Articles
Anjana Dhital
Published 2021-03-30
Keywords
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How to Cite
Dhital, A. (2021). Regional Development of Human Rights in South Asia. Kathmandu School of Law Review, 9(1), 53–64. Retrieved from https://kslreview.org/index.php/kslr/article/view/2206
Abstract
Various human rights initiatives and developments have emerged in South Asia in the past few years. These initiatives have been taken at the regional as well as national level. However, there exist various challenges because of which this region still lacks a regional human rights mechanism unlike any other region of the world. Thus, this paper explores the recent developments of human rights in South Asia. It studies the development of human rights in each South Asian state particularly. Further, this paper analyzes the possible causative factors behind the slow pace of human rights development in South Asia alongside the failure to develop a regional human rights instrument. The paper does not address the initiatives taken by non-governmental bodies or civil societies working in South Asia to develop the human rights perspectives. Only the governmental and inter-governmental measures have been taken into consideration.
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References
1 Jean Marc Coicaud, Micheal Doyle & Anne Marie, The Globalization of Human Rights, United Nations University Press, New York, 2003, p. 25.
2 Azizur Rahman Chowdhury & Md. Jahid Hossain Bhuiyan, An Introduction to International Human Rights Law, Brill Publishers, Netherlands, 2010, p. 191.
3 R.P. Anand, South Asia: In Search of a Regional Identity, Banyan Publications, New Delhi, 1991, p. 1.
4 Raghuvir Jalote, Archeological History of Early South Asia, Cyber Tech Publications, New Delhi, 2010, pp. 176-177.
5 Charter of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, 1985, art. 1(a).
6 Rajiv Shah, ‘SAARC is world’s only regional organization not having human rights body to tackle issues related to International Covenants’, 26 August 2014, Counterview.org available at https://counterview.org/2014/08/26/saarc-is-worlds-only-regional-organization-not-having-human-rights-body-to-tackle-issues-
related-to-the-international-covenants/, accessed on 8 April 2019.
7 SAARC Charter of Democracy, 2011, Preamble.
8 Abul Hasnat Monjurul Kabir, ‘Establishing National Human Rights Commissions in South Asia: A critical analysis of the processes and prospects’, Asia Pacific Journal on Human Rights and the Law, p.1, volume 2, 2001, p.1.
9 Sunil Babu Panta v. Nepal Government, NKP 2064(2007).
10 Surya Prasad Sharma Dhungel v. Godawari Marble Industries Pvt. Ltd, NKP 2052(1995).
11 Meera Dhungana and Meera Parajuli v. HMG Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, NKP 2052 (1996).
12 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2018: Events of Nepal in 2017’ available at https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/nepal, accessed on 8 April 2019.
13 Ibid.
14 Ibid.
15 Acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual and other such terms that people use to describe their experiences of their gender, sexuality and physiological sex characteristics.
16 Equality Now, ‘Ending Sexual Violence in South Asia’ available at https://www.equalitynow.org/ending-
sexual-violence-in-south-asia/, accessed on 12 February 2022.
17 South Asia Monitor, ‘Children of single mothers in Nepal might still face problems in getting citizenship’,
10 June 2021, available at https://www.southasiamonitor.org/nepal/children-single-mothers-nepal-
might-still-face-problems-getting-citizenship, accessed on 12 February 2022.
18 Himalayan News Service, ‘Police accused of settling rape case through mediation’, The Himalayan Times, Kathmandu, 17 March 2018, available at https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/police-accused-of-settling-
rape-case-through-mediation, accessed on 12 February 2022.
19 Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation, Supreme Court of India, 1985, AIR.
20 Vishakha & others v State of Rajasthan, Supreme Court of India, 1997, AIR.
21 Naz Foundation v. NCT, Delhi High Court, 2009.
22 NALSA v. Union of India, Supreme Court of India, 2014, AIR.
23 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2021: India Events of 2020’, available at https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/india#, accessed on 12 February 2020.
24 Ibid.
25 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2019: Events of 2018’, available at https://bit.ly/36aS22T, accessed on 12 February 2020.
26 Adamintia Pollis & Peter Schwab, Human Rights: New Perspectives, New Realities, Viva Books, New Delhi, 2002, pp. 75-77.
27 Huo Jingnan, ‘More Than 10,000 Civilians Injured Or Killed In Afghanistan Last Year, U.N. Say’, npr, 22 February 2020 available at https://www.npr.org/2020/02/22/808463197/more-than-10-000-civilians-injured-
or-killed-in-afghanistan-last-year-u-n-says, accessed on 12 February 2020.
28 Human Rights Watch, ‘Afghanistan: Taliban Takeover Worsens Rights Crisis’, 13 January 2022 available at https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/01/13/afghanistan-taliban-takeover-worsens-rights-crisis, accessed on 12 February 2022.
29 Ibid.
30 Ibid.
31 Ibid.
32 V. P. Srivastva, Human Rights: Issues and Implementations, Indian Publishers, Delhi, volume 2, 2004, p. 1291.
33 Rudabeh Shahid, ‘Assessing the treatment of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh’, Atlantic Council, 25 September
2019, available at https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/assessing-
the-treatment-of-rohingya-refugees-in-bangladesh/, accessed on 12 February 2022.
34 Ibid.
35 Constitution Net Organization, 'Constitutional History of Sri Lanka', available at http://constitutionnet.org/country/constitutional-history-sri-lanka, accessed on 8 April 2019.
36 Amnesty International, ‘Sri Lanka: Authorities must end violence and discrimination against Muslims’, 18 October 2021 available at https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/10/sri-lanka-authorities-
must-end-violence-and-discrimination-against-muslims/, accessed on 12 February 2022.
37 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2019: Events of Sri Lanka in 2018’ available at https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/sri-lanka, accessed on 8 April 2019.
38 Ibid.
39 Ibid.
40 V.T. Patil, Human Rights Developments in South Asia, Authors Press, Delhi, 2003, p. 318.
41 Ibid.
42 Barbara Crossette, ‘Pakistan's Minorities Face Voting Restrictions’, The New York Times, 23 October 1990 available at https://www.nytimes.com/1990/10/23/world/pakistan-s-minorities-face-voting-restrictions.html, accessed on 12 February 2022.
43 Mahwish Rabia et al., ‘Gender Inequality: A Case Study in Pakistan’, Open Journal of Social Sciences, volume 7, March 2019 available at https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=91363, accessed on 12 February 2022.
44 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2018: Pakistan Events of 2017’, available at https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan, accessed on 12 February 2022.
45 Ibid.
46 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2019: Events of Pakistan in 2018’ available https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan, accessed on 8 April 2019.
47 iProbono, ‘Marital Rape: South Asia Factsheet’, available at https://i-probono.com/download/?id=5805, accessed on 12 February 2022.
48 Equality Now, ‘Rape Laws Across South Asia Insufficient, Inconsistent, And Poorly Enforced, Leaving Women at Heightened Risk of Sexual Violence’, available at https://www.equalitynow.org/press_release/rape_laws_south_asia_april_2021/ accessed on 12 February 2022.
49 Kabir (n 8), p.17.
50 Ayesha Zalal, Democracy and Authoritarianism in South Asia: Comparative and Historical Perspective, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1995, pp. 1-28.
51 E. Sridharan, International Relations Theory and South Asia, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, volume 2,2011, pp. 35-75.
52 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2021: India Events of 2020’, available at https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/india# accessed on 12 February 2020.
53 iProbono (n47).
54 Ibid.
2 Azizur Rahman Chowdhury & Md. Jahid Hossain Bhuiyan, An Introduction to International Human Rights Law, Brill Publishers, Netherlands, 2010, p. 191.
3 R.P. Anand, South Asia: In Search of a Regional Identity, Banyan Publications, New Delhi, 1991, p. 1.
4 Raghuvir Jalote, Archeological History of Early South Asia, Cyber Tech Publications, New Delhi, 2010, pp. 176-177.
5 Charter of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, 1985, art. 1(a).
6 Rajiv Shah, ‘SAARC is world’s only regional organization not having human rights body to tackle issues related to International Covenants’, 26 August 2014, Counterview.org available at https://counterview.org/2014/08/26/saarc-is-worlds-only-regional-organization-not-having-human-rights-body-to-tackle-issues-
related-to-the-international-covenants/, accessed on 8 April 2019.
7 SAARC Charter of Democracy, 2011, Preamble.
8 Abul Hasnat Monjurul Kabir, ‘Establishing National Human Rights Commissions in South Asia: A critical analysis of the processes and prospects’, Asia Pacific Journal on Human Rights and the Law, p.1, volume 2, 2001, p.1.
9 Sunil Babu Panta v. Nepal Government, NKP 2064(2007).
10 Surya Prasad Sharma Dhungel v. Godawari Marble Industries Pvt. Ltd, NKP 2052(1995).
11 Meera Dhungana and Meera Parajuli v. HMG Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, NKP 2052 (1996).
12 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2018: Events of Nepal in 2017’ available at https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/nepal, accessed on 8 April 2019.
13 Ibid.
14 Ibid.
15 Acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual and other such terms that people use to describe their experiences of their gender, sexuality and physiological sex characteristics.
16 Equality Now, ‘Ending Sexual Violence in South Asia’ available at https://www.equalitynow.org/ending-
sexual-violence-in-south-asia/, accessed on 12 February 2022.
17 South Asia Monitor, ‘Children of single mothers in Nepal might still face problems in getting citizenship’,
10 June 2021, available at https://www.southasiamonitor.org/nepal/children-single-mothers-nepal-
might-still-face-problems-getting-citizenship, accessed on 12 February 2022.
18 Himalayan News Service, ‘Police accused of settling rape case through mediation’, The Himalayan Times, Kathmandu, 17 March 2018, available at https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/police-accused-of-settling-
rape-case-through-mediation, accessed on 12 February 2022.
19 Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation, Supreme Court of India, 1985, AIR.
20 Vishakha & others v State of Rajasthan, Supreme Court of India, 1997, AIR.
21 Naz Foundation v. NCT, Delhi High Court, 2009.
22 NALSA v. Union of India, Supreme Court of India, 2014, AIR.
23 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2021: India Events of 2020’, available at https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/india#, accessed on 12 February 2020.
24 Ibid.
25 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2019: Events of 2018’, available at https://bit.ly/36aS22T, accessed on 12 February 2020.
26 Adamintia Pollis & Peter Schwab, Human Rights: New Perspectives, New Realities, Viva Books, New Delhi, 2002, pp. 75-77.
27 Huo Jingnan, ‘More Than 10,000 Civilians Injured Or Killed In Afghanistan Last Year, U.N. Say’, npr, 22 February 2020 available at https://www.npr.org/2020/02/22/808463197/more-than-10-000-civilians-injured-
or-killed-in-afghanistan-last-year-u-n-says, accessed on 12 February 2020.
28 Human Rights Watch, ‘Afghanistan: Taliban Takeover Worsens Rights Crisis’, 13 January 2022 available at https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/01/13/afghanistan-taliban-takeover-worsens-rights-crisis, accessed on 12 February 2022.
29 Ibid.
30 Ibid.
31 Ibid.
32 V. P. Srivastva, Human Rights: Issues and Implementations, Indian Publishers, Delhi, volume 2, 2004, p. 1291.
33 Rudabeh Shahid, ‘Assessing the treatment of Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh’, Atlantic Council, 25 September
2019, available at https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/in-depth-research-reports/issue-brief/assessing-
the-treatment-of-rohingya-refugees-in-bangladesh/, accessed on 12 February 2022.
34 Ibid.
35 Constitution Net Organization, 'Constitutional History of Sri Lanka', available at http://constitutionnet.org/country/constitutional-history-sri-lanka, accessed on 8 April 2019.
36 Amnesty International, ‘Sri Lanka: Authorities must end violence and discrimination against Muslims’, 18 October 2021 available at https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2021/10/sri-lanka-authorities-
must-end-violence-and-discrimination-against-muslims/, accessed on 12 February 2022.
37 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2019: Events of Sri Lanka in 2018’ available at https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/sri-lanka, accessed on 8 April 2019.
38 Ibid.
39 Ibid.
40 V.T. Patil, Human Rights Developments in South Asia, Authors Press, Delhi, 2003, p. 318.
41 Ibid.
42 Barbara Crossette, ‘Pakistan's Minorities Face Voting Restrictions’, The New York Times, 23 October 1990 available at https://www.nytimes.com/1990/10/23/world/pakistan-s-minorities-face-voting-restrictions.html, accessed on 12 February 2022.
43 Mahwish Rabia et al., ‘Gender Inequality: A Case Study in Pakistan’, Open Journal of Social Sciences, volume 7, March 2019 available at https://www.scirp.org/journal/paperinformation.aspx?paperid=91363, accessed on 12 February 2022.
44 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2018: Pakistan Events of 2017’, available at https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2018/country-chapters/pakistan, accessed on 12 February 2022.
45 Ibid.
46 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2019: Events of Pakistan in 2018’ available https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/pakistan, accessed on 8 April 2019.
47 iProbono, ‘Marital Rape: South Asia Factsheet’, available at https://i-probono.com/download/?id=5805, accessed on 12 February 2022.
48 Equality Now, ‘Rape Laws Across South Asia Insufficient, Inconsistent, And Poorly Enforced, Leaving Women at Heightened Risk of Sexual Violence’, available at https://www.equalitynow.org/press_release/rape_laws_south_asia_april_2021/ accessed on 12 February 2022.
49 Kabir (n 8), p.17.
50 Ayesha Zalal, Democracy and Authoritarianism in South Asia: Comparative and Historical Perspective, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1995, pp. 1-28.
51 E. Sridharan, International Relations Theory and South Asia, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, volume 2,2011, pp. 35-75.
52 Human Rights Watch, ‘World Report 2021: India Events of 2020’, available at https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2021/country-chapters/india# accessed on 12 February 2020.
53 iProbono (n47).
54 Ibid.