NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION 3.2. Activities on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation 3.2.1. Formulation and Implementation of the Strategic Plan (2004-2008) of the Commission To carry out the functions, fulfil duties and exercise the rights provided by the Human Rights Commission Act 1997, to discharge its works in a planned manner, and also to implement the programmes geared towards promoting the human rights culture in the country, the Commission has finalised its Strategic Plan (2003-2008) on 25 November 2003. Adopting a participatory approach, the Strategic Plan has been formulated on the basis of suggestions and opinions received from the people of diverse walks of life. They include not only the Commission’s officials and employees, but also those of the government agencies, other human rights commissions, human rights related NGOs, judiciary, mass media, political parties, UN agencies, and donor agencies of the NHRC projects, as well as intellectuals, intelligentsia, and foreign diplomats. The mission of this Strategic Plan is : “Our mission is to develop a culture of human rights in the country by taking a leading role as an independent and impartial national institution for the protection and promotion of human rights in accordance with universally recognized human rights principles.” The Plan has been developed the strategic programmes by identifying certain critical issues of human rights, such as, the existing conflict, impediments to exercise the basic rights of the Constitution and other laws of the country, gender and caste based discrimination, as well as sexual harassment and molestation. Other key issues include the issue of torture meted out in the pretext of witchcraft (Boksi), violence against children and women, child labour, obstacles in exercising the citizens’ ESC Rights, problems relating to human rights education and awareness, and state of impunity. The Plan’s main strategic objectives are : ❐ ❐ ❐ ❐ ❐ ❐ 12 To contribute to peace building process by ensuring that the parties to the conflict are fully in compliance with the international standards for human rights and humanitarian law. To promote, monitor and enforce the guarantee of fundamental rights of the people with focus on the right to life, liberty, justice and equality. To advocate right to food, health, shelter, education and work as the fundamental rights of the people with special attention to improving the human rights situation in the most underdeveloped regions of Nepal. To help improve the legislative and regulatory mechanisms for control and cessation of a) domestic and dowry related violence against women and b) trafficking in women and children. To help improve legislative, monitoring and enforcing arrangements for elimination of violence against children in the form of trafficking, abuse, exploitation and the use of children in conflict. To improve the extent to which international treaties and conventions on human rights are ratified, domesticated and implemented in Nepal.