaction programme entitled “Three Years of Anti-Untouchability and Caste Discrimination Act, 2068” with an objective of assessing the implementation status of the anti-untouchability law. About 150 lawyers, journalists and professional from other various secotrs, including Dalit rights activists and students participated in the programme. President of Nepal Bar Association Mr. Harikrishna Karki, former NHRC Commissioner Mr. Gauri Pradhan, CA members Ms. Dulari Harijan (UCPN-M) and Mr. Jitu Gautam (UML) and Dalit Rights Activist Mr. Motilal Nepali were among the guest speakers.
Lack of legal awareness, particularly on the parts of victims and their families, to seek remedies of the violations and abuses they suffered from, lack of general public awareness that caste-based discrimination and untouchability is a crime, denial and delay in filing FIR by the police as well as conducting investigation in a prompt and effective manner, lack of victim and witness protection and non-formulation of the regulation to effect the Act were highlighted among the major gaps and challenges. The speakers and participants also pointed out on the need to work at prevention, protection and prosecution aspects of caste-based discrimination and untouchability in a collaborative and cooperative manner labeling such crime as most heinous and against humanity.
Earlier, Attorney General of Nepal Hon’ble Mr. Baburam Kunwar released the handbook entitled “The Practitioner’s Handbook on Legal Remedy Against Untouchability and Caste Discrimination Crime”, a joint publication of JuRI-Nepal and NDC with the support of United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office.