Protection of human rights can be achieved only by internalising democratic values, President Bidya Devi Bhandari has said. 

Addressing the inaugural session of an international human rights conference in Kathmandu on Monday, the President said human rights are honoured and protected only if we internalise and practise democratic values.

She also said the Constitution of Nepal accords high priority to human rights. Noting that the Comprehensive Peace Accord provides a broad framework for transitional justice, the President said that the two transitional justice bodies, formed to probe into the war atrocities during a decade-long Maoist insurgency, would leave no stone unturned to offer justice to the victims and their relatives.

President Bhandari also lauded the National Human Rights Commission for organising the conference, where the officials of human rights commissions from South Asian countries and the human rights experts from all over the world are participating. Discussions and sharing of experiences in the area of protecting and promoting human rights in South Asian region will be extremely important for the sake of quality of life and livelihood in this region, the President said.

 The three-day conference will discuss on a range of topics, including the role of security forces in promoting or challenging impunity, freedom of expression, and

transitional justice.