March 11, 2009, Washington, DC: Five Nepali organizations based in the United States have come together to form a new coalition to advance the concerns of marginalized communities in Nepal.

Called “The Coalition Advancing the Rights of Marginalized Peoples of Nepal,” its aim is to foster a culture of peaceful dialogue and constructive debates on issues related to inclusive politics in Nepal.

The five founding organizations that make up the Coalition are Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice, Alliance for Democracy & Human Rights in Nepal (ADHRN), Association of Nepali Teraian in America (ANTA), Federation of Indigenous Peoples of Nepal in America (FIPNA),and the Nepali-American Society for Oppressed Community (NASO). NASO is an outreach partner of The Advocacy Project (AP).

The Coalition has expressed serious concerns about the process of drafting Nepal’s new constitution, specifically whether it addressing the needs of marginalized communities such as Dalit, women, indigenous people, and Madheshis.

As its first major action, the Coalition will hold a series of public meetings in the United States where Nepalis of different groups and ethnic backgrounds will be encouraged to make suggestions on how the new constitution should be written. The Nepali government has requested input on the consitution from diaspora communities.