Nepal Civil Society Network on Citizenship Rights,
the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights
and the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion
Joint Submission to the Human Rights Council at the
23rd Session of the Universal Periodic Review
Nepal
1.
The Nepal Civil Society Network on Citizenship Rights, the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights and
the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion make this submission to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in
relation to Nepal.
2.
The Nepal Civil Society Network on Citizenship Rights (the Network) is a loose network of civil society
organizations working in various sectors of human rights in Nepal. The Network was formed during the tenure
of the First Constituent Assembly of Nepal with the aim to lobby equal citizenship rights in the upcoming
constitution, and has continued to function during the term of the second Constituent Assembly. There are
more than 50 organisations currently associated with the Network. The Network formulates strategies to
enhance equal citizenship rights in Nepal and also organizes various programmes related to citizenship. The
Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD) acts as the Secretariat of the Network and coordinates all of
its meetings and programmes. FWLD, established in 1995, has been working in the sector of citizenship rights
from its inception, and provides legal services to victims of discriminatory citizenship laws, provides training
for government servants, lawyers and Constituent Assembly Members and carries out research and advocacy
on the issue. FWLD has successfully challenged discriminatory citizenship law in the Nepal Supreme Court on
multiple occasions. It also has many publications analysing and critiquing the citizenship law of Nepal.
3.
The Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights (the Global Campaign) is a coalition of international and
national organizations that promotes gender equality in nationality laws, so that women and men can confer,
acquire, change and retain their nationality on an equal basis. The Campaign includes a Steering Committee
of Equality Now, Equal Rights Trust, the Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion, UNHCR, UN Women and
Women’s Refugee Commission. The Campaign was launched in June 2014 at a side event of the 26th Session
of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, and has conducted international advocacy activities to encourage
states which still maintain gender discriminatory nationality laws, to reform their laws and bring them into
compliance with international human rights standards.
4.
The Institute on Statelessness and Inclusion (the Institute) is an independent non-profit organisation dedicated
to promoting an integrated, human rights based response to the injustice of statelessness and exclusion.
Established in August 2014, it is the first and only global centre committed to promoting the human rights
of stateless persons and ending statelessness. Its work combines research, education, and advocacy, and it
provides expertise to civil society, academia, the UN and governments.
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