The three months, from February to April remained to be the busiest for Amnesty International Nepal. Both the National Secretariat and the National Board were busy with the preparation and management of the 30th General Meeting of Amnesty International Nepal. In addition, Amnesty International Nepal also launched the Amnesty International Report 2021/22: The State of the World’s Human Rights in Nepal. This blog post provides an update of various activities and human rights actions that Amnesty International Nepal has undertaken over the last three months.
PRESS RELEASE
Over the last three months, Amnesty International Nepal issued/circulated six press releases.
1. Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians: a cruel system of domination and a crime against humanity.
On 1 February 2022, Amnesty International Nepal issued a press release of Amnesty International based on a comprehensive and investigative report ‘Israel’s Apartheid against Palestinians: Cruel System of Domination and Crime against Humanity’.
Israeli authorities must be held accountable for committing the crime of apartheid against Palestinians. The investigation detailed how Israel enforces a system of oppression and domination against the Palestinian people wherever it has control over their rights. This includes Palestinians living in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), as well as displaced refugees in other countries.
The report sets out how massive seizures of Palestinian land and property, unlawful killings, forcible transfer, drastic movement restrictions, and the denial of nationality and citizenship to Palestinians are all components of a system which amounts to apartheid under international law. This system is maintained by violations which Amnesty International found to constitute apartheid as a crime against humanity, as defined in the Rome Statute and Apartheid Convention.
Amnesty International called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to consider the crime of apartheid in its current investigation in the OPT and calls on all states to exercise universal jurisdiction to bring perpetrators of apartheid crimes to justice.
2. Covid-19: Pharmaceutical companies’ failure on equal vaccine access contributed human rights catastrophe in 2021
On 14 February 2022, Amnesty International Nepal circulated a press release issued by Amnesty International based on a new a new assessment of the leading Covid-19 vaccine developers. The press release read: Despite urgent calls to ensure the equal distribution of Covid-19 vaccines in 2021, pharmaceutical companies tragically failed to rise to the challenge of a once-in-a-century global health and human rights crisis. Instead, they monopolized technology, blocked, and lobbied against the sharing of intellectual property, charged high prices for vaccines and prioritized supplies to wealthy countries.
The press release was based on the new report ‘Money calls the shots: Pharma’s response to the Covid-19 vaccines crisis – an update on Amnesty International’s September 2021 report A double dose of inequality: Pharma companies and the Covid-19 vaccines crisis.
Ten billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines were produced last year, more than enough to reach the 40% target of global vaccination set by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the end of 2021. Yet Amnesty’s assessment report reveals that just over 4% of those living in low-income countries had been fully vaccinated by the end of last year.
Amnesty International is calling on companies to share intellectual property by issuing open and non-exclusive licences or participating in the Covid-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP), established to support the sharing of open and non-exclusive licences, publicly disclose all terms and conditions, and price vaccine doses so profit does not stand in the way of access to Covid-19 vaccines.
3. People’s Vaccine Alliance: 130+ leading voices call for an end to vaccine monopolies after two years of pandemic
On 11 March, Amnesty Nepal circulated a press release issued by Amnesty International based on People’s Vaccine Alliance’s call for an end to vaccine monopolies after two years of pandemic. As per the press release, more than 130 former world leaders, Nobel laureates, leading scientists, economists, humanitarians, faith leaders, business leaders, trade unionists, and celebrities are calling for urgent action to vaccinate low and middle-income countries and bring an end to the Covid-19 pandemic, in a letter coordinated by the People’s Vaccine Alliance.
4. Amnesty International Report 2021/22: The State of the World’s Human Rights
Organizing an event in Kathmandu on 29 March 2022, Amnesty International Nepal launched Amnesty International Report 2021/22: The State of the World’s Human Rights. The organization also circulated to media a distribution package containing global report and Nepali translation of key sections (preface, global press release, global analysis: three key trends, Nepal section report).
The Amnesty International Report 2021/22 highlights the human rights situation in 154 countries in 2021. It presents Amnesty International’s documented concerns and recommendations for governments and others. From a human rights perspective, 2021 was largely a story of betrayal and hypocrisy in the corridors of power. But hopes for a better post-pandemic world were kept alive by courageous individuals, social movements and civil society organizations. Their efforts and limited hard-won victories should prompt governments to live up to their promises.
READ the REPORT below.
5. Issued the two press releases related to the 30th General Meeting
Amnesty Nepal issued two press releases related to its 30th General Meeting. The first press release was issued on 31 March 2022 before the General Meeting took place while the second press release was issued on 3 April 2022 after the event concluded.
ACTIVITIES
Amnesty Nepal organized four events, including discussion programme on the World Day of Social Justice, a workshop on data security on the International Women’s Day, and launch of Amnesty International Report 2021/22: The State of the World’s Human Rights; and its 30th General Meeting.
1. Organized Discussion Programme to Mark the World Day of Social Justice 2022
On 20 February 2022, Amnesty International Nepal collaborated with Samata Foundation to organize a virtual discussion programme entitled “Turning Social Justice into a Reality: Key Challenges” to mark the World Day of Social Justice 2022. The theme of this year’s social justice day was “Achieving Social Justice through Formal Employment.”
The discussion was divided into two core parts. In the first part, Advocate Raju Prasad Chapagain and Mohna Ansari, former commissioner of National Human Rights Commission, delved into the topic of social justice analyzing the normative and institutional framework of the concept of social justice and then driving the participants to the wide range of existing barriers and challenges in its realization. The second part of the discussion was focused on sharing the existing reality and key challenges on realizing different aspects of social justice.
The discussion programme was simultaneously livestreamed in the Facebook pages of both the organizations. The recorded live can be watched below.
Read the news about the event below
2. International Women’s Day Marked with Workshop on Data Security
On 8 March, Amnesty Nepal organized a workshop on data security for its female members in collaboration with Women in Big Data to mark this year’s International Women’s Day. Women in Big Data is a women-led organization cultivating tangible opportunities for women.
A total of 36 members affiliated to different groups and youth networks of Amnesty Nepal in Kathmandu valley participated in the event that was organized on 8th March under the banner ‘Belt Your Data‘. The event aimed to enhance an understanding of data and data security among the participants. The event was also attended by some members of Women in Big Data.
3. Launched ‘Amnesty International Report 2021/22: The State of the World’s Human Rights’ in Nepal
As part of the global launch of Amnesty International’s annual human rights report entitled ‘Amnesty International Report 2021/22: The State of the World’s Human Rights’, Amnesty International Nepal launched the report in Nepal amid a programme organized in Kathmandu with the presence of human rights activists, journalists, civil society members, and representatives from diplomatic missions.
The 2021/22 Report highlights the human rights situation in 154 countries in the year 2021. It presents Amnesty International’s documented concerns and recommendations for governments and others.
Amnesty International Nepal’s Director Nirajan Thapaliya shared the key highlights of the report dwelling on the global trends affecting three key aspects as outlined in the report: health and inequalities, civic space, and pushback on refugees and migrants.
4) Amnesty Nepal Concludes 30th General Meeting in Dhulikhel
Amnesty International Nepal held its 30th General Meeting (GM) in Dhulikhel City of Kavre on 1 and 2 April 2022. The general meeting passed its annual reports, work plans, budgets, and some policy documents. It also elected a new leadership in its National Board and Appeals Committee for a term of two years.
Over 300 participants including 254 voting delegates from Amnesty Nepal’s groups, youth networks and the constituency of supporter members across the country and its Board and Appeal Committee officials, staff, volunteers, observers, and delegates from the international secretariat attended this general meeting.
READ the news about the event in details.
International Solidarity
In solidarity with people in Ukraine
On 4 March, Amnesty International Nepal joined a group of human rights activists and civil society members to stage a demonstration in front of Russian Embassy in Kathmandu. They called on Russia to withdraw its armed forces and protect civilians in Ukraine and resolve disputes through dialogues.
Likewise, the staff at the secretariat also stood in solidarity with #Ukrainians and their colleagues in #Ukraine.
Global Day of Action – Olympic Flame for freedom of expression in China
On February 4, Amnesty Nepal and its affiliate youth networks including Kailali Youth Network, Fusion Youth Network and Kathmandu University Youth Network, joined the Amnesty International’s Global Day of Action by lighting the flame for freedom in China.