Kathmandu, Dec. 1 -- For the first time, Nepal's sexual and gender minority community has formed a political party under its own leadership, saying they can no longer rely on the state or traditional political forces to secure their rights. The newly formed Samabesi Samajbadi Party has already been registered with the Election Commission (EC), which handed over the party's registration certificate on Sunday.

Sandhya Lama, secretary of the party, said the historic step marks a moment of empowerment for the community. "We are proud to create our own political platform to fight for the constitutional rights that have long been ignored," she said. Lama added that mainstream political parties have used gender minorities merely as a "vote bank...