Today, it is World Press Freedom Day, a time to cherish the most important fundamental right-that is, the right to freedom of expression, and to acknowledge the vital contribution media and journalists make in holding strong our democracy. In the case of Nepal, the development of the country’s democracy depends a lot on the role that media plays in unveiling the truth, keeping those in power accountable, providing the public with timely information, and increasing civic engagement.
Nepal’s Press Freedom Landscape: Advancement and Skepticism
No doubt Nepal has experienced tremendous improvement in media freedom, thanks to the end of the authoritarian Panchayat system in 1990. The constitution of the country guarantees freedom of expression and the right to information. Moreover, some problems need to be defined.
Ranking: The 2024 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index placed Nepal at 76 among 180 countries which was significantly better than its ranking of 95 in 2023.
Legal Framework: Nepal’s law related to press freedom is appreciable but journalists also encounter harassment, threat or violence sometimes. In 2022, the Freedom Forum was monitoring 45 violations of freedom of speech including attacks on journalists and restrictions of the access to information. This affected 120 journalists in the country.
Self-censorship: The fear of retaliation can make a journalist restrain themselves and make it difficult to cover controversial issues without prejudging.
Key steps to strengthen freedom of press in Nepal
- Being focused on the enforcement of current laws that protect media practitioners.
- Guiding people to master the necessary tactics to critically assess digital information.
- Developing an investigative journalism culture that would hold the people in power liable.
- Implementing a digital security training program that protects journalists from online risks.
Conclusion:
On International Press Freedom Day, it is the duty of everyone to reflect on achievements that media in Nepal have made and acknowledge challenges that have remained. Through our common cause of the press freedom, we can strive to achieve a democratic society where the journalists can be active and press freely and independently, thus ensuring an informed society which is a key aspect of democracy.
