Nepal

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Nepal has experienced a series of remarkable changes over the past year as it has transitioned from Hindu kingdom with a Maoist insurgency to a secular republic with a Maoist-led government. USIP is supoprting Nepal's transition through programs focused on security sector reform, rule of law, and transitional justice.

Introduction:

Nepal has experienced a series of remarkable changes over the past few years as it has transitioned from a Hindu Kingdom with a Maoist insurgency to a secular republic with a Maoist-led government. The people’s movement of April 2006, the November 2006 Comprehensive Peace Agreement to end the armed conflict, and the April 2008 Constituent Assembly election all marked critical steps towards the establishment of a peaceful and democratic Nepal. Yet significant challenges remain. Nepal has, like many other states emerging from conflict, seen increasing crime, and the continued use of violent methods for political, economic and social transformation. Nepal’s weakened state security and justice institutions have been unable to adequately address these and other security and rule of law challenges. To assist, the United States Institute of Peace has implemented a series of inter-related projects aimed at enhancing the rule of law in Nepal.

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Nepal

Featured Resources:

Nepal in Transition: Developing Security and Rule of Law Strategies [1]

USIP, through the Rule of Law Center, supports Nepal in its transition by focusing on two areas:

- Strengthening security and rule of law through dialogue [2]

- Enganging in transitional justice discussions [3]

In addition, USIP has provided a variety of practical tools and resources to civil society, justice sector actors, political party representatives and government officials in Nepal. This has included the following:

Publication of Combating Serious Crimes in Postconflict Societies [4] in Nepali and distribution to the courts, police, Nepal Bar Association, law library, and other institutions.
Compilation and distribution of resource material on the constitutional process.
Distribution of the Model Codes for Post-Conflict Criminal Justice: Model Criminal Code [5] as well as various police acts from different countries.

To disseminate information, facilitate discussion, and aid donor coordination on Nepal, USIP organizes a variety of workshops and public events for government officials, NGO representatives, congressional staffers, media, the diplomatic community and the public in Washington D.C. Past events have included panelists from Nepalese civil society (human rights, security, media), Nepal government ministers, current and former Nepali diplomats, US and South-Asia-based think tank analysts, US Congressional staffers, and State Department and USAID officials. USIP also hosts a monthly working group for members of the Nepal Diaspora in the Washington metropolitan area, the Washington Nepal Forum [6].

For more information on USIP's programs in Nepal, please contact Colette Rausch at crausch@usip.org [7]