Labour, Human Rights Conference in Nepal

A broad workers’ movement in Nepal backed by global trade union confederations will convene next weekend, 10-12 September, in Katmandu. The conference will call for full restoration of human and trade union rights in the Himalayan kingdom and will issue a road map to that end. Some 1,500 trade union leaders from both inside and outside Nepal will attend. National trade union center GEFONT, one of four Nepalese organisations organising the event, said the conference “will declare common mechanism among all workers to fight and safeguard workers’ rights,” adding the conference will “train grassroots representatives at once on necessity of democracy for trade unions.” Even though a state of emergency issued by the monarchy was lifted last spring, trade union rights continue to be suspended and human rights violations continue to occur.