Dev Kumar Sunuwar
Attorney and Journalist
Kathmandu, Nepal
[email protected] (Email)
(+977)-1-9841-666831(Mobile)
devsunuwar7 (Skype)
(+977)9841666831 (Viber/Whatsapp)
Dev Kumar Sunuwar serves as an advisor to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, representing Indigenous Peoples from the Asia-Pacific region on the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples (UNVFIP) as a member of the Advisory Board of Trustees since January 1, 2021. As a journalist and law practitioner in Nepal, Sunuwar has extensively covered and written about International Human Rights and issues affecting Asian Indigenous Peoples across various national, regional, and international forums, as well as in the media. Sunuwar has a vast network and practical experience in the field of Asian Indigenous Peoples’ rights. He belongs to the Koĩts-Sunuwar community, one of the 59 Indigenous Peoples legally recognized in Nepal. His diverse media career includes roles in radio, television, newspapers, magazines, and online platforms, often as an investigative journalist. Additionally, Sunuwar is the Asia Program Coordinator for Cultural Survival, an international organization dedicated to Indigenous Peoples' rights since 1972. In this role, he has highlighted various issues and challenges faced by Asian Indigenous Peoples at numerous UN bodies and other international forums. As the coordinator of the Indigenous Media Caucus, a thematic group at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), Sunuwar maintains an extensive global network among indigenous broadcasters and communicators. | |
POSITION HELD |
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Academic Position: | Assistant Professor, Public International Law, from November 2017-present, Kathmandu School of Law, Purbanchal University, Nepal -Teaching general international law, including the role of international organizations-- the UN, the development of international law, Human rights-mainly the scope of human rights protection, international justice, and state responsibility including selected special areas such as international humanitarian law of the sea, diplomatic laws and so forth. For more visit: https://www.ksl.edu.np/faculties/adjunct-faculty |
Institutional Position: | Asia Program Coordinator, from January 2017-present, Cultural Survival, 2067, Massachusetts, Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140, USA. - Managing and overseeing Cultural Survival’s programs in Asia conducting site-visits, reporting and covering about Asian indigenous peoples’ rights, issues and challenges through article and radio programs, also drafting of shadow reports and communications for CS’ advocacy program for UN treaty bodies and represent Asia at various international forums for CS. For more visit: https://www.culturalsurvival.org/about/staff |
LEADERSHIP Experience |
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Board of Trustees, Representing Asia-Pacific: | Appointed by UN Secretary General as member of Advisory Board of Trustees of the UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples (UNVFIP) for a three-year tenure, from 1 January 2021 to December 2023 - The mandate is to advise the Secretary General on the use of funds through OHCHR: for more information about this position visit: https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/IPeoples/IPeoplesFund/Pages/BoardofTrustees.aspx |
Founding Coordinator: | Indigenous Media Caucus, from 2016-present, UN Coordinator Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, UN Headquarter, New York, USA - A network of Indigenous Journalists, Media practitioners and communicators from around the world, to advocate the rights of indigenous peoples and indigenous media and communication around the world. For more visit: https://www.indigenousmediacaucus.org/ |
Founding Chairperson: | Indigenous Media Foundation, April, 2011-present, Chairperson Anamnagar, Kathmandu Nepal, - A not-profit making and distributing organation of working journalists from Indigenous peoples, founded to empower indigenous journalists and create media contents andmedia platforms and channels for educating and informing Nepalese indigenous peoples, about their rights in the language they speak and understand. For more visit: https://www.indigenousmediafoundation.org/about-us.html
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Founding Chairperson Indigenous Television: | Nepal’s, in fact, South Asia’s, only multi-lingual Indigenous Community Television, chairperson August 9, 2016, to date, now reaches mainly city areas mainly through cable-fiber - Overseeing and Managing overall Television operation, and content production. Ensuring indigenous peoples' voice, access, and participation in Media and influencing policymakers for ensuring indigenous peoples’ rights. Indigenous Television is the first and only Indigenous Community Television not only in Nepal but also in South Asia was an official media partner for the UN International Year of Indigenous Languages, 2019. Produces TV programs in 20 different indigenous languages of Nepal, along with Nepali and English. For more visit: www.indigenoustelevision.com
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Founding Chairperson ITV Nepal: | ITV-Nepal is a sister Television channel of Indigenous Television, broadcasted thorugh satellite reaching from city areas to remote across Nepal thorugh satellite signal, Having role as a chairperson, overseeing and Managing overall Television operation, Ensuring indigenous peoples voice, access and participation in Media and influencing policy makers for ensuring indigenous peoples’ rights. For more visit: www.indigenoustelevision.com
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Founding Chairperson: | Indigenous Community Radio, Radio Kairan 96.4 Mhz, established in 2013 in remote areas in Umakunda-2, Bamti-Bhandar-4, Ramechhap, started producing radio programs in Sunuwar, Sherpa, Tamang and Nepali language https://www.radiokairan.com/
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Founding Member Chairperson: | Indigenous Community Radio, Radio Likhu 91.3 Mhz, established in 2013 in remote areas in Guptewore-6, Umakunda-Rural Municipality, Ramechhap, started producing radio programs in Sunuwar and Nepali language.
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Editor in Chief: | Online news site, : www.indigenousvoice.com/en (Nepali) and https://english.indigenousvoice.com/ (English) - Editor in chief for only the news site dedicated to 36% indigenous peoples of Nepal, available both in Nepali and English. The site now has been one of the best sited for research on the issues, current affairs of Indigenous Peoples of Nepal. |
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EDUCATION Qualification
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Masters of Law (LLM) Degree: | From Central Department of Law, Nepal Law Campus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal, First Division, in the year 2013. Specializing on Public International Law and International Human Rights law, |
Master’s Degree in Political Science: | From Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal, first Division, in the year 2015, sepcializing in International politics, foreign policy and diplomacy including in South Asia, |
Master’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC): | From Central Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal, First Division, in the year 2017, specializing in International communication and Indigenous Communicaiton system |
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Fellowships and Training |
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Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Policy: | Columbia University, New York Indigenous Rights Program, Institute for the Study of Human Rights, from 3 October-21 October, 2022, -International Summer Program on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights and Policy. |
Intellectual property & Traditioanl Knowlege | WIPO Academy, World Intellectual Property Organization, Geneva Switerland, from 18 April to 2 August, 2020, Advanced Course on Intellectual Property, Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Cultural Expression. |
OHCHR Indigenous Fellow, 2010: | Office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Headquarter, Geneva, from April 2010 to July 2010 •Fellowship Program on Human Rights aimed at building capacity and expertise of indigenous representatives on the UN system and mechanisms dealing with human rights in general and indigenous issues in particular. |
Young Indigenous Leaders Fellow- 2017: | Dejusticia and Racial Discrimination Watch, from December 9 to 16, 2017, in the sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in Northern Colombia. -Attended First Global Workshop on Human Rights Strategies for Indigenous Leaders in the Global South. |
TRIAL Fellow- 2014: | Track Impunity Always (TRIAL), a a Swiss law Association against Impunity, from January to May 2014 - Fellowship program about the mandate and functioning of UN Special Procedures and drafting of a communication to UN Special rappporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrarary Executions |
Trainee, 2010: | UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), from 19 to 23 July, 2010. - Training Program to enhance the Conflict Prevention and Peace-building capacities of Indigenous Peoples' Representatives |
Trainee, 2010: | International Labour Organization (ILO), Geneva, 7 to 11 June 2010 - Training program on 'ILO standards concerning the rights of Indigenous and Tribal peoples' and their implementation, ILO mandate and its role in UN system, core International Labour standards no. 182m 138, Child Labor and ILO C. No. 29, 105, No. 107 and 169. |
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Professional Experience |
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Expereince in Reseach | - Lawyers' Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples, (LAHURNIP), Kathmandu, Nepal, April 2011- October 2015 Conduct research and provide technical assistant to the expert team formed to give Indigenous Peoples' perspective to the members of Consituent Assembly-I and Constitutent Assembly-II during for delivery in the parliament and includeIndigenous Peoples’ rights in new constitution of Nepal. |
Expereince in Reseach | - Lead Researcher, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), Chaiang Mai, Thailand, October 2014 –February 2015 Conducted research on violation of Indigenous Peoples’ Human Rights by ‘Kabeli-A Project: partially funded by World in eastern Nepal. |
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Experience in Mainstream Media
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Colomn Writer: | - At ‘My Republica Daily’, English Newspaper, Kathmandu, Nepal, April 2014-December 2015, “Weekly Colomn writing for ‘The Week’ weekly edition, on the issues and rights concerning Neplaese Indigenous Peoples and minority groups of Nepal. |
Investigative Reporter: | Centre for Investigative Journalism, Nepal (CIJ-Nepal), Kathmandu, Nepal, March 2013 – April 2014, Conducted indepth-research & investigation, write investigative news stories and feature stories on contemporary social issues. |
Sub-Editor: | The Kathmandu Post, Subidhanagar, Kathmandu, Nepal, the largest selling English Daily in Nepal, December 2008 – June 2012, News reporting, writing and editing relating to health, education, court and social issues |
Reporter: | Kantipur Television, Kathmandu, Nepal from October 2007 – March 2008 - News reporting on socio-political issues. |
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Publications & Academic Articles |
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| - Author of a book titled, ‘Communication Toolkit for Rights-based Campaign of Indigenous Peoples in Asia’ Published by Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact in 2022, the toolkit is a guide for consolidated communication campaigning to address the challenges faced by Idnigenous Peoples in Asia. Available here : https://aippnet.org/communication-toolkit-rights-based-campaign-indigenous-peoples-asia/ |
| - Radio Program Guide on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples-2016 available here: https://aippnet.org/radio-program-guide-on-the-undrip/ |
| - Series of books chapters and journal articles written as a author and published by various insitituions some collections are available here: https://www.devkumarsunuwar.com.np/books-and-journal-articles
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| Some collection of published articles and writings also can be found in : https://english.indigenousvoice.com/author/1 1) https://www.minorityvoices.org/news.php/en/1707/nepal-indigenous-youth-needsupport 2) https://tribhuvan.academia.edu/DevKumarSunuwar 3) https://www.linkedin.com/in/dev-kumar-sunuwarb2430036/? originalSubdomain=np 4) https://devkit.wordpress.com/, 5) www.cijnepal.org.np 6) www.indigenousvoice.com/en 7) https://www.culturalsurvival.org/news |
Social Engagement and Activities |
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Media Outreach Coordinator: | Lawyer's Association for Human Rights of Nepalese Indigenous Peoples (LAHURNIP) from 2006-2009, main role was to divise media strategy for covarge of issues of Indigenous Peoples in media, produce documentaries, maintain website and so forth. |
Youth Leadership: | Founding chairperson of a club called, ‘Smart Club, a pioneer platform for leadership capabilities of youth through public speaking, debate, moderation, facilitation among others, from 2006-2009.
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Board Member: | Youth Initiative, a pioneeer youth-led organization in Nepal, main role is to make ssist make plans, programs and execute them to empower youth, from January 2007 to December 2009 |
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AWARDS & Honors |
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Media Award, 2014: | Outstanding Reporting Award on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues and Rights in Media on 2nd October, 2014, Bangkok, Thailand, by Indigenous Voices in Asia,by Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) |
Media Awards, 2016: | Best Reporting Media Award, 2016 in Nepal on Indigenous Issues and Rights, by Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Journalists (FONIJ) |
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Personal Skills & Competence |
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Language skills: | Fluent in Koits-Sunuwar, Indigenous Language, a mother tongue of Sunuwar, also fluent in Nepali, English and Hindi (basics in bit Spanish) |
Computer Skills: | Competent in Microsoft Office Package, audit and video editing, recorder handing. |
Management skills: | Conduct conference, workshops and trainings. |
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Awards & Honors |
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Media Award 2014: | Outstanding Reporting Award on Indigenous Peoples’ Issues and Rights in Media on 2nd October, 2014, Bangkok, Thailand, by Indigenous Voices in Asia, by Asian Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP) |
Media Awards, 2016: | Best Reporting Media Award, 2016 in Nepal on Indigenous Issues and Rights, by Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Journalists (FONIJ) |
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Personal Information | Born and raised in Umakunda-3, Kubukasthali, Ramchhap, married with four-family members with two-sons. Can be reached at [email protected] (email) Website: www.devkumarsunuwar.com.np Post Box No. : 13461, Anamnagar, Kathmandu, Nepal |
1 January 2023