KATHMANDU: Minister for Foreign Affairs Shisir Khanal has said prejudice and exclusion are major hindrances to human potential, adding that these problems are further amplified by algorithmic bias.
Addressing a high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action in New York on Monday, Foreign Minister Khanal urged the international community to fulfill the commitments made 25 years ago in Durban.
Khanal, who is currently in New York to participate in the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, said true human progress rests on the inviolable dignity of every individual. He urged the international community to translate the commitments of Durban into meaningful action and justice.
“Twenty-five years ago in Durban, the international community united with a solemn resolve: to confront racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and the enduring legacies of colonialism, apartheid, and systemic injustice. Today, that promise remains an urgent moral imperative,” Khanal said.
The event was held under the theme, ‘Mobilizing global public support for the full and effective implementation of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action.’
Referring to Nelson Mandela, Khanal said, “As Nelson Mandela reminded us, hatred is learned—meaning our societies can intentionally cultivate dignity, empathy and mutual respect.”
Durban principles in constitutional ethos
According to Khanal, the principles of the Durban Declaration resonate deeply with Nepal’s national conscience and constitutional ethos.
“Guided by a decisive mandate for good governance and social equity, the Government of Nepal, led by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), is fully committed to dismantling entrenched discrimination and advancing substantive social justice,” he said, adding that the pursuit of justice begins with institutional humility and moral accountability.
Khanal also highlighted the apology extended to Nepal’s Dalit community in recognition of centuries of institutional humiliation, systemic neglect and social injustice, along with the commitment to dismantle caste-based discrimination through legislative and structural reforms. RSP Chair Rabi Lamichhane had made the statement in Parliament.
The Foreign Minister said Nepal’s Constitution guarantees equality before the law, prohibits discrimination in all spheres and provides for proportional inclusion of historically marginalized communities.
“These domestic guarantees reflect our global commitments as a State Party to seven core international human rights treaties, including the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD),” he said.
Khanal outlined four priorities for accelerating implementation of the Durban Programme of Action: strengthening legal and civic action by enforcing robust anti-discrimination laws and promoting human rights education in schools; empowering marginalized communities by ensuring their meaningful participation in public policy; governing emerging technologies by regulating artificial intelligence to address algorithmic discrimination and hate speech; and advancing principled multilateralism through deeper global cooperation to combat systemic intolerance.
“These are the priorities we must pursue to accelerate the Durban Programme of Action,” Khanal said.
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