Monitoring of Human Rights in Electoral Context Side Event Program - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Monitoring of Human Rights in Electoral Context

Side Event Program organized by Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) at GANHRI 2019 Annual Meeting 5 March,2019 in Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

Justice Anup Raj Sharma Chairperson National Human Rights Commission Nepal

Introduction

• The legitimacy of any government should be

established by the expressed will of the people .

• A free and fair election could be the beginning

points toward the establishment of democracy as well as rule of law.

• States periodic elections are the key factor to

form a democratic government which in turn protects and respects of human rights .

• It is a good practice in monitoring of human

right in Electoral Process.

Mandate and Democratic Norms

• Periodic election is the foundation of rule of

law and human rights.

• The

importance

• f

elections is acknowledged in preamble

• f

the Constitution of Nepal, 2015

• Constitutional and Legal mandate to NHRC
• International Treaty and Conventions
• MOU between NHRC Nepal and Election

Commission, Nepal .

Special Appeal of NHRC

Appeal to all stakeholders to ensure fair, independent and impartial manner, free of terror and to respect and protect the civil and political rights of citizens of Nepal.

Special Appeal of NHRC

Appeals to the Government of Nepal to allow political party to carry out campaign activities and for the electorate to exercise their vote. Appeal to Political Parties to respect the rights to freedom of expression and opinion guaranteed by the constitution.

Special Appeal of NHRC

• Appeals to Election Commission of

Nepal to follow and fully execute the Election Code Conduct and to promptly call attention to and use the legal system to prosecute any party or candidate who violate the code of conduct.

Special Appeal of NHRC

• Appeals to All the organizers involve in

monitoring the election to conduct the free and impartial monitoring .

• Appeals to all the people and voters to be

aware of their own rights use the voting rights without any fear .

Activities executed by the Commission

 Discussion and interaction with the stakeholders,  Monitoring teams Formation and mobilization, Press Statement/Press Conference/ Special Appeal, Publication and Dissemination of Election materials,

Continue……….

• Developed Monitoring Checklist on Pre

Election, During Election and Post Election,

• Monitored 77 districts through NHRC

Officers,

• Published Reports , Submitted to Nepal,
• Government and Election Commission,
• MOU between NHRC and Election

Commission,

Challenges

• Challenges on Accessibilities to person with

disabilities, pregnant women, senior citizen and sick people.

• Deprived from voting rights people living

abroad(migrant workers) conflict victims displaced people, People in police custody etc.

• Geographic Challenges, Transportation,
• Infrastructure : School buildings were used

Recommendation and Suggestions

Recommendations and Suggestions To the Nepal Government To the Election Commission To the Political Parties and Candidates To the Election Observers, Observing Organizations and Human Rights Activists To the Journalists

Recommendations and Suggestions

To the Nepal Government

• To amend laws, ensure the right to vote of

the elderly citizens, lactating mothers, women and voters with disabilities by facilitating transportation.

• Friendly location while determining polling

centres and make all the existing polling centres disabled friendly.

• Free and fair atmosphere for Candidate .

Recommendations and Suggestions

To the Election Commission

• To make sufficient and effective voter

education,

• To make timely arrangement for production

and dissemination of voter education materials,

• To make the code of conduct monitoring

mechanism more effective,

• Make necessary arrangement for

transportation to lactating mother,

Recommendations and Suggestions

• To the Election Commission
• Make effective arrangement of drinking

water, toilet and first aid in the polling centers.

• To establish polling centers in locations that

are easily accessible to the voters.

Recommendations and Suggestions

To the Political Parties and Candidates:

• Follow, democratic Values and norms of

human rights by including them in election manifestos, maintain peace and order.

• Not to use children in election campaigning

including rallies and mass meetings.

• Follow democratic values and norms

without creating conflicts maintain peace and order.

Recommendations and Suggestions

To the Journalists:

• Publish and publicize voters’ education

with importance,

• Give high priority to the topic of election

code of conduct,

• Publish/broadcast and ensure,

publishing/broadcasting of news, materials related to elections from the perspective of human rights,

• Respect election code of conduct,

Recommendations and Suggestions

• To the Election Observers, Observing

Organizations and Human Rights Activists:

• Arrangements for providing compulsory

training and orientations to the observers before their deployment.

• Minute observation of human rights violations

and atrocities during the elections and make them public.

Recommendations and Suggestions

• Coordinate with other observers and
• rganizations .
• Develop coordinated program in

consultation with other related organizations for collaboration, in order to make the monitoring.

• More coordinated, and Ensure that the
• bservers reach every voting center and if

possible, divide time in a way that there is at least one observer present all the time.

!! Thank you !!