An agreement awaiting implementation
According to INSEC’s report of 7 May, the commission had monitored the protesters’ health and called for implementation of an agreement reached with the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens on 27 March. The hunger strike had begun on 30 April. The dispute concerned practical support that people needed to live in the community.
Assistance for everyday life
In reporting published on 20 May, The Kathmandu Post interviewed protest participant Bhojraj Shrestha. He described needing assistance to get into his wheelchair, wash and leave home for work. Protesters wanted funding for personal assistants in the forthcoming budget. The ministry told the newspaper that the demands had been forwarded to the finance ministry.
Choice and control over support
The International Labour Organization and the European Network on Independent Living had addressed personal assistance in a separate international publication earlier in 2024. Their recommendations included user control, adequate funding and decent working conditions for assistants. The recommendations linked the ability to decide how support is provided with the conditions needed to organise reliable assistance.