RUNA MAHARJANAdvocate ·Lawyer
Counsel: Advocate · Nepal Bar Jurisdiction: Nepal · International Current post: NHRC Nepal

Rights, on the record.

Advocate, licensed in Nepal — a licensed lawyer currently serving as Human Rights Officer at the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal: investigating violations, monitoring detention and elections, reviewing legislation, and pleading before the courts. Off duty: writing fiction about the people the case files can’t hold.

Currently: monitoring.
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On the record
since 2016
Adv.
Nepal Bar · licensed
7+
Years in rights practice
6
Volumes edited
3
Int’l conferences organized
LL.M.
Human Rights & Gender Justice
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§01

The brief

Who is filing

I am a lawyer first. Human rights are not abstractions to me — they are case files with names: a detainee’s cell, a migrant’s contract, a survivor’s testimony — and my work is to put them on the record.

An Advocate licensed to practise in Nepal, I have since 2019 served as a Human Rights Officer at the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal, working across the Legal Affairs Division: investigating violations in the post-conflict landscape, preparing and presenting case briefs before the Commission’s bench, monitoring prisons, detention centres and elections, and reviewing the laws that are supposed to protect people.

I hold an LL.M. in Human Rights and Gender Justice and a B.A.LL.B specialised in Criminal Law from Kathmandu School of Law. I plead on behalf of the Commission in the courts of Nepal, draft its recommendations to Government, and carry its voice into rooms from Kathmandu to Bangkok.

Verified
Portrait — drop photo here
RUNA MAHARJANKathmandu, NP
§02

Areas of practice

Eight fronts
§02.1

Investigation & Documentation

Human rights investigation in the post-conflict scenario; documentation and compilation of violations.

Case briefs · bench presentation
§02.2

Detention & Prison Monitoring

Monitoring of prisons and detention centres against national and international standards.

OPCAT-informed practice
§02.3

Legislative & Policy Review

Reviewing bills, laws and the National Human Rights Action Plan for compliance with rights obligations.

Recommendations to Government
§02.4

Litigation & Pleading

Pleading on behalf of the NHRC in the courts of Nepal; litigation strategy on impunity.

Enforced disappearance · EJK
§02.5

Migration & Anti-Trafficking

Rights of migrant workers and trafficking survivors — from field monitoring to trainer-of-trainers work.

NHRC · UNDP · IOM
§02.6

Gender Equality & Inclusion

Gender justice and social inclusion across investigations, institutions and law reform.

LL.M. specialisation
§02.7

Digital Rights & Information Integrity

AI governance, hate speech and disinformation — moderating the conversation where law meets code.

UNESCO panels · 2022–23
§02.8

Education & Training

Designing and facilitating trainings for officials, lawyers and youth across Nepal.

Curriculum · moderation
§03

The docket

Experience & education
2019 — presentKathmandu

Human Rights Officer

National Human Rights Commission of Nepal · Legal Affairs Division
  • Investigation of violations in the post-conflict scenario
  • Case briefs prepared & presented before the Commission’s bench
  • Monitoring: prisons, detention centres, elections, thematic issues
  • Legislative review & National HR Action Plan monitoring
  • Pleading on behalf of the NHRC in the courts of Nepal
  • Recommendations to the Government of Nepal
  • International liaison with diplomatic agencies & NHRIs
  • Guideline for Budget Formulation & Assessment (drafted)
Current
2017 — 2018Kathmandu

Junior Legal Associate

Charter Law Firm
  • Drafting of contracts and legal documents
  • Legislative research
Private practice
2016Lalitpur

Intern

Lalitpur District Court
  • Courtroom, case registration, decision implementation, mediation centre, help desk & records
Foundation
2012 — 2019KSL

Education

Kathmandu School of Law
  • LL.M., Human Rights & Gender Justice (2017–2019)
  • B.A.LL.B, Criminal Law & Justice (2012–2017)
Academy
NHRC Nepal § UNDP § UNESCO § IOM § Trial International § Asia Pacific Forum § Danish Institute for Human Rights § UNAIDS § NHRC Nepal § UNDP § UNESCO § IOM § Trial International § Asia Pacific Forum § Danish Institute for Human Rights § UNAIDS §
§04

On the record

Publications
NHRI Nepal Joint Submission, Third Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of NepalCo-author · submitted to the UN Human Rights Council
UPR III
Legal Frameworks for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, primarily Accessibility RightsSambahak, vol. 23 · National Human Rights Commission of Nepal
Article
Selected Decisions of the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal, vols. 2 & 3Editor · NHRC Nepal
English
Selected Decisions of the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal, vols. 5 & 6Editor · NHRC Nepal · Nepali language
नेपाली
§05

At the podium

Conferences & panels
2024

Using Legal Advocacy to Achieve the Global 10-10-10 HIV Targets

NHRC delegate · UNDP & UNAIDS · Bangkok

2024

International Conference on Gender Inclusion in NHRIs

Secretariat · Kathmandu

2023

Artificial Intelligence Governance and Legal Framework

Moderator · UNESCO Nepal

2023

Combating Infodemic — Media & Information Literacy

Academic session lead · UNESCO Nepal

2023

Promoting Information Integrity & Combating Hate Speech

Panelist · UNESCO & UNRCO Nepal

2022

Youth Preventing Disinformation & Hate Speech in Elections

Panelist · UNESCO Nepal

2019

International Conference on Protection of Rights of Migrant Workers

Secretariat · Kathmandu

2020

National Consultation for the Universal Periodic Review

Organizing team · Kathmandu

§06

The commentary

Commentary & fiction
§07 · Correspondence

Enter it into the record.

itsrunamaharjan@gmail.com
Kathmandu, Nepal LinkedIn Instagram Google Scholar
Entered into the record at Kathmandu
RUNA MAHARJAN
Advocate · currently Human Rights Officer, NHRC Nepal