KATHMANDU, Nov 4: Human Rights activists and legal experts have said that a regional human rights mechanism is needed in South Asia.
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Speaking at a national workshop on South Asia Human Rights Mechanism organized by the Informal Sector Service Center (Insec) and Forum-Asia in Kathmandu on Wednesday, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairman Anup Raj Sharma said that a regional human rights mechanism could be helpful in dealing with trans-border human rights issues.
"South Asia is home to a large population but this region could not get rid of the cases of human rights violations," said Sharma.
Insec Chairman Subodh Raj Pyakurel argued that such regional mechanism should be decisive and robust. He also proposed holding a meeting of national institutions on human rights from all South Asian countries in Kathmandu for taking initiatives for establishing such mechanism.
Senior Advocate Yuvaraj Sangroula said that such mechanism would help end the culture of impunity in the region by setting common jurisprudence. "The mechanism could be a neutral organization that is above the national division of caste, creed and other cultural traits," said Sangroula. He argued that such mechanisms could frighten perpetrators of human rights violations and help to decrease cases of violations.
Forum Asia Chairperson Henri Tiphagne informed that a regional taskforce in a name of Regional Initiative for South Asia Human Rights Mechanism has been established and civil society should keep pressing state governments to take initiatives on establishing such regional mechanism.
Following the discussion, the workshop on Wednesday formed an eight-member secretariat in Nepal to support the regional initiative for a South Asia Human Rights Mechanism.
