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UN human rights chief to visit Nepal in January

The High Commissioner of the United Nations Human Rights Commission Louise Arbour will visit Nepal in January.

"Arbour will visit Nepal from January 19 to 24, 2007. In her first visit to Nepal since the establishment of her Office here in May 2005, the High Commissioner will emphasise the importance of human rights to the success of the peace process, and highlight how her Office will fulfill its mandate in the important period leading up to the Constituent Assembly election," said a statement issued by the OHCHR office in Kathmandu.

"OHCHR-Nepal is the largest country office of the High Commissioner, who will hold meetings with the Government, the CPN-Maoist leadership, political parties, human rights defenders and wider civil society during her six-day visit."

Arbour is also expected to make at least one visit to a region outside Kathmandu to meet with local communities and to learn directly about their human rights issues.

"The High Commissioner's visit will come at a very important moment in the peace process, with a likely Security Council resolution on Nepal in the first half of January. Protection and promotion of human rights are central to the success of the peace process. The High Commissioner's visit will help to bring focus on the question of how all Nepalese actors can work effectively to guarantee respect for human rights, including how to address longstanding issues of discrimination and exclusion," said Lena Sundh, the Representative of the High Commissioner in Nepal.

Arbour had last visited Nepal in January, 2004. nepalnews.com sd Dec 29 06