A/HRC/61/41/Add.1 languages are spoken as a mother tongue in Nepal.23 They include Maithili (11.05 per cent), Bhojpuri (6.24 per cent), Tharu (5.88 per cent), Tamang (4.88 per cent), Bajjika (3.89 per cent), Avadhi (2.96 per cent), Nepalbhasa (Newar) (2.96 per cent), Magar Dhut (2.78 per cent), Doteli (1.7 per cent) and Urdu (1.42 per cent).24 13. Most of the country practices Hinduism, namely around 81.19 per cent, according to the 2021 census.25 Within the Hindu community, there are various groups, including the Hill Hindus (comprising Bahuns/Brahmins, Thakuris and Chettris) and the Terai Hindus (comprising Maithili, Bhojpuri and the Awadhi). Other religious communities include 2.39 million Buddhists (8.21 per cent), 1.48 million Muslims (5.09 per cent), 924,204 Kirats (3.17 per cent), 512,313 Christians (1.76 per cent), 102,048 Prakriti/nature worshippers (0.35 per cent), 67,223 Bon, 2,398 Jains, 537 Bahá’ís and 1,496 Sikhs.26 The Brahmins and Chettris have historically dominated the country, politically and economically,27 holding key positions in the public service, the judiciary and the army.28 The elite in Nepal, comprising so-called higher caste groups (Brahmins, Chettris, Thakuri and the Sanyasi (Dashnami) community), are collectively referred to as Khas Arya.29 V. Legal and institutional framework A. International framework 14. The Special Rapporteur commends the Government of Nepal for its committed engagement with the United Nations human rights mechanisms, its ratification of many treaties, its reporting to human rights treaty bodies and the universal periodic review mechanism and its active engagement with the special procedures of the Human Rights Council. 15. Positively, Nepal has ratified seven out of the nine core human rights treaties. 30 Ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the inter-State communication procedure set out in article 11 thereof, the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment and the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families remains pending.31 Ratification of the aforementioned instruments would be relevant to persons belonging to minorities. In addition, Nepal is not a State Party to the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees or the Protocol thereto, nor to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.32 16. Regrettably, Nepal does not have a standing invitation to receive country visits from special procedure mandate holders.33 The last official country visit prior to the visit of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues was in 2021 by the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights. 34 Nepal is expected to receive a country visit by the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, in early 2026. In terms of its engagement with communications sent by mandate holders, who have raised concerns about human rights violations particularly against minorities and 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 GE.26-01953 See https://censusnepal.cbs.gov.np/results/files/resultfolder/Caste%20Ethnicity_report_NPHC_2021.pdf. Ibid. Ibid. Ibid. See https://minorityrights.org/country/nepal/. See https://mondediplo.com/2025/11nepal-box. See the explanation of article 84 of the Constitution of Nepal, available at https://ag.gov.np/files/Constitution-of-Nepal_2072_Eng_www.moljpa.gov_.npDate-72_11_16.pdf. See https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/TreatyBodyExternal/ Treaty.aspx?CountryID=122&Lang=EN. Ibid. See https://uprdoc.ohchr.org/uprweb/downloadfile.aspx?filename=15106&file=EnglishTranslation. See https://spinternet.ohchr.org/StandingInvitations.aspx. See A/HRC/50/38/Add.2. 5