Ms. Karki has been appointed as Nepal’s first woman Prime Minister by President Ram Chandra Poudel, who administered the oath of office in a ceremony attended by youth representatives, senior officials, and foreign diplomats. She has been given the responsibility of organizing fresh elections within six months. Before this, she served as the first and only woman Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, holding office from 2016 to 2017.
The United Nations welcomed her appointment as a historic moment, expressing solidarity with the people of Nepal in their pursuit of peace, justice, transparency, accountability, and progress. UN Resident Coordinator Hanna Singer Hamdy acknowledged the role of the President, the Chief of Army Staff, and youth leaders in ensuring the political transition. The UN also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting stability, human rights, and sustainable development in the country.
Congratulatory messages poured in from UN agencies, with UNICEF calling her appointment an inspiration for girls and women and stressing the need to prioritize children’s rights in Nepal’s recovery. Similarly, UNDP, UN Women, and UNFPA highlighted the importance of inclusive governance, gender equality, and safeguarding the rights of women and youth under her leadership.
Her appointment, however, comes at a time of deep crisis. Protests began as a youth-led movement against corruption, nepotism, and restrictions on social media, but escalated rapidly into violence. Security forces opened fire on demonstrators, leading to multiple casualties. Protesters stormed and set fire to the parliament, Supreme Court, government offices, political party buildings, media outlets, businesses, schools, and private homes. Jailbreaks also occurred in several regions, with reports of external groups infiltrating the protests, worsening the unrest.
In response to the deteriorating security situation, the army assumed control on Tuesday, deploying troops across the Kathmandu Valley and enforcing strict movement restrictions in an effort to restore order.
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