Study Urges Review of Laws Discriminating Against Leprosy Patients in Nepal

Kathmandu. A study report has suggested reviewing existing policies and laws in Nepal that are discriminatory towards people affected by leprosy.

The 'Study Report on the Rights and Future Strategy of Persons Affected by Leprosy in Nepal, 2082,' conducted by the Nepal Law Society in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Population, with support from Sasakawa Health Foundation Japan, stated that legal and policy reforms are necessary to end all forms of discrimination caused by leprosy.

Although Nepal has made significant progress in controlling leprosy, the study revealed that social discrimination, legal ambiguity, and weaknesses in service access due to the disease still persist. The report concluded that policy, legal, and structural reforms are indispensable to end all forms of discrimination related to leprosy by 2030.

The study showed that even though leprosy has been declared eliminated in Nepal, the infection has not been completely eradicated, and affected individuals continue to face social, legal, and economic discrimination.

Leprosy is a disease that is cured after taking medication and is not contagious to others. Currently, there are about two lakh people affected by leprosy in Nepal, and it has been found that about two thousand to two thousand five hundred people are newly infected with the disease every year. According to the statistics, eleven districts in the Terai region of Madhes and Lumbini provinces still have more than one affected person per 10,000 population, leading these districts to be considered highly affected by leprosy.

Krishna Man Pradhan, Executive Director of the Nepal Law Society, stated that while people affected by leprosy suffer physical pain due to the disease, the social discrimination against them is even more serious. According to him, it has been observed that people affected by leprosy are still being ostracized by their families and society and subjected to humiliating treatment.

He said, "We conducted this study to ascertain what kind of problems people affected by leprosy and their families are facing today, how their rights guaranteed by the constitution and laws are being exercised, what the role of relevant stakeholders is in this regard, and what the state's clear policy is on this matter."

Similarly, the study reviewed existing policies, laws, and institutional structures with the objective of ensuring the human rights of persons affected by leprosy. However, the conclusion after the study found that various laws still lack clear and effective provisions to end discrimination based on leprosy.

The Constitution of Nepal prohibits all forms of discrimination and guarantees fundamental rights punishable by law. The Constitution states that no one should be discriminated against based on caste, gender, or other similar grounds, but also based on an individual's physical and health condition.

According to the report, discriminatory clauses in some legal provisions, such as the provision allowing for the annulment of marriage due to leprosy, still remain unamended. The study pointed out that such provisions hinder the dignified livelihood and social reintegration of affected individuals.

The study drew attention to ensuring effective implementation by providing necessary authority, budget, and responsibility to provincial and local levels, operating livelihood and empowerment programs for the social reintegration of persons affected by leprosy, and ending fear, misconception, and stigma in society through extensive public awareness programs.

The study concluded that leprosy should be viewed not just as a health problem but as a human rights issue. The report determined that the state must ensure the dignity, protection, and equal opportunities for affected individuals in accordance with the Constitution and international treaties.

Furthermore, the study conveyed the message that legal reform, social awareness, and effective service delivery must advance together to achieve the goal of leprosy elimination. This final report was recently published after incorporating suggestions received from the first National Leprosy Conference program held in Kathmandu on Baisakh 25 and 26, 2082 BS.