Prefab House of NHRC jointly inaugurated by Chair Justice Anup Raj Sharma and Haoliang Xu, UN Assistant Secretary General.

LALITPUR: NHRC-Nepal inaugurated the prefab house amid an inaugural function held at the NHRC premises on 26th June, 2015. The house was jointly inaugurated by the NHRC Chairperson Justice Anup Raj Sharma and Haoliang Xu, UN Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and Pacific (UNDP).

On the occasion, Haoliang Xu, UN Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and Pacific (UNDP), expressing his condolence over the heavy loss of lives and properties, committed his solidarity with the people of Nepal in post quake rebuilding efforts. 

On the occasion, Haoliang Xu, UN Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and Pacific (UNDP), commended the NHRCs proactive action to carry out monitoring in all earthquake affected districts of the country during and aftermath of the earthquake, he also lauded the development of six year strategic plan of the Commission and
expressed his commitment that the UNDP as development partner will assist in all possible means.
He also said that UNDP will support the Commission not as a donor but as a value adding partner in all its endeavors. 

On the occasion, Chairperson Justice Anup Raj Sharma said that human rights don’t 
disappear with the situation of any types of natural disaster or emergency situations.
He added that NHRC-Nepal promptly initiated the monitoring of human rights 
situation and engaged along with the Government agencies, civil society
organizations, human rights defenders and international agencies in response to an unimaginable and unprecedented emergency situation of Nepal followed by the earthquake of April-May, 2015. 
He also said that the NHRC-Nepal has been carrying out its function by developing a comprehensive approach to the promotion and protection of human rights in the earthquake ravaged areas. The Commission has been working with a coordinated approach and inclusion of human rights approach on the basis of its findings.
Thanking the UNDP Nepal for its prompt decision to support the Commission for 
building the Prefab House at the same location and would like to extend special 
thanks to Mr. HaoliangXu for being the part of the function despite his busy schedule, Chairperson expressed his hope that the UNDP will extend continuous support to implement the Six-Year Strategic Plan of the Commission.

On the occasion, congratulating the Commission for proactively engaging in the protection of the citizens despite the fact that the Commission was already enduring the irreparable damage of its office building, Rajuman Singh Malla , the Secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers said that the Government has committed to help the Commission with both temporary and long term alternative with all possible means, as per the NHRC letter sent on May 5, 2015. 
Mentioning about the new challenges emerged in various facets, Secretary Malla
said that government was in need of 6 b dollar to rebuild the infrastructure and to 
restore normalcy in terms of rehabilitation of the earthquake survivors, prevention and control of human trafficking and food stuffs and many more. 
He also informed that the National Human Rights Action Plan of the Government introduced in 2000 and the new five year NHRAP ( 2014-19) with Human Rights 
Based Approach ( HRBA) to development was already in implementation phase. 

Jamie McGoldrick, Resident Coordinator UNDP Nepal, echoing the words of condolence of Mr Haoling Xu, remarked, ‘ I also want to take this opportunity to congratulate the NHRC on the recently established human rights working groups 
with civil society organizations and the Nepal Bar Association.’ He added that it is a balancing act to ensure protection of the individuals human rights and the protection of the national needs in times of crisis.
He urged that the NHRC to be a strong advisor to the government in managing the heavy responsibility of the emergency power. 

On the occasion, welcoming all the invitee guests, Acting Secretary said that the NHRC office building was completely damaged causing almost all daily works to remain dormant due to the devastating Earthquake in April and May, 2015. 
NHRC monitoring teams took to the earthquake ravaged districts to monitor the situation of HR immediately after the earthquake even though the Office Building of the Commission itself was on the verge of collapse. 
‘Human rights issues across the country were put in consequential jeopardy due to the deadly disaster that, I believe, all of us present here have witnessed,’ Secretary Bhattarai said. 
He concluded that the Commission has made public its monitoring report recommending the government for appropriate action to ensure the rights of the earthquake survivors as soon as possible. 

He added that the Commission has also urged the political parties and the civil society members and organizations for their supportive role during the course of relief and rehabilitation programs of the government.
Thanking the UNDP-Nepal for the timely support extended to build the prefab house
as the post-disaster reconstruction efforts to restore normalcy in daily works, Secretary expressed his hope for further support to the Commission on the basis of our new six-year Strategic Plan.

On the occasion, Human Rights- Must Know Book in 5 Local languages (Nepali, Newari, Bhojpuri, Maithili, Tharu) were jointly released by Justice Anup Raj Sharma and HaoliangXu, UN Assistant Secretary General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and Pacific (UNDP).

A the function, a token of Appreciation” was also presented to UNDP by NHRC Nepal.