Kathmandu: Emphasis has been placed on amending Clause 7 of the bill to amend the Nepal Citizenship Act, 2063, which has been tabled in the National Assembly after approval from the House of Representatives. This was highlighted during a discussion program organized by Forum for Women, Law and Development (FWLD) with members of the National Assembly.

The proposed amendment to sub-clause (3ka) of Clause 21 of the principal act states that if any person makes a false self-declaration and performs any action on that basis, such actions should be punishable by imprisonment and the acquired citizenship should be automatically revoked.

FWLD Executive Director, Advocate Sabin Shrestha, criticized the self-declaration provision, stating that it is discriminatory. He pointed out that when a man makes a false declaration, he faces no punishment, but if a woman’s self-declaration is proven false, she is penalized. He urged the National Assembly to correct this, saying, “If the clause remains as is, it effectively criminalizes Nepali mothers.”

Advocate Shrestha also stated that the citizenship bill passed by the House of Representatives resolves several critical issues. He presented data from the latest census indicating that 17% of the total child population is being raised by single mothers—equating to around 1.688 million children. He emphasized that these children would directly benefit once the bill becomes law.

He also criticized the age limit set for acquiring citizenship, calling it unjustified. Advocate Shrestha recommended that citizenship be granted at birth and informed the lawmakers that the age limit of 16 for acquiring citizenship has been questioned in various international conventions and treaty meetings. “For good governance, we must ensure transparency and accountability and eliminate the age limit,” he said.

National Assembly Vice Chairperson Bimala Ghimire stated that the National Assembly would introduce some amendments to the citizenship bill passed by the House of Representatives. She added that such discussion programs help identify legal loopholes. “The National Assembly can rectify the shortcomings in the bill, so these discussions are indeed productive,” she noted.

Ghimire further said that the citizenship issue is not solely related to women. “Everyone agrees with the content of the bill, but there is fear surrounding the terminology. This bill has already been delayed far too long,” she remarked.

During the discussion, MP Mohammad Khalid from Siraha stressed the importance of considering identity and cultural authenticity when granting citizenship in the mother’s name. Participating lawmakers noted that the amendment bill addresses many complexities. Uday Bahadur Bohora, Renu Chand, Tulsa Dahal, Padam Pariyar, Bishnu Sapkota, Suresh Ale Magar, and Kiran Babu Shrestha, among others, shared their views on the bill.

The program was moderated by FWLD advocate Binod Chandra Devkota, while Advocate Sushma Gautam facilitated the discussions. Senior Advocate Meera Dhungana highlighted the significance and rationale of the program. The event was chaired by FWLD Chairperson Geeta Aryal.