A/HRC/61/41/Add.1 Annex Report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Nicolas Levrat, on his visit to Nepal I. Introduction 1. At the invitation of the Government of Nepal, the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Nicolas Levrat, conducted a country visit from 4 to 13 December 2025, to evaluate the overall situation of minorities in the country by examining the legislation, policies and practices for the implementation of the country’s international human rights obligations concerning persons belonging to minorities. Originally scheduled to take place in October 2025, the Special Rapporteur postponed the country visit to December 2025, following the protests of 8 and 9 September 2025. 2. The Special Rapporteur visited Kathmandu, Janakpur in Madesh Province and Surkhet in Karnali Province. In addition to the United Nations resident coordinator and other members of the United Nations country team, in Kathmandu, he met with officials of the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the national human rights institutions, including the National Human Rights Commission, the National Women Commission, the National Dalit Commission, the National Inclusion Commission, the Tharu Commission, the Muslim Commission, the Indigenous Nationalities Commission and the Madhesi Commission; the Office of the Attorney General and the Human Rights Division of the Nepal Police. In Janakpur, the Special Rapporteur met with the Chief Attorney of Madhesh Province and representatives of the Women, Children and Social Justice Committee, the Ministry of Health and Population, the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Sports and Social Welfare, the Ministry of Energy, Irrigation and Water Supplies and the Dalit Development Committee. In Surkhet, the Special Rapporteur met with the Chief Minister of Karnali Province and representatives of the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development, the Office of the Chief Attorney and the Social Development Committee of the Provincial Assembly Committee of Karnali Province. He deeply laments that it was not possible to arrange meetings with the National Statistics Office, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration and the Election Commission, which each play relevant roles as regards minority issues. 3. He also met with over 200 civil society actors, including faith leaders, lawyers, Dalit women, women facing intra-minority discrimination, persons with disabilities from Dalit and minority communities, Generation Z students of a Dalit or minority background, Dalit victims of caste-based discrimination and violence and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex community members who are Dalits or belong to minority groups. Of course, in a society as uniquely diverse as Nepal, it was not possible to meet with representatives from all the 142 distinct castes and ethnicities or from all the 124 linguistic groups that are officially recorded in the 2021 National Population and Housing Census. 1 4. The Special Rapporteur also received written submissions, 2 both in advance and during his visit, from civil society organizations. He is deeply grateful to all those who sent in a submission and to all those who participated in online consultations ahead of the country visit. 5. The Special Rapporteur is appreciative of everyone with whom he met for their willingness to engage in an open dialogue to better understand and assess the human rights 1 2 2 See https://censusnepal.cbs.gov.np/results/files/resultfolder/Caste%20Ethnicity_report_NPHC_2021.pdf. The Special Rapporteur on minority issues issued a call for input in advance of the country visit to Nepal. See www.ohchr.org/en/calls-for-input/2025/call-input-upcoming-country-visit-nepal. GE.26-01953