National Human rights Foundation (HURFON) was established on February 1997 as a pioneering non-political, non-profit making, independent and democratic social human rights organization initiated by senior human rights activists, lawyers and university professors who have long time experience in working to promote and protect all human rights, fundamental freedoms and institutional democracy in Nepal.

It was established in order to protect and promote the ideals of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR, 1948) especially focusing to economic, social, political and cultural rights of people. It primarily emphasizes its mission to address the need of human rights education for strengthening the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It has aimed to lead an integrated human rights movement with the vision of building mass awareness on Human Rights for Third Generation for achieving comprehensive social transformation in Nepal.

National Human Rights foundation (HURFON) has been relentlessly working for democracy, human rights, peace and good governance for the last eight years in Nepal. It is especially focusing its mission to the strengthening of human rights, peace and democracy in the country for the last three years. The current activities undertaken by HURFON are:

• Life Line Initiative and Legal Support for conflict victims and family
• Human Rights (HR) observation (Based on every day HR situation of the country)
• Human Rights Monitor (Quarterly Publications)
• Public awareness campaigns on human rights, inclusive democracy, peace and good governance through interaction workshop, public dialogues, role out discussion forums, training workshop, fact findings campaign etc.
• Campaigning for peace, human rights and full fledged democracy. (in co-ordination with Nepalese Human Rights Community and HURFON network)
• Research and advocacy for right to education in Nepal.

HURFON has undertaken a number of programs in order to safeguard the social justice of people by promoting democratic values. Some of the major activities are mentioned below:

1. Campaigns
   • Campaigns of solidarity with the Tibetan and Bhutanese Refugees in co-ordination with Appeal Movement Coordinating Council (AMCC) and other HR organizations for their safe repatriation and democracy in Bhutan.
   • It has also been working as a major pressure group against the violation of social justice, human rights and democratic values committed by the government and the Communist Party of Nepal, (CPN) Maoists.
   • HURFON has led 'International Campaign on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons-Nepal' with the aims of transferring Nepali detained persons abroad into Nepal.
   • Launched Community based Human Rights Awareness Program in co-ordination with HURFON district sections and other human rights community in different districts of the country.
   • In co-ordination with Nepalese Human rights community, HURFON played a significant role during king Gyanendra's autocratic and undemocratic regime for the restoration of democratic procedures in Nepal.
   • HURFON, in co-ordination with Nepalese HR community, has played a nationwide leading role in human rights observation during The People's Revolution - 2006.
   • Actively working for human rights, democracy, peace and good-governance in Nepal in formal alliance with HRTMCC, Defend Human Rights Movements Nepal and Joint Forum for Human Rights & Peace.
   • Actively working in coordination with Nepalese human rights community for advocacy and lobbying for the ICC Campaign in Nepal.
   • Working for Life line of people who are under threat and victims of human rights violation around the country through HURFON Life Line Committee.
   • Providing Free Legal Service to the victims of human rights violation through HURFON Legal Desk
2. Human Rights Training, Awareness and collaboration

   HURFON has conducted human right trainings over the years to its district branch office members and members of civil society in various districts. It has also built a strong network in various districts of Nepal to foster collaborative campaigns and advocacy. Ever since its establishments, it has partnered with different local, national, international governmental and non- governmental organizations in different campaigns and joint efforts towards issues of human rights, refugees, impunity, women, dalits, and other agendas of national concerns.

3. HURFON's Publication

   HURFON has been publishing "Human Rights Monitor" as a publication of the organization. It is primarily based on HURFON's periodical human rights report, its regular activities, contemporary human rights situation related articles and interview of distinguished persons. The publication is quarterly released organizing public dialogue program on latest political/human rights issues of the country.

   We have the following common objectives of the publication of Human Rights Monitor.

   • Make HURFON's regular HR observation activities (facts and figures) public.
   • Document the cases of human rights abuses committed by the state and the insurgents in the country.
   • Collect data on human rights abuses.
   • Raise national awareness among people on Human Rights Education and related problems and
   • Prevent HR abuses and reduce their adverse effects. In the days to come HURFON is planning to bring out this issue as a comprehensive report of democracy, human rights, peace and social justice in Nepal. Resource Management: Business advertisement.
     Outcome: Mass awareness on human rights, democracy, peace and good governance.
4. Talk Programs, Seminars and Conferences

   HURFON periodically organizes talk programs, seminars and conferences on the contemporary political/human rights issues of the country. It has organized various talk programs on topics like

   • Concrete Actions for Peace Building in Nepal
   • Negotiation between Political parties and Maoists: Further Steps of Democracy
   • Constituent Assembly: Opportunities and Challenges. Resource Management: Internal resource