The Chepang people of Nepal, numbering over 84,000, are among the country’s most marginalized Indigenous groups—deeply connected to the forests that sustain their lives and culture.
In July 2020, families from Kusumkhola of Chitwan district of Bagmati province, Central Nepal, were forcibly evicted from their ancestral homes, despite a Supreme Court order that had explicitly halted such actions against Indigenous Nationalities.
Today, these families live in unsafe shelters in Madi Municipality, without secure housing, land ownership, clean water, healthcare, or education. The loss of forest-based livelihoods has left them food insecure and struggling for their survival and existence. Among them, women and children face the gravest risks, enduring violence, hunger, and the constant threat of wild animal attacks.
Behind the statistics lie deeply personal stories—mothers mourning lost farmland, children cut off from schools, and families spending nights hungry and afraid. For the Chepang, eviction is not only the loss of land—it is the loss of dignity, safety, and hope for a better future.
A Violation of Rights and Commitments
This displacement undermines the fundamental rights guaranteed under Nepal’s Constitution and international obligations such as ILO Convention 169 and the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP).
The evictions violated rights to housing, livelihood, food, water, and education, and were carried out without Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC). The situation exposes the wide gap between legal promises and lived realities for Indigenous peoples—particularly for Indigenous women and children.
The Kusumkhola case is not merely a local issue. It is a humanitarian and human rights crisis that calls for urgent national and international attention to ensure that Indigenous families are not left behind.
About the Report
The findings and recommendations presented here are drawn from “The Plight of the Displaced from Kusumkhola: A Case Study (2025)”, prepared by the Nepal Chepang Women Association (NCWA) with support from the Indigenous Peoples of Asia Solidarity Fund (IPAS).
Key Findings
The displacement undermines fundamental rights, including:
- Right to life and livelihood
- Right to housing and land
- Rights of women and children
- Right to water, sanitation, and food security
- Right to participate in biodiversity conservation and resource sharing
Conclusions:
- Forced evictions have created serious humanitarian and human rights crises.
- Government programs (housing, land rights, relief schemes) are poorly implemented for Indigenous groups like the Chepang.
- There is a major gap between legal commitments and actual practice.
Recommendations
For Government (federal, provincial, and local):
- Ensure secure housing and land rights for displaced families
- Provide basic services: clean water, healthcare, education, and livelihood support
- Respect Indigenous rights and uphold Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) in all conservation programs
For Human Rights Institutions & Civil Society:
- Monitor and advocate for the rights of displaced families
- Provide legal support and raise awareness on rights and remedies
For Development Partners:
- Support sustainable livelihood programs
- Invest in empowering displaced women and children to lead change
The plight of the Chepang is a call to action—to transform commitments into justice, and policy into protection. Their struggle reminds us that safeguarding Indigenous rights is not only a matter of law, but of humanity.
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