Kathmandu, Dec 16: Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Sunday said safeguarding and promoting inclusion, social justice, and cultural and linguistic diversity is the responsibility of the State, underscoring the government’s commitment to inclusive development and constitutional values.
Inaugurating the 26th Board Meeting of the National Foundation for Development of Indigenous Nationalities, the Prime Minister highlighted the Foundation’s role in advancing the recognition, rights, culture, and overall development of indigenous communities across the country.
Karki expressed confidence that the meeting’s decisions and policy recommendations would contribute to the effective implementation of national policies, strengthen institutional capacity, promote research-based policymaking, protect mother languages, and support the sustainable socio-economic empowerment of indigenous peoples.
She said the government has been extending support to the Foundation through policy reforms, structural arrangements, and budgetary provisions, while stressing the need for stronger coordination among development partners, civil society organisations, local governments, and communities to achieve inclusive development goals.
Reiterating the Constitution’s core principles—republicanism, federalism, secularism, and inclusiveness—the Prime Minister urged effective enforcement of constitutional guarantees to transform the country’s diversity into national unity and ensure the protection of cultural rights.
The government remains committed to revising laws in line with Supreme Court directives, the International Labour Organization’s Convention 169, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, she said, acknowledging the role played by constitutional bodies such as the Indigenous Commission and the Tharu Commission.
Referring to the demands raised by the Gen Z movement, Karki said calls for good governance, prosperity, and an end to nepotism and favoritism reflect the growing urgency for inclusive development and social justice.
She emphasised that development based on equal access and participation of all communities is the only sustainable path forward and essential for strengthening the nation.
