Lawyers' Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP)On 17 July 2025, LAHURNIP, along with other coalition partners, submitted a joint report to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) for the 51st Session of the UN Human Rights Council (2026), highlighting the human rights situation of Indigenous Peoples in Nepal.
Key Issues raised in the report
1. Cultural Genocide at Mukkumlung (Pathibhara): The sacred site of the Yakthung (Limbu) Peoples is under grave threat from a state-backed cable car project, approved without obtaining Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). This development has led to deforestation, militarization of the area, and the arbitrary arrest of Indigenous activists. The project represents a violation of Indigenous cultural, lands and spiritual rights.
2. Disregard for Supreme Court Orders & International Treaties: Nepal continues to ignore Supreme Court decisions and obligations under international human rights instruments, including the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), ILO Convention 169, and CEDAW. These failures highlight a systemic denial of Indigenous Peoples’ rights in both law and practice.
3. Land Grabbing & Forced Displacement: Indigenous communities are being forcibly evicted from their ancestral territories under the guise of development and conservation initiatives. These actions are carried out without FPIC, amounting to state-sanctioned land grabbing and violations of territorial integrity.
4. Climate Injustice: Although Indigenous Peoples play a crucial role in safeguarding ecosystems and biodiversity, they are systematically excluded from climate finance mechanisms, benefit-sharing schemes, and decision-making processes related to climate action. This exclusion undermines both Indigenous rights and global climate goals.
5. Unjust Energy Transition: Green energy projects, such as hydropower, are being pursued on Indigenous lands without community participation or consent. These projects are causing environmental degradation and cultural erosion. Development without rights and recognition is a continuation of colonial patterns of exploitation.
6. Marginalization of Indigenous Women, Youth, and LGBTQIA+ Individuals: Nepal’s legal and policy frameworks fail to acknowledge the intersectional identities within Indigenous communities. Indigenous women, youth, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ individuals face multiple and compounded forms of discrimination, with limited access to justice.