Nepal - 48.21
107
Shackled by the mountains
Nepal is a country defined by the Himalayas. The Himalayas provide a source of valuable tourism, as tourists flock to Mount Everest, but also render significant portions of the country unusable. The difficult-to-navigate mountains hamper the country’s ability to trade, as roads are difficult to traverse and some are closed during the winter. Nepal’s status has long been defined by the mountains and that legacy continues today. Modern Nepal, however, is defined by corruption as much as it is defined by the mountains. The Nepali judicial system is regarded as one of the most corrupt in the world and police extortion is rampant, largely on account of disproportionately low police wages. While corruption and the mountains have held Nepal’s development back, the country looks to be on an upward trajectory. The economy is growing rapidly and the government has made major strides to get communicable diseases under control. However, the country continues to face a number of major issues. Just over half of Nepalis have access to clean running water. Healthcare is of generally low quality throughout the country. The government regularly exploits loopholes in the law to detain protestors and hold people in detention without charge or trial. While Nepal faces a number of problems, it is a country on a positive trajectory.
Human Rights - 45
Nepal has fully abolished the death penalty. The whereabouts of several individuals who were disappeared during the 1996-2006 civil war remain unknown. Torture is allegedly quite widespread in Nepali prisons. The Human Rights Group AF reported that 191/1005 detainees they interviewed claimed that they were the victims of torture. Detainees are often denied food, water, light, or access to lawyers and family during detention. At least one instance of an inmate being tortured to either death or suicide has been reported. Violators of COVID lockdowns were forced to perform degrading punishments, including army crawling or leapfrogging over each other for long distances. Prisons were at over 150% capacity throughout the year. COVID quarantine facilities also had very poor conditions. People were forced to quarantine in tent cities without ventilation or protection from the weather. People also had inadequate access to food and water. Social distancing was not enforced and the facilities lacked adequate sanitation, meaning that COVID spread easily. Authorities often exploited loopholes in the detention system to hold people without charge or trial for longer than is normally legal, often resulting in detainees being held without charge or trial for weeks or months. Arbitrary arrest of protestors was quite common before COVID. Publishing private information or taking photographs without consent are both illegal, but the phrasing of these laws allows the government to use them to target investigative journalists. “Disrespectful satire” is banned by a law that is often used to silence satire of the government. Nepal does not recognize same-sex relationships. Abortion is legal to twelve weeks but sex-selective abortion is prohibited.
Democracy - 55
The president is chosen by an electoral college and the prime minister is chosen by parliament. The electorates are chosen by parliament and state assemblies. Parliament is directly elected. Elections are generally free and fair. Outside observers noted some pre-electoral violence and voter intimidation in some areas. Districting under the 2015 constitution favors incumbents. Nepal has a decent multi-party system but smaller parties struggle to form majority coalitions. The Alliance for Independent Madhesh leader CK Raut was arbitrarily arrested in 2018 and released in 2019. Political violence, usually in the form of clashes between supporters of different candidates, occasionally intimidates voters. Ethnic minorities are disenfranchised.
Freedom - 58
The arbitrary arrest of protestors was commonplace before COVID, and this practice largely continued for the few protests that occurred during COVID. A bill is pending that would allow the government to surveil the people virtually unrestricted. Even under the current law, the Nepali Intelligence Service allegedly has widespread surveillance powers. Publishing private information and taking photos without consent are both illegal under a law that has repeatedly been used to silence investigative journalists. “Disrespectful satire” is illegal and satire of the government is often suppressed. While Nepal no longer has an official religion, Muslims continue to face discrimination across the country. Christian preachers are often targeted under a law banning proselytization. All drugs are illegal in Nepal. Nepali gun laws are ambiguous and ill-defined. Gun ownership licenses are generally issued for break-action shotguns and bolt-action rifles but not other kinds of firearms.
Economy - 48
Health - 36
Nepal has a life expectancy of 71 years and an infant mortality rate of 2.56%. 4.1% of Nepalis are obese and 4.8% are malnourished. Nepal’s universal healthcare system is concentrated in Kathmandu and the Everest Base Camp area, leaving large numbers of rural Nepalis without access to healthcare. 52.7% of Nepalis have access to clean, running water. Nepal has problems with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.
Corruption - 1
The Nepali justice system is one of the most corrupt in the entire world. Judicial verdicts are bought and sold at all levels and the judicial system is highly subject to political pressure. Bribes are often taken to circumvent court backlogs. Police extortion is rampant as Nepali police are paid slave wages and often must extort bribes to feed their families. Public services must be bribed into action where they are available in the first place. Tax embezzlement is rampant in Nepal. Customs administration frequently exports bribes. Public contracts are impossible to obtain without bribery.
Competency - 39
The government is failing to provide for the people, as many Nepalis lack access to healthcare. Corruption remains rampant throughout the country.
Future - 77
The Nepali economy was growing rapidly before COVID and will likely return to a normal rate of growth afterward. The government has worked extensively to control communicable diseases. While there is still significant work to be done, the government’s progress in this field is notable.
Actions Abroad - 54
Nepal maintains diplomatic relations with North Korea and deports defectors back to North Korea. Relations with Bhutan have been strained over Bhutan’s attempted cultural genocide of Nepalis in Bhutan. Nepal continues to accept refugees from Bhutan.
4.5% of Nepalis live below the international poverty line and 23% live below the national poverty line. 5.1% of Nepalis are unemployed. Nepal has a high economic disparity. The minimum wage in Nepal is $74 per month. Nepal’s healthcare is generally weak throughout the country, as the vast majority of hospitals are concentrated in Kathmandu and the Everest Base Camp area. Rural Nepalese have very little access to healthcare, despite the fact that it is provided free to them. The Nepali economy shrunk 2.1% in 2020 and grew 6.7% in 2019.