'Biased' winds of change in Nepal

Nepal is in a process of change. But while most of it since end of the civil war has been positive, some proposed changes have drawn flak. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: Jan 31, 2011, 01:10:46 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Nepal is in a process of change. But while most of it since end of the civil war has been positive, some proposed changes have drawn flak.

Take for example the proposed citizenship rules in the new constitution that are discriminatory towards women.

A foreigner marrying a Nepali man can become a naturalized citizen immediately on submitting proof of having rescinded the citizenship of her country of birth. But foreigners marrying Nepali women will have to wait for 15 years in order to be eligible to apply for naturalized citizenship.

Likewise children of Nepali men married to foreigners can become citizens by descent, but children born to Nepali women married to foreigners are granted naturalized citizenship.

In India, anyone married to an Indian citizen, irrespective of gender, can apply for naturalized citizenship after 5 years of constant stay in the country. The time limit for the same is 3 years in US. Activists and some lawmakers are also worried about discriminatory clauses in the draft civil laws that propose to replace the century-old Muluki Ain. Despite the Supreme Court directing the government to formulate laws allowing same-sex marriages, the draft civil code mentions only about marriage between man and woman.

"Besides being discriminatory towards certain sections, many chapters are against international human rights treaties that Nepal has signed," said Sunil Babu Pant, Nepal's first openly gay lawmaker.

Likewise the draft criminal laws also have several clauses that are non inclusive about rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgendered and citizens with certain disabilities and diseases. "Rather than simply putting the principal age of consent and consensus between adults for indulging in sexual behavior, the law tries to define 'natural and unnatural sex' in a vague way," said Pant.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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