16 April 2020, Kathmandu
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the government to help people especially helpless as daily wagers returning to their homes due to lockdown imposed to contain the possible outbreak of COVID-19.
It has come to revelation from monitoring that the people who have been eking out their livelihood from limited resource have encountered troubles while returning homes, stated a press release issued on Thursday by NHRC secretary Bed Prasad Bhattarai.
“A large number of ailing people, senior citizens, children, pregnant and lactating mothers has been found unsafely walking to their remote destination. The vulnerable citizens with limited money have come across several complications when there are no relief distributions from local levels”, the press release noted.
It further stated, “Daily thousands of citizens have been found in the helpless situation in several districts, including Kavre, Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Dhading, Kapilvastu, Banke, Bardiya and Kailali due to tough restriction along with the inter-country border points”.
The monitoring has found that the workers who have been employed in unorganized job sectors in different cities of the country including Kathmandu, as well as ailing people in search of health service and people from marginalized sections residing in rented homes, are facing trouble.
The NHRC has urged all three tiers of the governments to respect, protect citizens’ constitutionally-guaranteed fundamental human rights to food and life.
Also, the constitutional human rights watchdog body has called for all sides to fully comply with the government-enforced lockdown in the current crisis situation and also obey their duties and responsibilities while exercising their rights.
