GENEVA - UN experts* today expressed grave concern about the forced eviction and displacement of several thousand residents from informal settlements along riverside corridors in Kathmandu, which began on 25 April 2026.
"We are deeply troubled by reports that thousands of people - many of whom are internally displaced and in situations of acute vulnerability - are being evicted without adequate safeguards," the experts said. "Such actions risk violating Nepal's obligations under international human rights law and its own constitutional protections."
Nepal is a State party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which guarantees the right to adequate housing, including protection against forced evictions. Under international standards, evictions are permissible only in exceptional circumstances and must comply with strict safeguards.
According to information received, authorities issued only a 24-hour notice to residents in Thapathali, Manohara and Sinamangal settlements, followed by rapid demolition.
"Such short notice fails to meet requirements of meaningful consultation and adequate preparation," the experts said. "Affected communities must be informed, consulted, and provided access to legal remedies and assistance."
Evictions have continued in Balkhu, Bansighat, Balaju, Sankhamul, the Anamanagar area alongside Dhobikhola corridor and in the Kapan area of Kathmandu district.
The experts were appalled that two residents were found dead during the demolition drive.
On 24 April an 18-year-old died by suicide in the toilet of his home in the Manohara settlement. On 1 May, a 61 year-old resident of the Balkhu squatter settlement was recovered dead from the Bagmati river, suspected to have committed suicide. Both individuals appear to have taken their own lives out of desperation stemming from ongoing forced evictions.
"States must ensure adequate alternative housing, compensation, and access to essential services, including healthcare and education, before and after any displacement," the experts said.
"Provision of emergency shelters with only substandard housing conditions does not meet basic human rights standards. This is not a sudden unforeseeable natural disaster but a coordinated eviction drive organised by public authorities. The State must, in such situations, undertake proper planning to ensure that all residents are resettled," they said.
The evictions may violate Nepal's constitutional and domestic legal safeguards, including protections for adequate housing, due process, and resettlement for landless communities. A July 2024 Supreme Court ruling also requires housing to be provided before any eviction of riverside settlements for landless families. The Nepali constitution also obliges the State to provide land to landless Dalits and mandates the identification and rehabilitation of marginalised groups through housing, land, or livelihood support.
"Proceeding without verified resettlement would not only contravene international standards but may also violate binding judicial decisions," the experts said.
"We urge the Government of Nepal to immediately halt evictions and engage in genuine dialogue with affected communities," the experts said. "All feasible alternatives must be explored, including in situ solutions and inclusive urban planning, and any resettlement must fully comply with the Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement and the Guiding Principles on Resettlement.
"We call for an independent, impartial and transparent investigation into the evictions and the two suspected suicides," the experts said. "Authorities must also provide immediate protection, psychosocial support, and adequate compensation to affected families."
The experts reiterated their readiness to support rights-compliant housing policies. "Respect for human dignity, the rule of law and social justice must guide all responses," they said. "No one should be left homeless as a result of State action."
They previously expressed concern about forced evictions and home demolitions in the Thapathali informal settlement, along the banks of the Bagmati river.
