Editorial | Nepal’s inclusion commissions are broke, powerless and mostly used as waiting rooms for politicians
Summary
Nepal’s inclusion commissions have been starved of funds, stripped of real authority and left largely ineffective despite being created to protect marginalized communities. As their ten-year constitutional review approaches, the editorial calls for stronger legal powers, financial autonomy and accountable appointments.
Key Points
- The seven inclusion commissions created by Nepal’s 2015 Constitution are described as underfunded, powerless and reduced to symbolic institutions.
- Budget records cited in the editorial show most of each commission’s funding goes to salaries and office costs, with little spent on community programmes.
- The article says governments have ignored most commission recommendations and often filled seats through political patronage rather than merit.
- It argues the upcoming ten-year review should strengthen the commissions instead of weakening or merging them.
