Human Rights - Legal Aid & Consultancy Center ( LACC )

Human Rights and Gender Justice Theme

1. Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV)

Since its inception, the Legal Aid and Consultancy Center (LACC) has been at the forefront of the fight against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), with a strong commitment to supporting women affected by sexual violence, domestic abuse, child marriage, witchcraft, dowery, murder, physical assaults, discrimination, and other forms of gender-based harm.

LACC is dedicated to raising awareness within communities, enabling people to recognize violence and discrimination, and empowering survivors to seek justice. Beyond providing free legal aid, the organization offers psychosocial support and referral services to ensure survivors including victims receive justice, protection, and dignity.

In addition to direct services, LACC actively engages with justice actors and relevant stakeholders to promote gender-responsive justice and accountability. Its policy advocacy efforts aim to address the root causes of SGBV and eliminate structural barriers to equality.

With a holistic approach, LACC continues to be a strong voice and ally in the movement for gender equality and justice. The organization regularly reviews laws and policies to identify gaps in implementation, disseminates findings from research and studies, and advocates for accountability and reform.

2. Combating Human Trafficking

The Legal Aid and Consultancy Center (LACC) take a proactive and comprehensive approach to combating human trafficking through legal advocacy, victim support, and community engagement. LACC works diligently to influence national policies and strengthen legal frameworks on human trafficking. The organization actively advocates for the effective implementation of the National Action Plan on Combating Human Trafficking and promotes gender-responsive laws, policies, and practices. LACC has contributed significant inputs to the ongoing amendments of the Human Trafficking and Transportation Control Act 2064, ensuring that legislation reflects international standards, including the Palermo Protocol, and protects vulnerable populations.

LACC provides holistic legal aid and psychosocial support to victims of human trafficking, safeguarding their rights and promoting access to justice. Services include legal representation, counseling, and rehabilitation support to help survivors reintegrate into society safely and with dignity. By coordinating with local governments and like-minded organizations, LACC enhances prevention strategies and strengthens the overall protection ecosystem for vulnerable communities.

Prevention is a central component of LACC’s approach. The organization conducts awareness campaigns in schools and communities to educate people about the risks and signs of human trafficking. Additionally, it empowers grassroots women’s groups and community organizations, mobilizing them as proactive agents in combating trafficking and supporting survivors at the local level. Through these efforts, LACC fosters a sustained, community-driven response to human trafficking that complements legal and policy interventions. LACC also leads public campaigns to inform and protect communities, aiming to reduce vulnerability, empower survivors, and ensure justice and support for those affected.

With years of experience and a strong referral network, LACC continues to be a trusted leader in the fight against human trafficking in Nepal.

3. Citizenship and vital registration

Since its inception, the Legal Aid and Consultancy Center (LACC) has been a steadfast advocate for equal citizenship rights for women. The organization provides free legal aid to women facing discrimination and to marginalized groups through its helpline and pro bono services.

In addition, LACC facilitates access to justice at the community level through trained paralegals, who serve as vital bridges between citizens and duty bearers. Paralegals raise awareness about the importance of vital registration including birth, marriage, migration, divorce, death, and citizenship and encourage timely registration in accordance with the law. They assist community members with documentation and connect them to authorized institutions such as ward offices and Chief District Offices.

When challenges arise in obtaining registration or citizenship, paralegals refer cases to LACC’s helpline, where legal experts provide support and, when necessary, file writ petitions in the High Court or Supreme Court to safeguard fundamental rights.

To further expand access, LACC has conducted mobile legal camps in collaboration with ward offices and municipalities. These camps bring vital registration and legal identity services directly to the doorsteps of persons with disabilities, women, the poor, and other marginalized groups who face barriers in reaching government offices.

4. Minorities Rights

Minorities people in Nepal including women, children, Dalits, Janajatis, Madhesis, people from the Far West, and sexual and gender minorities, lived less-privileged lives. LACC is always working for protection and promotion of the minorities’ rights by providing free legal services, addressing their property issues, creating legal awareness, supporting gender issues for women within minorities and third gender who suffer double discrimination. LACC has used different strategies to reach out to the concerned stakeholders to sensitize and raise awareness. It conducts various workshops and seminars to reach out to the high-level authorities concerning policies, laws and challenges on minorities’ issues. In the community level, awareness raising programs and various outreach programs are conducted for minority people.

5. Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and climate justice

Following the devastating earthquake of 2015, the Legal Aid and Consultancy Center (LACC) established a dedicated Legal Desk to address post-disaster cases of gender-based violence and the needs of marginalized communities. Through this initiative, LACC provided free legal aid services, including instant legal counseling, paralegal support, psychosocial assistance, initial drafting and implementation of legal documents, as well as referrals and related services for survivors of gender-based violence in disaster-affected areas.

To strengthen local justice mechanisms in the most affected districts Sindhupalchowk and Kavrepalanchowk . LACC conducted Capacity Strengthening Trainings focused on disaster-related justice systems. In addition, the organization carried out a range of disaster risk management (DRM) activities, such as mobile legal camps, coordination meetings with district and local authorities, dissemination of public service announcements (PSAs), and distribution of informative leaflets on disaster management and legal rights.

Recognizing the critical role of women in disaster resilience, LACC organized a series of capacity building training and orientations for local governments to actively engage women in DRM processes in Sudur Paschim and Karnali province. Traditionally viewed only as victims of disaster, women were encouraged and supported to transform into active contributors and supporters in disaster preparedness and response.

LACC conducted safety audits to identify high-risk zones during disasters, with a particular focus on the safety of women, elderly people, children, and persons with disabilities. The organization consulted with local governments and relevant stakeholders during the study and shared its findings to strengthen disaster preparedness, especially regarding women’s safety.

Based on these findings, LACC supported local governments in forming inclusive local-level committees and mobilized women volunteers to promote gender-responsive disaster risk management (DRM).

Through these initiatives, LACC has demonstrated its commitment to ensuring that disaster response and recovery efforts are not only inclusive but also transformative empowering women and marginalized communities to claim their rights and play a central role in building resilience.

6. Sexual and Reproductive Rights (SRHR)

Nepal has demonstrated its commitment to international human rights instruments by ratifying major conventions and endorsing the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), thereby ensuring women’s sexual, reproductive, and health rights. In this context, the Legal Aid and Consultancy Center (LACC) lobbies members of parliament, public policy advisors, and government representatives to enact gender-friendly draft bills, abolish discriminatory laws, and fulfill Nepal’s obligations under the international human rights treaties to which it is a signatory.

LACC has been a dedicated organization in initiating Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) movements in Nepal. It has engaged in broader advocacy and research activities in partnership with the Centre for Reproductive Rights (USA) and South Asian partners. A key outcome of this collaboration was the publication of Women of the World: South Asia, which became an important resource for policymakers and researchers. In 2015, LACC launched a successful nationwide campaign to include SRHR as fundamental rights in Nepal’s new constitution. The enactment of the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Health Rights Act of 2018 was also the result of continuous advocacy by rights activists, with LACC playing a significant role.

With more than three and a half decades of continuous involvement in SRHR and gender-based violence (GBV), LACC has gained extensive experience and expertise in capacity building, network mobilization, awareness raising, policy development, and advocacy. This long-standing engagement has helped establish strong professional linkages with duty bearers and rights-holders at both national and local levels. LACC’s proactive engagement in policy development and identification of gaps has further strengthened advocacy for reform.

LACC has developed training manuals and conducted a series of trainings on the Promotion of SRHR and Elimination of Chhoupadi. These trainings are designed to build the capacity of health personnel, elected local government members, and relevant government employees. They help participants develop skills in communication, advocacy, and leadership on issues such as gender, GBV, legal frameworks on SRHR and Chhoupadi, women’s body politics, and dignified menstruation.

SRHR encompasses reproductive decision-making, freedom from forced abortion, access to information and appropriate reproductive education, freedom from harmful traditional practices and GBV, and the right to express one’s sexuality. To support survivors, LACC has established and operated a transformative shelter home for victims of SGBV, SRHR violations, and Chhoupadi. Chhoupadi, a harmful custom that considers menstruation and childbirth impure, forces women to live in cramped huts away from their homes during these periods. Women subjected to this practice face severe insecurity and vulnerability, including threats of snake bites, sexual violence, and even murder. LACC’s shelter provides safety, legal awareness, and training, creating opportunities to empower women and break the cycle of violence. This intervention has proven highly effective in eliminating violence against women and protecting their dignity and rights.

Beyond direct services, LACC has conducted numerous school and community awareness programs to eliminate Chhoupadi, child marriage and promote SRHR. The organization also shares its learnings and challenges from practice and community interventions at the policy level, conducting dialogues to influence change and strengthen gender-responsive frameworks.

7. Transitional Justice

LACC Nepal has been actively engaged in transitional justice through initiatives at both policy and community levels. In five conflict-affected districts Dang, Dailekh, Surkhet, Achham, and Kailali LACC, provided legal aid services alongside medical and counseling support to conflict-affected individuals. The organization also documented oral histories of conflict victims and collaborated with the then-Local Peace Committees (LPCs). In addition, LACC organized conflict management training to strengthen the resilience and capacity of affected communities.

Most notably, LACC was among the leading organizations involved in consultations and law drafting during the development of the Enforced Disappearance Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) Act in 2017, and its amendment in 2024, ensuring the integration of a gender perspective.

In 2010, LACC filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court challenging discriminatory property rights provisions that required families of disappeared persons to wait 12 years before being able to claim and enjoy property. The Supreme Court subsequently ordered the government to frame the necessary law to address this injustice, which has now been incorporated into the amended TRC Act.

Through these sustained efforts, LACC continues to champion the rights of conflict victims, ensuring their voices are heard, their dignity upheld, and their access to justice strengthened.

8. Women Peace and Security

Since the conflict era of 1996, LACC Nepal has been a leading advocate for the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda, with a strong focus on conflict management and inclusive decision-making. During the implementation of the First National Action Plan (NAP I), LACC conducted capacity-building trainings and assessed their outcomes. Building on this foundation, the organization has significantly strengthened the capacity of government officials and local representatives through a series of trainings and dialogue programs.

These initiatives enhanced the knowledge and skills of officials and representatives across Madhesh, Karnali, and Sudurpashchim provinces on the Second National Action Plan (NAP II) for the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs) 1325, 1820, and subsequent resolutions. The dialogues clarified the rights and needs of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) survivors, underscored the importance of local-level sub-committees, and highlighted provisions for compensation, services, and the four pillars of NAP II.

As a result, local governments established sub-committees to support NAP II implementation, allocated dedicated budgets to collect CRSV data, distributed bicycles to conflict-affected women, and provided scholarships to children from conflict-affected families. Through these sustained efforts, LACC has reinforced the WPS agenda in Nepal, ensuring that women’s voices are central to peacebuilding and that conflict-affected communities receive tangible support and recognition.