Friendship in Nepal

Nepal has no central authority, registration system or general legal duty for creating, maintaining or financially supporting friendships. साथी (sathi) and मित्र (mitra) are common words for a friend or companion. Miteri describes a ritual or symbolic friendship found in some regional and ethnic communities, while a guthi is a social or religious association; a friendship guthi can organize mutual economic or funeral support, especially among Newar communities in Bhaktapur. These terms do not describe one Nepal-wide system of friendship. People build friendships through repeated personal or digital contact, shared activities, reciprocity, trust and practical or emotional help. Schools, colleges, workplaces, neighbourhoods, sports groups, cultural groups, volunteer organizations, youth groups and NGOs can provide places to meet. Local Yuwa Clubs and Ward Clubs, Youth Parliament activities and other community groups offer more organized opportunities. The National Youth Council addresses young people aged 16 to 40; club membership follows the relevant local procedure, and higher Youth Parliament levels may require a municipal recommendation and an applicable call for participation. Youth counselling can be available free of charge for one day in person, online or in groups, depending on the service arrangement. Informal groups usually set their own access conditions based on interest, location, age or trust. There is no uniform Nepal-wide eligibility rule. Local rules, language, caste or ethnic identity, gender, economic position, mobility and migration status can affect who can participate. Nepal includes 125 caste and ethnic groups, 10 religions and 123 languages, so a group may feel open in principle but still be difficult to access in practice. A study of young people in a rural area near Kathmandu found that friendships across class were less likely than friendships within the same class. The study reported strong interest in cross-class friendship from 88% of lower-class participants, while only 21% considered it feasible because of shared interests or neighbourhood contact. Hierarchy, social status, family reputation and discrimination were described as barriers; these findings do not establish nationwide prevalence. A friendship can involve regular meetings, phone or messenger contact, shared work, recreation or community activities. Nepalese law does not impose a general duty to remain in contact, stay exclusive or provide money to a friend. Private boundaries and mutual agreement determine what support is appropriate. A written group agreement can set contributions, attendance, roles and the amount of help available. In an ethnographic study conducted in Bhaktapur in 2018–2019, friendship guthis involved more than 100 households, including 70 households with current or former participation. The groups ranged from about 4 to 55 people and could use regular contributions, meetings and written agreements for economic or funeral support. One recorded case involved NPR 3,000 per month, but that amount is not a Nepal-wide fee or standard. A Tol Bikas Sanstha can serve as a local neighbourhood or development group under a Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration model procedure. Registration and formation rules differ by municipality. For example, a Chure process used a local residents' meeting, a fee of NPR 500 and same-day handling. This is a community-development pathway, not a formal friendship registration system. People can end or reduce a friendship without a general mandatory procedure. When a serious dispute is suitable for community mediation, the Mediation Act 2068 allows a voluntary community-based process. A mediator may be a respected community member, a community institution, a social worker or a teacher. One party can apply, and the other party should be invited within seven days. If the other party does not agree, the process ends. Civil matters may have a maximum period of 60 days and criminal matters a maximum of 30 days under the stated mediation framework. Mediation does not replace protection or criminal procedures where there is danger, abuse or an offence. For cyber harassment, fake identities, blackmail, hacking or unauthorized posts connected with a friendship, a complaint can be made to a district, area or ward police office or to the Nepal Police Cyber Bureau. Complaints may be submitted in English or Nepali, personally or by email, with identity proof and URLs or screenshots. Police emergency assistance is available at 100. Children in a risky friendship or online situation can contact the National Child Right Council or the free Child Helpline at 1098 for protection, counselling, psychosocial assistance, rescue, temporary accommodation, family reunification or reintegration. The government mental-health information line 1166 can provide psychological information or help when a friendship conflict causes significant distress.