Amnesty International released a damning report on Tuesday, accusing the Nepalese government of failing to protect the constitutional right to housing, particularly for marginalized communities such as the Dalit and indigenous peoples. The report highlights a troubling pattern of forced evictions and inadequate legal safeguards that have left many without homes and vulnerable to further discrimination.

According to the rights group, these evictions have occurred without proper legal process, often in the name of development and conservation projects. The affected communities have reportedly received neither prior notice nor consultation, and no alternative housing solutions were provided, directly contravening Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, which stresses the importance of an adequate standard of living, including housing.

The report documents multiple instances from 2020 to 2024 where landless individuals faced eviction without the due process guaranteed by the Nepalese Constitution and the 2018 Right to Housing Act. This Act was intended to ensure housing for every homeless citizen following Nepal's adoption of a new constitution in 2015, which was aimed at societal transformation post-civil war.

Amnesty International’s Nepal Director, Nirajan Thapaliya, pointed out a significant "gap" between the legal framework and the ground reality. He criticized the state's mechanisms for their lack of effective oversight and regulatory alignment, which has rendered many protective provisions ineffective.

Thapaliya has called on the Nepali authorities to uphold their national and international obligations by ensuring due process in eviction operations and establishing a robust regulatory framework that effectively protects the right to adequate housing.

The persistence of these issues, despite previous reports and legislative efforts, highlights the ongoing struggles within Nepal to address the needs of its most vulnerable populations, raising serious concerns about the commitment to human rights and social justice in the country's legal and governmental institutions.