KATHMANDU, March 16: A three-day US-Nepal International Moot Court Competition has begun in Kathmandu on Thursday 'to foster student-to-student interaction between the two countries in the discussion of emerging trends in international law'. 

Addressing the inauguration of the competition in the capital, Supreme Court justice Sapana Pradhan Malla said the resignation by Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli from his post has brought a long-running dispute to an end. "This will give a way out to the ongoing debate over freedom of expression and contempt of court," said Pradhan.

She said women's representation in Nepal's state mechanisms has increased following the constitutional provision ensuring 40 percent representation in local bodies and 33 percent in federal parliament. 

At the function, US ambassador to Nepal Alaina B Tepliz stressed the need for ensuring independent judiciary and peoples' equal access to justice.
  
The moot court competition will be based on finding common human rights issues that impact the domestic development of both Nepal and the US. The US-Nepal International Moot Court Competition is the first edition to be organized by the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy. Six teams representing six different law colleges will take part in the competition. 

Five law colleges from the Kathmandu Valley namely Nepal Law Campus, National Law College, Kathmandu School of Law, Kathmandu University School of Law and Chakrabarti Habi Education Academy College of Law and Howard University School of Law from US are taking part in the competition. 

 
• nepalus
 
• intl
 
• moot
 
• court
 
• competition