Hundreds of LGBTQ+ community members and their allies gathered in Nepal’s capital city on Saturday for Pride Month festivities, taking part in a vibrant street demonstration.
The Himalayan nation has witnessed an expanding LGBTQ+ community and has achieved notable progress in advancing rights for sexual minorities over recent years.
Following March elections, the administration led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah established the Ministry of Women, Children, Gender and Sexual Minorities and Social Security, marking the first instance of a government department specifically created to address issues affecting women and sexual minorities.
The country achieved a milestone by becoming among the first Asian nations to permit marriages between same-sex couples. The nation’s 2015 constitution contains explicit language prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Following a 2007 judicial ruling that mandated government reforms benefiting LGBTQ+ individuals, citizens who don’t identify as male or female can now select “third gender” as an option on passports and additional official documentation.
