Nepal cannot rebuild democracy simply by rebuilding what was burned; it must rebuild trust.
In the aftermath of Nepal’s Gen Z uprising, the country faces a challenge that goes far beyond damaged institutions and political transition: how can a society marked by deaths, injuries, anger and profound mistrust begin to heal?
In this episode of the SADF Podcast, Tapas Kanti Baul speaks with Ram Tiwari, founder and Chair of the Nepal Forum for Restorative Justice, about the role restorative justice could play in Nepal’s democratic recovery.
Their conversation moves beyond a narrow understanding of justice as punishment. Tiwari argues for a victim-centred approach built around healing, accountability, recognition, dialogue and institutional transformation. Families who lost loved ones need more than financial compensation; public institutions must acknowledge harm, listen to victims, establish accountability and confront the deeper causes of the uprising — including corruption, exclusion, lack of good governance and declining public trust.
The discussion also examines the urgent need to rebuild confidence in Nepal’s judiciary and law-enforcement institutions, the possible role of truth and reconciliation mechanisms and community dialogue, and the importance of memorialising those who lost their lives.
At stake is not only Nepal’s response to one political crisis, but a larger democratic question: can a moment of rupture become an opportunity to build a more accountable, people-centred and resilient political order?
#Nepal #Democracy #RestorativeJustice #GenZ #YouthActivism #RuleOfLaw #Accountability #HumanRights #Peacebuilding #DemocraticResilience #SouthAsia #SADF
[Click DOWNLOAD PDF for the podcast’s edited transcript!]
