Foreign Minister Dr Arzu Rana Deuba has viewed that Nepal has been a role model in ensuring rights to minorities including the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ).

Addressing a panel on ‘Inclusion National Law and Policy’ of the conference related to equal rights -‘Equal Rights Coalition’- held in Berlin, Germany, Minister Dr. Rana shared that Nepal has achieved great progress in inclusion and human rights protection of the gender and sexual minorities, the LGBTQ.

She said Nepal is the first country in world to ensure rights of the LGBTQ through progressive laws although doing this has not been so easy.

Nepal is the leader in Asia with regard to social transformation and we are proud of it. We are a role model for world with regard to ensuring rights of the LGBTQ, she said

She referred to three main steps for the achievements, such as the Supreme Court’s ruling for equal rights of the third gender and punishment to those who discriminate, recognition of same sex marriage by the court, formulation of laws in favour of the sexual minorities and inclusion of the rights of the minorities in administrative sector, according to the secretariat of Foreign Minister Dr Rana.