Gex
In the midst of earthquake reconstruction and political violence in Nepal, Its new constitution provides a reason for many citizens to celebrate — particularly its lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) community.
On September 20, after more than seven years of deliberation, Nepal’s President Ram Baran Yadav promulgated the small Himalayan country’s historic constitution. It stands as the first national constitution in Asia–and only the third in the world along after South Africa (1996) and Ecuador (1998)–to include explicit rights and protections for LGBTI people.
This is a momentous step forward for LGBT equality in Nepal. The nation’s leadership has affirmed that its LGBT citizens deserve the constitutional right to live their lives free from discrimination and fear.
– said Ty Cobb, Director of Human Rights Campaign Global.
The main LGBTI-specific provisions included in the constitution are Article 18, “Right to Equality,” which states that the state or judiciary cannot discriminate against gender and sexual minorities; and Article 42, “Right to Social Justice,” which provides gender and sexual minorities with the right to participate in state mechanisms and public services. Additionally, Article 12 ensures that citizens of Nepal can choose their preferred gender identity–male, female, or other–on citizenship documents.
