- UN agencies in Nepal have welcomed the appointment of Sushila Karki as caretaker Prime Minister
- Her appointment is following a bloody crackdown on youth-led demonstrations that have resulted in over 50 deaths and left much destruction
UN agencies in Nepal greeted the interim appointment of Sushila Karki as Prime Minister on Friday, as the country struggles with the consequences of the brutal attack against anti-government protests organized by youths, which resulted in over 50 deaths, inflicted enormous damage, and forced the former prime minister to resign.
Nepal's first ever female Prime Minister, Sushila, was administered the oath of office by President Ram Chandra Poudel in a ceremony attended by youth representatives, ministers of government, as well as foreign diplomats.
She has been mandated to schedule fresh elections within six months, according to news reports.
In her previous position, Sushila was Nepal's sole woman Chief Justice, with tenure at the Supreme Court between 2016 and 2017.
Hanna Singer Hamdy, UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal, said, "In this transformative time, the United Nations is standing with the people of Nepal in their aspirations of peace, justice, transparency, accountability and progress."
She also recognized the contributions of the President, Chief of Army Staff, and Gen Z youth leaders in transition, and the United Nations reiterated its commitment of standing with the Government of Nepal in efforts to become more stable, respect human rights and work towards sustainable development.
UNICEF hailed Sushila, calling her appointment "an inspiration for girls and women," and underscored the vital importance of centering children's rights in Nepal's re-building.
UN agencies including the UN Development Programme (UNDP), UN Women and UNFPA provided statements supporting Sushila’s leadership language, emphasizing inclusive governance, gender equality, and protection for women and youth.
The naming occurs in the midst of severe challenges. The unrest began on Monday as a Gen Z-led protest against censorship of social media, nepotism, and corruption. Security forces opened fire on crowds of demonstrators, killing some and injuring others.
Protesters stormed and burned important institutions such as the parliament, Supreme Court, federal and provincial government offices, political party offices, media, schools, businesses, and houses.
Jailbreaks happened in a number of places, and some protests were reported to have been infiltrated by outside elements.
The army responded by taking charge of national security on Tuesday by sending troops all over the Kathmandu Valley and imposing restrictions on movement in order to stabilize the country.
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