1 June, 2015
Thousands in need of aid following the Nepal earthquake risk being left to fend for themselves amidst worrying signs that gender, caste and ethnic discrimination are inhibiting the aid effort, Amnesty International said in a briefing (report) made public on 1 June. The organisation urges authorities and the international community to put human rights at the core of the earthquake response.
The report highlights how Amnesty International delegation that visited Nepal in the aftermath of the 25 April earthquake found that groups who are often the target of discriminatory treatment in Nepal, including women who head households, Dalits, indigenous peoples or people with disabilities, are also facing increased challenges when accessing urgently needed relief.
The briefing further flagged that the protection and respect for human rights have been severely weakened by Nepal’s unsettled political climate leading to a governance vacuum at local levels. Impunity persists for alleged gross human rights abuses, including enforced disappearances, a hallmark of the country’s decade-long armed conflict that ended in 2006, as do longstanding problems of discrimination and social exclusion that affect large segments of Nepali society.
Interventions to support and protect Nepal’s earthquake victims and aid in their recovery must not only address the immediate need for their material and psychological support, but should anticipate and address human rights challenges. Continuing aftershocks and landslides make it clear that the earthquake in April was not a single disaster, but an ongoing emergency, posing serious challenges for the government, international community and the people of Nepal.
There is an immediate need to guard against discrimination in the distribution of relief and to ensure protection of vulnerable groups. In the longer-term, Nepal must use all available resources to ensure the right to adequate housing, the right to livelihood, the right to recognition under the law, the right to health, and to freedom of movement, including protection against forced relocation of displaced persons. A rights-based approach to the humanitarian response will be critical to ensuring that the quest for equality, justice and accountability in Nepal does not lose ground as the country strives to recover from the devastation.
Click to access full report and press release.