Mohna Ansari on Human Rights Issues in Nepal

Nepal has had a turbulent past. The picture-postcard country nestled in the Himalaya from where mountaineers start to scale the highest peaks in the world has seen bitter conflict and faces significant human rights challenges. In this conversation with IHRB's Salil Tripathi, Mohna Ansari, commissioner at Nepal's Human Rights Commission, talks about the challenges faced by the landless and those facing discrimination. She also stresses the importance for companies to act responsibly by adhering to international standards as Nepal rebuilds its economy after years of conflict and a devastating earthquake.

She also focuses on the rights of migrant workers - many Nepalis seek work abroad - and how the Commission hopes to address concerns about corporate conduct. Ansari is one of Nepal's leading human rights activists, the only female attorney from the minority Muslim community. She is a commissioner at Nepal's Human Rights Commission, having earlier been a member of the national women's commission. Born in Nepalganj, she has been a journalist and worked at Amnesty International in Nepal. After graduating in law, she has worked with the Nepal Bar Association, and later with development agenciesand she specialises in women empowerment, social inclusion, peacebuilding, and conflict resolution.She has received the Suprabal Jana Sewa Shree from Nepal's President in 2012 and the Celebrating Womanhood Navadevi Award which recognises female heroes of Nepal.

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