Nepal's President, Bidya Bhandari, refused to endorse a new Citizenship Bill passed by Parliament in September 2022, blocking the potential granting of citizenship to around 500,000 people. The law aims to address statelessness and provides an important step forward for some who have been denied citizenship, even though it still excludes many and perpetuates several discriminatory provisions, perticularly regarding the rights of Nepali women. The president's decision sparked public protests, and the issue is now under review by Nepal's Supreme Court.