KATHMANDU, Oct 9: The Blue Diamond Society (BDS), a leading organisation advocating the rights of sexual and gender minorities in Nepal, marked its 25th anniversary on Thursday, with government officials and legal experts stressing the need to translate hard-won rights into practice.
Speaking at a ceremony in Kathmandu, Minister for Women, Children, Gender and Sexual Minorities, and Social Security Sita Badi said Nepal had set an example in South Asia by raising minority rights issues. She said the government was committed to addressing the community’s concerns, including efforts to secure policy recognition for same-sex marriage and improve data collection on sexual and gender minorities.
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Supreme Court Justice Hari Prasad Phuyal said the community had achieved historic legal gains but stressed that courts must implement orders. He said the judiciary had urged the legislative and executive branches to develop a legal framework to protect the community’s rights.
Politician Ganesh Shah recalled raising the rights of sexual and gender minorities in Parliament during the first Constituent Assembly, saying the community had continued to make progress in its struggle for equality.
BDS Executive Director Manisha Dhakal reflected on the challenges the organisation had faced over the past 25 years, including its efforts to secure rights through the courts and Parliament. She called for a clear plan to guide the organisation’s work over the next 25 years.
The ceremony also honoured individuals and organisations that have supported the society, including National Human Rights Commission representative Lily Thapa, representatives of the Australian and Norwegian embassies, development partners and rights activists.
