The government promulgated an Act concerning the establishment of the NEFDIN

In 2001, the then government promulgated an Act concerning the establishment of the Foundation for the Development of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFDIN). The act laid down criteria clearly defining as to who are and are not Indigenous Nationalities. The criteria laid down by the Foundation are in conformity with the criteria set forth in the ILO-160 and UNDRIP. With this act in place, the government made the Foundation responsible for identifying different Indigenous Nationalities and enlisting them as Indigenous Nationalities of Nepal according to the criteria laid down. In this process, the government took the responsibility of helping the enlisted groups to protect, preserve and develop their language, religion, and culture by providing assistance through the public fund on the fiscal year basis.

 

  1. Since then (2001) except one in 2021 the Foundation has identified none and enlisted no one although there are many dozens of communities, who are well qualified for the criteria set for the enlistment. So, many of the communities who deserve enlistment, they have been discriminated.

 

  1. Those who have enlisted by the government, they have access to the quota system for scholarships and civil services. They have access to the government treasury on a fiscal year annual basis, and to other resources as well. The communities who have not been enlisted, have been deprived of all these facilities. This discrimination has caused immense losses to their language, culture, and traditions, which had to be assisted by the government for their development and preservation.

 

  1. FIKA has been continuously fighting for the cause of the communities who have been suffering from exclusion. FIKA has taken up these issues since early 2004 and has been pleading this issues with every government that has come into existence.