KATHMANDU: Emphasis has been placed on correcting Section 7 of the Citizenship Amendment Bill, which is currently under consideration in the National Assembly after being passed by the House of Representatives.
The demand arose during a discussion program organized by the Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD) with National Assembly lawmakers.
The call for revision centers around sub-section 3(a) of Section 21 of the principal Nepal Citizenship Act, 2063, which allows for punishment and automatic cancellation of citizenship obtained through false self-declaration. Participants argued that this clause is discriminatory—particularly towards women.
FWLD Executive Director and Advocate Sabin Shrestha criticized the provision, saying, “If a man lies in his declaration, there is no penalty. But if a woman is found to have made a false declaration, she faces punishment. This is a clear case of gender-based discrimination and must be amended by the National Assembly.” He warned that if the clause is left intact, it criminalizes Nepali mothers.
Shrestha also noted that the bill, despite its flaws, resolves many longstanding complications. Referring to data from the latest census, he said that 17% of children—around 1.68 million—are raised by single mothers, and the bill, once enacted, would directly benefit them.
He further argued that the age restriction of 16 years to acquire citizenship lacks justification. “If someone is born in Nepal, they should automatically be eligible for citizenship,” he said, urging lawmakers to remove the 16-year threshold, which has been repeatedly questioned in international conventions. “For good governance, there must be transparency and accountability. That includes removing arbitrary age limits for citizenship acquisition,” he emphasized.
Speaking at the same event, National Assembly Vice-Chair Bimala Ghimire acknowledged that the bill, as passed by the House of Representatives, contains several weaknesses. “The National Assembly will work to amend some of these flaws. Such discussions help us identify legal loopholes,” she said. Ghimire also stressed that the bill is not just a women’s issue. “Although we all agree on the content, there is fear surrounding the wording. This bill should have been passed long ago,” she added.
Lawmakers participating in the event, including Mohammad Khalid from Siraha, raised concerns about identity and cultural sensitivity when issuing citizenship in the mother’s name.
Others, such as Uday Bahadur Bohora, Renu Chand, Tulasa Dahal, Padam Pariyar, Bishnu Sapkota, Suresh Ale Magar, and Kiran Babu Shrestha, also shared their views, noting that the amendment bill addresses many past complications.
The event was chaired by FWLD President Geeta Aryal.
Senior Advocate Meera Dhungana highlighted the relevance and urgency of the discussion. Advocate Binod Chandra Devkota moderated the program, with Advocate Sushma Gautam facilitating the thematic discussions.
