Digital Rights Summit 2025 successfully concluded

Digital Rights Nepal (DRN), in collaboration with the Digital Rights Action Group, successfully organized the Digital Rights Summit 2025 on 26 December 2025. The Summit served as a national platform to reflect on Nepal’s digital rights landscape throughout 2025 and to collectively identify priorities for advancing rights-respecting digital governance. The event convened policymakers, constitutional and regulatory bodies, civil society organizations, journalists, technologists, youth representatives, academics, and digital rights advocates.

The program featured two high-level panel discussions on social media regulation in the post–Gen Z movement context and ensuring free and fair elections in an increasingly digital environment. A key highlight of the Summit was the official launch of the State of Digital Rights and safety in Nepal 2025, providing an evidence-based overview of policy, legislative, and institutional developments, as well as emerging digital rights challenges in Nepal.

The Opening Ceremony was chaired by Mr. Bhola Nath Dhungana, Chairperson of Digital Rights Nepal. The Summit was graced by Rt. Hon. Manoj Duwady, Commissioner, National Human Rights Commission, as Chief Guest, who underscored that digital rights are human rights. He highlighted the internet’s growing role as an essential part of daily life and civic participation, and critically reflected on the restrictive approaches adopted by previous governments to regulate the internet and social media, noting their adverse impacts on the rights and freedoms of citizens.

The ceremony also featured Ms. Durga Bhandari, Member, National Information Commission, as Special Guest, who emphasized the critical importance of digital platforms in enabling and exercising the right to information, particularly in the context of digital governance and public accountability.

In the closing session, Ms. Radhika Aryal, Secretary, Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (MoCIT), delivered the closing remarks and summarized key discussions from the Summit. She emphasized the need for social media regulation through clear, appropriate, and rights-respecting legal frameworks, and encouraged all stakeholders to provide constructive suggestions to inform policymaking processes. She further underscored the importance of continued multi-stakeholder engagement and highlighted the value of platforms such as the Digital Rights Summit in fostering inclusive dialogue for effective and balanced digital regulation.

As Nepal continues to advance digitalization across governance and public services, the Summit underscored the importance of aligning regulatory and policy frameworks with constitutional guarantees and international human rights standards. Digital Rights Nepal extends its sincere appreciation to all speakers, participants, partners, and supporters for their valuable contributions.
The Digital Rights Summit 2025 reaffirms a shared commitment to promoting open, inclusive, and rights-respecting digital governance in Nepal.

#DigitalRightsSummit2025 #DigitalRightsNepal #DigitalGovernance #HumanRights #FreedomOfExpression #MultiStakeholderApproach #Nepal