Kathmandu, Nov. 3 -- Thousands of Bhutanese refugees living in camps in Jhapa and Morang districts in eastern Nepal are still waiting for legal recognition that would allow them to work, study, and build secure lives in Nepal, more than three decades after leaving their homeland.

Local authorities have counted 6,365 such people, who have neither been able to return to Bhutan nor gained the rights enjoyed by ordinary residents of Nepal, where many were born and raised. Without government-recognised identity documents, they face obstacles to formal employment, opening bank accounts, registering businesses, pursuing higher education, and obtaining professional licences.

A recent report by Peace Initiative Bhutan (PIB), based on field visit...