प्रारम्भिक जीवन

On May 14, 2025, Ms. Lila Devi Gadtaula officially assumed the role of Chairperson for the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP), Nepal. As a chairperson, she is responsible to manage transitional justice mandate based on the nearly thirty years of outstanding service in Nepal’s civil service and legal system.

Ms. Gadtaula holds the distinction of being the first woman in Nepal’s administrative history to serve as Chief Secretary (Cabinet Secretary) of the Government of Nepal (2024), a historic milestone in the country's bureaucratic leadership. Her long and impactful career is marked by a tireless commitment to legal modernization, gender justice, good governance, and institutional reform.

Having joined Nepal’s civil service in 1996, Ms. Gadtaula has held senior positions across multiple ministries including the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She served as Secretary at both the Nepal Law Commission and the Office of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, playing a central role in high-level policy development, legal reform, and administrative coordination. She served as the Secretary to the Cabinet Committee on the Legislation of the Council of Ministers, contributing directly to legislative reforms.

A prominent legal reformer, she served as Member of the Civil Code Reform Task Force (2009-2011) and more recently on the Criminal Law Reform Committee (2024), shaping Nepal’s evolving legal architecture. From 2023 to 2024, she coordinated Nepal’s high-stakes compliance process with international AML/CFT standards, as Coordinator of the National Coordination Committee on Anti-Money Laundering and Combating the Financing of Terrorism.

She has represented Nepal internationally as an Election Observer in Sri Lanka (Presidential Election, 2015) and Norway (Local/Provincial Elections, 2015) demonstrating Nepal’s commitment to democratic principles and abroad. At home, she acted as Returning Officer in both the 2008 and 2013 Constituent Assembly Elections, good election governance reinforcing trust in electoral integrity during Nepal’s political transition.

As a legal scholar and thought leader, Ms. Gadtaula has written and spoken extensively on gender-sensitive governance, Human Rights law, and women’s participation in public service. Her academic journey from a rural village in Tehrathum to earning an LL.M. degree in Human Rights and Gender Justice, an M.A. degree in Political Science, and a Bachelor of Laws, has inspired a generation of Nepali women to pursue leadership roles in governance and justice.

Her commitment to equity is also reflected in her extensive training in international law, project finance, intellectual property rights, and legislative drafting, completed through prestigious international fellowships.

She is a prominent legislative drafter and has gained long experience in drafting of legislation for good governance, empowerment of women and deprived persons, and defending government Bills while debating in the Parliament Committees.

Currently residing in Kathmandu, Ms. Gadtaula is married to Senior Advocate Mr. Matrika Prasad Niraula. Together, they have contributed to Nepal’s legal and institutional advancement while raising two children, a son and a daughter with shared values of justice, service, and integrity.

As Chairperson of the CIEDP, Ms. Gadtaula leads with vision, compassion, and constitutional clarity, guiding Nepal through one of its most critical moments of truth-seeking and reconciliation. Her leadership represents both the institutional memory of governance and the transformative future of transitional justice in Nepal.         

Advocate Gopal Nath Yogi currently serves as a Commissioner at the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP) in Nepal.

His career in public service includes serving as the Secretary of the House of Representatives at Federal Parliament of Nepal. With a deep passion for human rights, social justice and community empowerment, Advocate Yogi has served as a Senior Vice President, Secretary, and Central Committee Member of the NGO Federation of Nepal, an influential network organization representing over 6,500 NGOs of Nepal. He has also represented Nepal internationally as a Council Member of FORUS International, uniting over 24,000 organizations around the world.

As a Public Interest Lawyer, Mr. Yogi brings strong academic foundations on legal ground supported by a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Human Rights and Gender Justice from Kathmandu School of Law and Visiting Scholar on the Public Interest Law Fellowship Program at Columbia University, New York, USA.

Mr. Yogi’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious national honors: The Prabal Jana Sewa Shree Medal in 2074 B.S. and the Suprabal Jana Sewa Shree Medal in 2080 B.S., both awarded by the Right Honorable President of Nepal. 

श्री अग्नी प्रसाद थपलिया

सदस्य

श्री श्रृजना पोखरेल

सदस्य / प्रवक्ता

९८५१०९०९०१

Shreejana Pokhrel Siwakoti is a distinguished Member and Spokesperson of Nepal’s Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP). She holds an LLM in International Human Rights Law from the University of Essex and a Proficiency Certification on Forced Migration from Wadham College, Oxford University, reflecting her deep academic grounding in human rights, transitional justice, and displacement studies.

With over two decades of professional experience, Shreejana has consistently combined scholarly expertise, practical advocacy, and strategic leadership to advance human rights, peacebuilding, and social justice. Her career spans work with civil society, international organizations, and government institutions, focusing on marginalized communities, victims of conflict, enforced disappearances, and displaced populations. She has authored influential research on economic and social rights within transitional justice frameworks, demonstrating how rights-based approaches can be integrated into reconciliation, rehabilitation, and development processes.

As Spokesperson of CIEDP, Shreejana plays a critical role in ensuring transparent, credible, and empathetic communication on issues of enforced disappearances. She actively engages with victims and their families, civil society, the media, and international partners to amplify voices often excluded from policy and decision-making. Her work embodies a victim-centered approach, ensuring that investigations, truth-seeking processes, and reparative mechanisms are conducted with dignity, integrity, and accountability.

Beyond her investigative and leadership roles, Shreejana is recognized for her innovative thinking, strategic vision, and inclusive leadership style. She has successfully bridged gaps between research and practice, translating complex human rights and transitional justice principles into actionable policies and programs that tangibly improve the lives of affected communities. Her contributions have been acknowledged nationally and internationally, reflecting her credibility as a thought leader, practitioner, and advocate for justice.

Shreejana’s leadership philosophy is defined by empathy, rigor, and transformative impact. She is committed to creating systems where justice is accessible, inclusive, and meaningful where victims’ rights are protected, their voices amplified, and their experiences recognized as central to shaping Nepal’s path toward reconciliation and sustainable peace. Her work continues to inspire civil society, government stakeholders, and international partners, positioning her as one of Nepal’s foremost authorities in human rights, transitional justice, and victim-centered advocacy.

श्री विनिता नेपाली

सदस्य