The Ambassador of Japan to Nepal Masamichi Saigo, handed over three mediation centers, one at the Patan High Court, and one each at Lalitpur District Court and Bhaktapur District Court, for the improvement of the efficiency of legal assistance in urban areas.

The Project for the Establishment of Mediation Centers in the Urban Cities of Nepal is funded under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) of the Government of Japan. The grant assistance amounts to USD 38,388 (approximately NPR 3.9 million).

In the increasingly populated urban cities in Nepal, people sometimes have to wait for several months to receive legal services from the courts. The mediation centers that have been established next to the courts will offer legal consultations by professional lawyers so that simple civil cases can be solved before going to court. In this way, both the courts and citizens can find efficient solutions for issues.

The Nepal Bar Association, established in 1956, has been offering trainings and education related to legal matters, and conducting activities to promote justice and human rights.

The Embassy of Japan hopes that this project will strengthen the bilateral relationship between Japan and Nepal.