The government of Nepal is yet to pursue justice for conflict-era rights abuses or continuing abuses by security forces, Human Rights Watch said on Thursday in an annual report.

The government has not investigated cases of torture, enforced disappearance, or extrajudicial killing; has blocked conflict-related cases from proceeding in the regular courts; and has failed to credibly investigate or prosecute continuing allegations of abuse by the security forces, the international human rights watchdog said in its World Report 2023.

Women and members of marginalised communities, including Dalits, are disproportionately the victims of rights violations, and also find it hardest to seek redress, further states the report.

“Lack of justice for conflict-era violations has contributed to a general state of impunity in post-conflict Nepal, undermining respect for human rights and governance across the board,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The newly elected government should amend the transitional justice bill to address its shortcomings, bring it back to parliament, and finally move forward with delivering truth, reparations, justice, and guarantees that the abuse will not recur.”

The continuing impunity for conflict-era violations is matched by impunity for ongoing abuses by law enforcement and security forces, the report mentioned.

“Deaths caused by the use of excessive or unnecessary force while policing protests, as well as deaths in custody allegedly as a result of torture, are rarely if ever credibly investigated,” reads the report.

The Human Rights Watch said the provision in the now defunct citizenship bill contains provisions that discriminate against women, making it harder for them than for Nepali men to pass Nepali citizenship to their children, leaving millions of people effectively stateless.

Despite pledges made by various governments over the past few years, the remaining task of the peace process—transitional justice has not yet been fully completed,

In the 712-page, the organisation has reviewed human rights practices in close to 100 countries.