Nepal

Nepal’s ruling political parties succeeded in ending a six-year deadlock on drafting a new constitution, following devastating earthquakes in 2015 that needed an immediate and effective administrative response. The new constitution contains welcome efforts to ensure equal rights and affirmative action, and outlaws capital punishment. However, its failure to address the rights of marginalized communities in the southern Terai region led to months of protests. Scores were killed or injured, and a blockade of crucial trade transit routes from India resulted in an acute shortage of essential supplies, including for humanitarian assistance to earthquake victims. Promises of justice for thousands of victims of Nepal’s 1996-2006 civil war remained unfulfilled.