Kathmandu’s Pride parade highlights the changes that must be made to the constitution.

Nepal’s Pride parade, an annual event in the capital of Kathmandu, attracted around 500 participants this year.

This year, the LGBTI community and activists used this event to bring attention to the changing constitution and what changes need to be made to protect LGBTI individuals.

Although Nepal decriminalised homosexuality in 2007, the current constitution does not guarantee certain rights for sexual minorities. The parade participants want to see same-sex marriage guaranteed and same-sex couples’ rights to adopt, buy joint property, and inherit from one another.

Pinky Gurung, a member of the Blue Diamond Society, a Nepalese gay rights group, said “Our main demand is that the rights of the sexual minorities should be guaranteed in the new constitution.”

Earlier this year, Nepal began issuing passports with an “other” gender for individuals that do not wish to be identified as male or female. It has been reported that many LGBTI community members have difficulty obtaining these passports.

The constitution draft is in the process of being finalized by the Constituent Assembly. However, there are still areas of discussion that the political parties have not agreed on.