Nepal to issue 1st formal apology to Dalits within 15 days under Balen Shah’s reform agenda. Details inside

Nepal’s new government has announced that it will issue a formal state apology to Dalits and other historically marginalised communities within 15 days, marking what activists have described as a landmark acknowledgement of decades of caste-based discrimination and exclusion. The move forms part of Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s 100-point reform agenda, which pledges to address systemic inequalities and lay the groundwork for social justice and reconciliation. The apology is expected to be accompanied by measures aimed at inclusive restoration and historical redress.

In its agenda document, the government said it would “formally acknowledge the injustice, discrimination and deprivation of opportunities inflicted on Dalits and historically marginalised communities by the state, society and policy structures”. It added that a broader reform-oriented programme would be unveiled alongside the apology.

The announcement has drawn widespread attention in Nepal, where Dalits account for roughly 13–14 per cent of the population but continue to face entrenched discrimination despite constitutional protections and laws outlawing caste-based bias and “untouchability”. Activists note that nearly 42 per cent of Dalits live below the poverty line, literacy rates lag behind the national average, and representation in key state institutions remains disproportionately low.

‘Will be like a balm for our wounds’

For many, the issue is deeply personal. Saraswati Nepali, president of the Dalit Society Development Forum in Baitadi, recalled the everyday discrimination she faced as a child. She said she was not allowed to drink from the same water source as her classmates and often had to return home for water because of her caste.

“The state’s official apology will be like a balm for our wounds,” she said, while stressing that meaningful change would depend on the enforcement of rights already guaranteed under the law. “That would give us justice and ensure our dignity," she told the Times of India.

While welcoming the announcement, campaigners have cautioned that its impact will depend on concrete follow-through. Dalit activist Hira Lal Bishwakarma described the decision as “honourable”, but warned of the risk that it could amount to little more than symbolic recognition if not backed by substantive policy measures.

“After announcing such programmes, policies, budgets and institutional structures are needed,” he said. “Without them, these announcements may look good externally, but the Dalit community does not get justice," he added.