KATHMANDU: Members of Nepal’s sexual and gender minority community have voiced concerns over continued discrimination and barriers to accessing constitutionally guaranteed rights, including citizenship and voting.
Speaking at a programme organised by the Federation of Sexual and Gender Minorities in coordination with Paschim Tara Nepal, participants said many people from the community remain unable to fully exercise their civic rights despite legal recognition of their identities.
The discussion focused on the constitutional rights of sexual and gender minorities and the role of the media in promoting inclusion.
Participants stressed that people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities require meaningful representation in social and political life.
Malina Neupane, an official with the Pride Project, said legal obstacles continue to make it difficult for lesbian, gay and other sexual and gender minority individuals to obtain citizenship certificates. She urged the Election Commission to adopt more inclusive laws to ensure equal voting rights for people of all sexes and gender identities.
According to information shared at the programme, Nepal has around 2,928 people identified as belonging to sexual and gender minorities, but only about 200 have obtained identity documents reflecting their gender identity.
Parina Chaudhary of Paschim Tara Nepal said members of the community continue to face widespread stigma and discrimination. She added that around 850 sexual and gender minority individuals live in Banke district alone.
Simran Sherchan ‘Sihar’ of the Federation said intersex children continue to face discrimination from birth and called on society to recognise and respect their identities and emotions.
She also stressed the need to remove legal barriers preventing sexual and gender minorities from obtaining citizenship and exercising their voting rights as guaranteed by the Constitution.
The programme also highlighted the case of Maya Magar of Paschim Tara Nepal, who reportedly waited five years to obtain a citizenship certificate despite her gender identity being publicly recognised.
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