UNITED NATIONS A General Assembly Distr. GENERAL A/HRC/7/68 18 February 2008 Original: ENGLISH HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Seventh session Agenda item 2 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND REPORTS OF THE OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER AND THE SECRETARY-GENERAL Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the human rights situation and the activities of her Office, including technical cooperation in Nepal* Summary The present document is my second report on the human rights situation and the activities of my Office in Nepal to be submitted to the Human Rights Council; the first (A/HRC/4/97) was submitted in January 2007. Although there have been significant political developments since my first report, including the establishment of an interim Government and Parliament, and legislative and institutional reforms aimed at strengthening human rights protection, respect for and protection of human rights have diminished. In particular, there are concerns at the lack of political will to end impunity for past and ongoing human rights abuses by the State and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN(M)), insufficient action to address discrimination and, against a backdrop of increased violence by armed groups in the plains, to address the State’s obligation to protect the rights of the population to life, liberty and security. The report highlights the need for all parties to translate their public commitments to human rights into concrete actions to bring about lasting changes in the human rights situation. * There was a delay in the submission of the report in order to reflect the latest information. GE.08-10624 (E) 220208