Opinion | Nepal’s civil society under siege

Key Points

• The 2025 draft bill centralizes control of civil society under the Ministry of Home Affairs, undermining federalism and local autonomy.
• The bill’s morality clause risks discrimination against marginalized groups by enforcing majoritarian values under the guise of 'public decency'.
• Financial regulations impose restrictive approval processes and transaction ceilings, creating bureaucratic barriers for civic organisations.
• The bill expands reporting obligations and bureaucratic layers, contradicting the constitution’s guarantee of associational freedom.