🎬 Video explanationलोकतन्त्र, मानव अधिकार र राष्ट्रिय मानव अधिकार आयोग
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📗 Nayab Subba syllabus: Paper II, Section B, Unit 2.7 · Open the full Nayab Subba course
Democracy (लोकतन्त्र) and human rights (मानव अधिकार) go together: democracy gives people the power to choose their government, and human rights protect the dignity and freedom of every person.
1. Democracy: meaning and types
- Abraham Lincoln: democracy is “government of the people, by the people, for the people“.
- Direct democracy: people decide laws themselves (ancient Athens; referendums today).
- Representative (indirect) democracy: people elect representatives (Nepal).
- Parliamentary system: the executive comes from and is accountable to Parliament (Nepal); presidential system: a directly elected president heads the executive (USA).
2. Features of democracy
- Periodic, free and fair elections with universal adult franchise (voting age 18 in Nepal).
- Multiparty competition and peaceful transfer of power.
- Rule of law, constitutionalism and separation of powers (legislature, executive, judiciary).
- Independent judiciary and free press.
- Protection of fundamental and human rights; rights of minorities with majority rule.
- Accountability, transparency and people’s participation.
3. Nepal’s democratic journey
| Year (BS) | Event |
|---|---|
| 2007 | Revolution ended the Rana rule; democracy began |
| 2015 | First general election; B. P. Koirala became the first elected Prime Minister |
| 2017 | King Mahendra dissolved Parliament; Panchayat system (to 2046) |
| 2046 | People’s Movement I restored multiparty democracy; Constitution of 2047 |
| 2062/63 | People’s Movement II ended direct royal rule |
| 2065 Jestha 15 | Nepal declared a federal democratic republic by the first Constituent Assembly |
| 2072 Asoj 3 | Constitution of Nepal promulgated |
4. Human rights: meaning and generations
- Human rights are basic rights every person has because they are human: universal, inalienable, indivisible and interdependent.
| Generation | Type | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| First | Civil and political rights | Life, liberty, equality, speech, vote, fair trial |
| Second | Economic, social and cultural rights | Education, health, work, food, social security |
| Third | Collective (solidarity) rights | Development, clean environment, peace |
5. International instruments
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): adopted by the UN General Assembly on 10 December 1948; 30 articles. Human Rights Day is observed on 10 December.
- ICCPR (civil and political rights) and ICESCR (economic, social and cultural rights), adopted in 1966; together with the UDHR they form the International Bill of Human Rights. Nepal became a party to them in 1991.
- Other conventions: CEDAW (women), CRC (children), CAT (torture), CRPD (persons with disabilities), CERD (racial discrimination).
- UN Human Rights Council (Geneva, 2006) reviews countries through the Universal Periodic Review.
6. Human rights in Nepal
- Fundamental rights: Articles 16 to 46 (31 rights), including right to live with dignity, equality, freedom, against untouchability, information, privacy, education, health, food, social justice and social security; Article 46 gives the right to constitutional remedy.
- National Human Rights Commission (NHRC): first formed in 2057 BS (2000) under the NHRC Act 2053; now a constitutional body under Articles 248–249. It investigates violations, recommends action and compensation, and monitors human rights.
- Challenges: conflict-era cases and transitional justice, caste discrimination, violence against women, trafficking, poor implementation.
7. Generations of human rights
| Generation | Rights | Example |
|---|---|---|
| First | Civil and political rights | Right to life, free speech, voting |
| Second | Economic, social and cultural rights | Right to education, health, work |
| Third | Collective (solidarity) rights | Right to development and a clean environment |
8. Main international covenants
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), 1966.
- International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), 1966.
- Together with the UDHR they form the International Bill of Human Rights.
- Nepal became a party to both covenants in 1991.
9. How this topic is asked in the exam
Objective questions ask the year of the UDHR and the covenants and the meaning of each generation of rights. Subjective questions ask how democracy protects human rights, with examples from the Constitution of Nepal.
📌 Key points to remember
- Democracy (Lincoln): of, by and for the people; Nepal has representative, parliamentary democracy.
- Features: elections, adult franchise, multiparty system, rule of law, separation of powers, free press, human rights.
- Milestones: 2007 revolution; 2046 movement; 2062/63 movement; republic on 2065 Jestha 15; Constitution 2072 Asoj 3.
- UDHR 10 Dec 1948, 30 articles; ICCPR and ICESCR 1966; Nepal party since 1991.
- Fundamental rights: Articles 16–46 (31 rights); NHRC (2057 BS) now under Articles 248–249.
📝 Quiz
Test yourself: Democracy and Human Rights
50 questions check what you read about Democracy: meaning and types, Human rights: meaning and generations and Human rights in Nepal. Each attempt picks 25 at random.
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