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Refugees are forced to flee their home countries due to conflict, persecution, or threats to their lives and freedom. Unlike voluntary migrants, refugees leave not out of choice but out of sheer necessity, seeking safety and dignity elsewhere. As global displacement rises due to wars, political crises, and climate change, conversations around the rights, treatment, and responsibilities toward refugees have become increasingly urgent. ApEx spoke to three people to find out how they think Nepal and the world should handle the crisis. 

Nima Dorje Tamang, 22

I haven’t heard much about refugees in Nepal through news channels or any other form of media. So I’m assuming that not much has been done for them and that there is little to no awareness regarding refugees. I think that we can support refugees through small contributions, either monetary or by providing necessary supplies to the appropriate authorities who can make sure that our contributions are used effectively and responsibly. 

Whether countries should open their borders to refugees depends on determining whether a person’s life is actually being threatened or they are just trying to illegally immigrate to a certain country. Refugees just like any other human being must have the basic human rights where they are provided with access to clean water, food, shelter, and healthcare. I believe they must be protected from being returned to the country where they face serious threats. They should also be provided an opportunity to work legally, to support themselves financially, and contribute in the community.

Shakar Acharya, 38

Refugees often have no choice but to migrate in search of safety, stability, and a chance to live a dignified life. When their own country fails to protect them, it becomes the moral responsibility of other nations to step in and provide the security and support they need. Every country, including Nepal, has a humanitarian duty to ensure that refugees are treated with care and respect. Nepal, in particular, has previously offered refuge to people from Bhutan and Tibet. They have been given some level of recognition and respect. But more needs to be done. The government should actively work towards creating opportunities for refugees to rebuild their lives, whether through education, employment, or integration programs. 

On a societal level, citizens must adopt a compassionate attitude toward refugees. Instead of seeing them as outsiders, we should be kind and help them in any way we can. I believe borders shouldn’t be closed off to people in distress. In times of crisis, the international community must unite to ensure that those fleeing danger aren’t turned away. Every border in the world should remain open for refugees who genuinely need help, and every country should contribute to the global responsibility of giving them a safe place to call home.

Ratna Kumari Khyaju, 82

The situation of refugees all over the world bothers me. I believe being away from home is never a good thing and that these people suffer a lot on a daily basis. But I also think many people are exploiting the situation and trying to migrate to other countries illegally. This is wrong and should be curbed however possible. In the case of Nepal, I think the government isn’t prepared to handle the refugee crisis. It can’t meet the needs of its own citizens, how will it look after those from other countries? 

In an ideal world, everybody should be treated equally. Refugees would be given the same status and respect as any citizen of the country they have fled to. But the world is far from ideal and that is not what happens. For a developing country like Nepal, it would be best to first ensure the right and dignity of its own citizens before looking into those of others. 

A few basic ingredients in the pantry, a high-speed blender, and a basic oven are all you need to have in order to whip up some wonderful desserts in your kitchen. The good thing is that most of the recipes we’re sharing today don’t take more than five minutes of preparation. All you have to do is assemble the ingredients, blend them all together, and bake them in the oven or refrigerate them. You don’t believe us? Try them out yourselves. You can thank us later.

Oats banana mug cake

This is a gluten-free, and sugar-free recipe. It’s healthy and hearty and you can actually have this dessert for breakfast or as a mid afternoon snack. Blend half a cup of oats, a medium sized ripe banana, one egg, 1/4 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of baking soda, and a pinch of salt in a high-speed blender. You can add a teaspoon or two of honey or maple syrup if you want some extra sweetness. Once the mixture is ready, pour it into a well greased oven, safe mug or baking dish. You can sprinkle some chocolate chips or raisins on top. Bake for 30 minutes on medium heat.

Mango cheesecake

There are many places in Kathmandu that serve really good cheesecakes. But if you, like us, are skeptical of ordering cheesecakes at places you haven’t tried them before but still can’t resist the temptation then this amazing recipe is for you. We can guarantee that you won’t be spending money on restaurant cheesecake anymore. Grind eight to 10 digestive biscuits and transfer it into a bowl. Add two to three tablespoons of melted butter and let it set. Blend one cup paneer with one cup of hung curd. You can also add a tablespoon or two of honey or any sweetener of your choice to this mixture. Lay this mixture over the digestive biscuit layer. The top most layer is simply mango puree. Refrigerate this for at least four hours before serving.

Healthy brownie 

The brownie recipe we are sharing today is a gluten-free and an eggless one. But don’t be fooled, it’s every bit delicious and moist as the best brownie you’ve ever had. For this, you will have to dry roast 1/4 cup of almonds, 1/4 cup of walnuts, and half a cup of pumpkin seeds. Once that is done, grind it into a smooth powder. Add half a cup of cocoa powder, half teaspoon baking soda, and one teaspoon baking powder and give it all a good mix. You can add one 4th cup of jaggery or half a cup of maple syrup according to your preference. Add 3/4 cup of milk and lightly mix the batter. Pour the batter into a dish lined with baking paper and bake in the oven at 160°C for 30 to 35 minutes. Once done, refrigerate for an hour before indulging in a thick slab of the delicious homemade brownie.

Easy chocolate bar

The hot weather demands ice cream. But ice cream is seldom a guilt free indulgence. What if we told you that you can make healthy ice cream at home and enjoy it without stressing about the calories? The recipe includes fiber rich fox nuts (makhana) and protein rich peanuts. Soak one cup of makhana and half cup of peanuts in a cup of hot milk for half an hour. Blend this with two tablespoons of milk powder, a few drops of vanilla essence, and four tablespoons of honey. Pour this in ice cream molds and freeze overnight. Melt 200 g of dark chocolate and add four tablespoons of coconut oil to it. Dip the ice lollies in it and you have made yourself a healthy and tasty treat.

Date bites

If you have found all the recipes we have shared till now to be easy, wait till you hear this one. It’s one of the easiest things you will ever make and it’s healthy, tasty, and filling as well. You only need four ingredients to make this and you don’t even have to bake it. It’s one of those things you can make when you don’t want to put in much effort, but want to indulge in some delicious dessert. Deseed some soft dates and line them in parchment paper. Using the bottom of a glass, flatten them out and put a tablespoon of peanut butter on top of each. Top it with melted chocolate and garnish with roughly chopped pistachios. Freeze them overnight and your date bites are ready. You can enjoy this as a post meal treat or even as snacks.

June is recognized as the pride month—a time to celebrate the rights of the LGBTIQA+ community—and Nepal will be hosting a pride parade on June 14. The event will serve as a vibrant and powerful platform for LGBTIQA+ individuals to come together, raise awareness, and advocate for equality, acceptance, and inclusion. Participants from diverse backgrounds will participate in the parade, showcasing unity and pride, and demanding for equal rights for all. ApEx spoke to three people from the community to understand where things stand and what they think must be done to make the situation even better. 

Preti Petter

I came out as a transwoman when I was 25 years old. Looking back, I realize that I had had to keep my true self hidden for a long time. Over the years, I’ve witnessed many positive changes in Nepal, especially as the government has started to work on legal frameworks supporting the LGBTIQA+ community. But there is still much that needs to change. Women in Nepal have long been vocal about their rights but our community has grown stronger and more empowered compared to them in a short time. Yet, we continue to face challenges. For example, when applying for citizenship cards, we are required to disclose every detail about ourselves, which can feel invasive and discriminatory. 

Recently, Nepal marked a milestone with its first successful male-to-female gender-affirming surgery. We had the opportunity to meet the individual and the medical team involved, and we were welcomed with respect and positive hospitality. This was a meaningful step forward. Our school curriculum should include inclusive and accurate representation. We’ve heard that the government has allocated a budget for our community, but we don’t know how it will be used—whether for training, job creation, or other initiatives. Slowly but surely, we are also advocating for a seat at the table in policy making and leadership roles. 

Anu Shahi Thakuri

I knew that I was different from a very young age but I identified myself as a transgender when I was 16 years old. It changed everything in me. When I told my parents, they said that they always had a feeling but they took it as a phase that would fade soon. Being a transman, menstruation is my biggest challenge. There has been a campaign named ‘Men Bleed too’ where many showed their support and defended it too. But at the same time, it’s difficult to access public toilets. I didn’t go to the toilet even once in my college life because there was no washroom facility for us. 

I think students should be educated about gender and sexuality so that they can be aware of their identity from early on. I heard that grade 12 students do have a course on gender but they aren’t taught properly. Once, we were asked to take classes on gender and it was a really nice opportunity for us to share our experiences. Another thing that needs to change is that we should be allowed to participate in policy making, at both local and national level. We need representation if our voices are to be heard and we shouldn’t just be there to fulfill a quota. 

Sanket Bashyal

As someone who is gay, I’ve always felt judged. I’ve also been at the receiving end of mean and hurtful comments. I have been told that I’m not “man enough” or that my expression and behavior are feminine. Fortunately, my family is supportive and caring. They are learning things about me, with me. The good thing is that Nepal has seen some significant changes where the LGBTIQA+ community is concerned in recent years. One major milestone was the legal recognition of same-sex marriage in 2023, making Nepal the first South Asian country to do so. There’s also growing social awareness and legal support for gender and sexual minorities, reflecting a more inclusive society. But there are still areas of concern.

Government policies are generally supportive, but their implementation can be inconsistent, especially outside urban centers. In healthcare, while there’s growing awareness about issues like HIV and transgender health, discrimination persists in medical settings, and many LGBTIQA+ individuals still lack access to culturally competent care. Legal protections exist, but there are gaps, particularly in employment, housing, and family rights, which means many queer individuals remain vulnerable to discrimination. The government needs not to just pass progressive laws but make sure they’re actually being enforced—especially when it comes to things like workplace equality and healthcare access.

Society needs to step up too by fostering awareness and understanding, especially in rural areas, so that everyone feels safe and accepted. Media has such a powerful role here—by showing positive, real representations of LGBTIQA+ individuals, we can shift perceptions and break down stereotypes. And in schools, integrating LGBTIQA+ topics into the curriculum and training teachers to be more inclusive can make a huge difference in how the next generation views diversity. 

With its wealth of natural beauty and hydropower resources, Nepal is at a turning point in determining its future in terms of both transportation and the environment. The need for sustainable alternatives has grown urgently due to the increasing effects of climate change, growing air pollution, and an increasing reliance on imported fossil fuels. Electric mobility, or ‘e-mobility’, is one of the solutions that is gaining traction and is a game-changer. With Electric Vehicles (EVs) now widely acknowledged as a global force for lowering emissions and changing urban life, Nepal has a strong chance to move toward a future that is cleaner, greener, and more economically resilient.

The nation’s trade deficit is largely caused by Nepal’s current transportation system, which is largely reliant on imported fossil fuels. Every year, the nation spends over $1.5bn on petroleum imports, a financial burden that is not sustainable from an environmental or economic standpoint. This reliance also makes Nepal vulnerable to changes in the price of oil globally and makes a substantial contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. Kathmandu has recently been ranked as the world's most polluted city by Swiss firm ‘IQAir’, with particulate matter (PM2.5) levels reaching hazardous levels. Vehicle emissions are the main cause of this pollution since they emit dangerous substances like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and fine particulate matter (PM2.5), all of which are extremely dangerous to human health.

For Nepal, electric vehicles are especially sensible because of a number of built-in benefits. First, hydroelectric power accounts for more than 90 percent of the nation’s electricity production. Much of this clean energy is wasted during off-peak hours. By helping to absorb this excess power, particularly during nighttime charging, EVs can improve the sustainability and efficiency of the country’s electrical grid. Second, switching to electric vehicles from fossil fuel-powered ones can significantly lower the nation’s fuel import bill, saving millions of dollars in foreign exchange. The change may also boost regional businesses engaged in EV production, maintenance, and battery recycling, which would lead to job creation and economic expansion.

From a health and environmental perspective, the benefits of electric vehicles are clear. EVs have no tailpipe emissions, which would result in cleaner air, particularly within urban areas. Reduced exposure to air pollutants would translate to less respiratory disease and associated healthcare costs. Besides, Nepal has pledged under the Paris Agreement to reduce emissions and has set up a national target of achieving net zero emissions by 2045. A robust switch to electric mobility would take some way towards fulfilling these aspirations. On an individual level, EVs are also financially advantageous to consumers. With lower operating costs since electricity is cheaper than diesel or petrol and minimal maintenance needs, EVs are an economic choice in the long run.

In order to remain cognizant of these advantages, the government has introduced different policies that can provide a boost to electric mobility. These include reducing customs and excise duties on EVs, offering tax concessions to private and commercial users of EVs, and encouraging the usage of electric buses and three-wheelers for public transport. The government’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) include the following detailed targets: 25 percent of sales of private cars and 20 percent of public transport fleets to be electric by 2025 and 90 percent by 2030. To power these ambitions, charging infrastructure is being constructed in inner city areas. The recent Budget for fiscal year 2025/26 has reinforced confidence in the long-term adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), setting a target to replace imports of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles with EVs by 2031. To support this transition, Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel announced that the existing tax structure for electric vehicles will remain unchanged.

Encouragingly, the EV industry in Nepal is gradually picking up. Metro cities, especially Kathmandu and Pokhara, have seen increasing EV adoption. International brands like Hyundai, Skywell, Tata, BYD, MG, Neta etc. have introduced models specifically tailored to fit Nepali roads and preferences. Electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers are also picking up with ease of affordability and usage for short distances. Public transport is also changing; electric buses have begun operating in cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara,

In spite of the encouraging momentum, there are a number of challenges as well. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of charging infrastructure. While there are some fast-charging stations in Kathmandu and in some of the main routes, the network is not enough to facilitate large-scale EV adoption. Convenient and reliable charging points are key to promoting long-distance travel and reducing range anxiety for users. Another challenge is the high initial cost of EVs. In spite of tax rebates, the initial purchase price remains unaffordable to most consumers. 

Public skepticism and unfamiliarity also slow adoption, especially in rural and mountainous areas where skepticism about EV capabilities remains. There are also some concerns regarding battery degradation and the absence of recycling or disposal systems for lithium-ion batteries on both environmental and logistical fronts.

To overcome these barriers, a multi-faceted approach is required that incorporates a broad-based effort. Expanding the EV charging network with public-private partnerships is the priority area. Offering incentives to businesses to install the same in shopping malls, hotels, and other public places can rapidly accelerate infrastructure. Charging public transport buses, microbuses, and three-wheelers would halve emissions. This can be accelerated through subsidies, low-interest financing, and public-private models with government and private players. Economic means such as subsidies to purchase a car, exchange schemes for old cars, and soft loans from banks and co-ops would also convince more people to switch.

Another crucial area is skill development. To maintain and operate electric vehicles, technicians, drivers, and mechanics need to receive training. Certification programs in EV maintenance and battery technology ought to be available at technical colleges and vocational schools. In addition to cutting costs, supporting domestic production and assembly of EVs and their parts can generate job opportunities. In order to encourage manufacturers and investors, the government can help with this by offering incentives like land grants, tax holidays, and infrastructure support. 

In Nepal, there are already a few effective electric mobility examples. Pioneers in this field were the battery-powered three-wheelers known as Safa Tempos, which were first introduced in Kathmandu in the late 1990s. They demonstrated that even in low-income environments, e-mobility was possible.

Similarly, Pokhara’s electric bus initiative with the assistance of development partners has developed a model for environmentally friendly public transport. These examples affirm the viability of electric mobility and the necessity of continuous innovation and support.

The private sector and civil society have played a decisive role in pushing the e-mobility agenda forward. Importers and dealerships have not only brought in EVs suitable for Nepal’s terrain but also provided essential services such as after-sales services and battery guarantees. Environmentalists and civil society groups have played a crucial role in awareness-raising and promoting cleaner air and green transport policies.

By 2030, Nepal could emerge as a regional leader in sustainable mobility. A practical and inclusive vision would include a nationwide network of EV charging stations, the complete electrification of public transportation in major cities, and EVs accounting for at least 50 percent of all new car sales. Local manufacturing of batteries and automobiles would boost the economy and further reduce costs. Strong coordination between government agencies, active private sector involvement, and extensive public engagement and education are all necessary to realize this vision.

In total, electric mobility offers Nepal a singular opportunity to address environmental, economic, and public health challenges with one solution. Endowed with ample renewable energy and a rising public dedication to sustainability, the country is poised to embrace EVs as a signature of its development model. Yet achievement will require not just vision but action through policy, infrastructure, education, and partnerships. With proper measures, electric mobility can indeed lead Nepal to a cleaner, healthier, and richer tomorrow.