Bhumija HR Association promotes sustainable peace and development in south-eastern Nepal, and especially in the Terai region. The organisation focuses on youth empowerment, but it also works on women's rights, language rights and minority rights. It was established in 2007, at the time of the first Madheshi movement, a campaign demanding the end to the discrimination to the Madheshi people and greater representation in the national parliament.
Objectives
- Strengthen the voice of minorities and promote equity and justice, addressing the problems faced by marginalised communities.
- Promote human rights and implement UN conventions on civil, political and economic rights.
- Establish a peaceful and harmonious relationship among the different communities of Nepal.
Activities
The Bhumija association has undertaken many human rights and peace initiatives. For instance, it launched a 15-day campaign to put pressure on the government and demanded to set a date to elect a constitution committee. It also leads campaigns to demand local authorities and the central government to committ to human rights standards.
Bhumija organises awareness programmes on human rights for students and it regularly documents and reports cases oh human rights violations. It also promotes language rights, organising events to celebrate International Mother Tongue Day on February 21st.
More than 100 volunteers support Bumija's activities and the organisation works in collaboration with fifty other organisations (governmental, non-governmental and international).