Navigating Nepal’s Media landscape: Nepali Federal Parliamentarians committed to International Human Rights obligations to Freedom of Expression, Access to Information and[...]

The fundamental rights of freedom of expression (FoE), access to information, and privacy are essential pillars for nurturing a thriving democracy and fostering individual empowerment and accountability. It is imperative to equip key government actors with the necessary knowledge and skills to effectively champion these rights amidst Nepal's rapidly changing media landscape and its commitment to uphold international human rights standards.

In this context, thirty members of the federal parliament of Nepal convened at Nagarkot from 1-2 March for a workshop organized by UNESCO Nepal in collaboration with the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The workshop aimed to inform parliamentarians about ongoing discussions of media and communication issues and also featured a review of Nepal's commitments under relevant human rights mechanisms.

The workshop underscored the apparent urgency to equip federal parliamentarians with the requisite knowledge and skills to champion and safeguard fundamental rights amidst Nepal's evolving media landscape. The program aimed to provide parliamentarians with the knowledge and tools necessary to formulate, review, and implement legislation, policies, and procedures that uphold these fundamental rights, ultimately contributing to fostering a more transparent society and strengthening democratic principles.

The workshop held particular relevance as Nepal's parliament is in the process of developing laws related to media and the use of social media, including the proposed

• Nepal Media Council Bill

• National Mass Communication Bill

• Social Media Regulation and Management Bill

Along with parliamentarians, the workshop featured distinguished experts including Rogier Huizenga, Manager of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Human Rights Programme, James Lawless, Member of Parliament of Ireland, Joan Barata Mir, an international legal expert on freedom of expression and media regulation, Guilherme Canela, Chief of the section of Freedom of Expression at UNESCO Paris, and Santosh Sigdel, a human rights lawyer.

Their sessions covered various topics related to human rights and media, including national and international standards on freedom of expression, social media and online platforms, legitimate restrictions, hate speech, media freedom, and the safety of journalists.

During the workshop, the parliamentarians also emphasized the concerning rise of misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech. Ranju Kumari Jha, a member of Nepal's Law, Justice, and Human Rights Committee, highlighted the widespread nature of these issues within the country. She accentuated that the government needs to adopt a holistic approach to create regulatory mechanisms and the focus should be on promoting Media and Information Literacy (MIL) through education and research that should bring evidence-based programs.

"As a cornerstone of democracy, freedom of expression empowers citizens to participate and hold governance accountable. Recognized in the UDHR and ICCPR, this right is vital for Nepal, a nation committed to upholding it," stated Rogier Huizenga, Manager of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Human Rights Programme. "Nepal's lawmakers have a unique responsibility and opportunity to reflect the principles of international human rights law and demonstrate these commitments in the proposed media bills," he added.

Nepal ratified UDHR and ICCPR in 1991 reflecting its commitment to respect the civil and political rights of individuals. Articles 17, 19, 27, and 28 of Nepal's constitution ensure fundamental rights for its citizens including freedom of expression, right to communication, access to information, and the right to privacy.

James Lawless, an Irish parliamentarian who chairs the Human Rights and Justice Committee of the Irish Parliament, offered insights into Ireland's laws regarding media and platform regulation. Nepal's lawmakers interacted with him on how they could implement the successful practices that they have implemented.

As part of its mandate, UNESCO actively collaborates with Member States worldwide to promote freedom of expression, access to information, and safety of journalists. Last month, UNESCO organized a similar workshop for Nepali judges, focusing on international standards concerning these issues through its Judges initiative, which has trained over 35,000 judicial actors from 160+ countries. This workshop for lawmakers in Nepal serves as an extension of these efforts to sensitize important stakeholders within the country. These initiatives are supported by the Multi-Donor Programme on Freedom of Expression and Safety of Journalists.