“Meaningful and effective participation in Economic and development policy-making.” Geneva, Switzerland Dear Mr. President, Madam Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen About twenty percent of the population of Nepal are Dalits, Dalits are historically excluded and discriminated against on the basis of caste. Dalits are a particularly vulnerable group in Nepal. Dalits experience extreme poverty, bonded labour, forced prostitution, and many other hardships due to the discrimination against them and therefore need specific measures to be taken to stop this discrimination. Nepal has been moving forward to build the new nation by the historical peoples movement in 2006, but are still one of the developed countries in the world. People live in extreme circumstances of homelessness and landlessness, unemployment, illiteracy and ill health with 25 % people being landless, the majority of these are Dalits. Political uncertainties have severely affected the effectiveness of ongoing development programmes, which eventually have implications on ensuring the basic rights of Dalits and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Nepal is moving forward by making a new constitution and restructuring the federal Democratic Republic state. We both have opportunities and challenges in ensuring Dalit rights as fundamental rights in the new constitution of Nepal. These are our recommendations to the government of Nepal  There is a need for constitutional provisions for Dalits to ensure their equal access to all private and public sectors  The State should see that all matters relating to employment for Dalits who have been systematically excluded from mainstream employment is ensured by guaranteeing equal access and opportunities in all sectors  Dalit children should have equal access to public and private schools for quality education for their economic development of life  All kinds of bonded labours and forms of exploitation of labour as fixed by feudal land0use system such as Haliya and other groups, should be abolished and policies should be formulated and effectively implemented make necessary arrangements to rehabilitate Haliyas (tillers) and landless Dalits by providing them with required piece of land and a place to live.  The State should make arrangements for government subsidy and loan without collateral to promote business for Dalit community by setting up small enterprises and modernizing the skills needed for Dalits ‘profession, and ensure market for their products.