HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

Govt firm to enforce laws for social justice: PM

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Jan 28: Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand has said that the government is effortful to strictly implement the existing acts and regulations chalked out to uplift the dalit communities in the country.

"There is a need for creating an appropriate atmosphere so that the dalits would have access to temples, monasteries and other religious sites," Prime Minister Chand told a programme on 'Role of Donor Organisations to Uplift Dalit Communities in Nepal' organised by Nepal National Depressed Social Welfare Organisation (NNDSWO) here today.

Prime Minister Chand said that the government was mulling providing the dalits separate skill development trainings programmes as well as employment in and outside the country.

Stating that the government has formed a National Dalit Commission to address the problems of the backward and downtrodden people, Chand said, "I urge all government offices and civil servants to implement laws and to create a conducive environment for the uplift of the dalits in every sphere of life."

"The dalits must have the right to live a dignified life. Education can play a pivotal role to this end," he added.

The Prime Minister also hailed the role of donors for their contribution to the uplift of the downtrodden communities through education, health and income generating programmes.

Premier Chand presented letters of appreciation to the representatives of 10 international organisations, including DANIDA, USAID, Action Aid, Oxfam, Save the Children US, Care Nepal, SAP Nepal, UNICEF and Canadian Cooperation for their role in promoting the cause of the oppressed people in Nepal.

Uttar Tamata, president, NNDSWO, said that the dalit communities, which comprise one fourth of the total population, were yet to be brought into the mainstream of development.

He said that the dalits had still been deprived of their fundamental rights.

"On the one hand, every successive government has failed to introduce proper plans and policies for the overall development of the dalits and on the other hand, polices and laws formed to address their problems have not been implemented effectively," Tamata added.

Badri Lal Nepali, another dalit activist said that there was need of drastic change in the social structure to uplift the dalits. "The dalits must have a say in the decision making process."
Durga Sob, president of the Women Dalit Association demanded that the dalits get jobs in international organisations operating in Nepal.

Mani Ram Deol, vice president of NNDSWO said that his organisation had been active to uplift the dalits educationally, socially and economically since its establishment two decades ago.

Other Stories