Election, Digital Rights, and the Role of NHRC

Digital Rights Nepal (DRN) organized a focused session titled “Election, Digital Rights, and the Role of the National Human Rights Commission” for officers and staff of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) ahead of the March 5 elections. The session highlighted the growing intersection of elections and the digital sphere, emphasizing risks such as disinformation, online gender-based violence (OGBV), and broader digital rights concerns.

Advocate Santosh Sigdel, Co-founder and Executive Director of DRN, led the technical discussion on digital rights, elections in the digital era, associated risks, and the role of NHRC. Nhasala Joshi shared reflections from her experience, and the program concluded with an interactive Q&A session. Top Bahadur Magar, Chair of NHRC and Chief Guest, stressed the Commission’s responsibility in monitoring election-related human rights issues, including challenges arising from social media. Joint Secretary Yogya Adhikari highlighted the importance of such sessions for capacity building, particularly in the context of a hyper-connected digital election.

The discussion emphasized the need for institutional preparedness to safeguard fundamental freedoms and ensure free, fair, and rights-respecting elections. The session was organized under the Digital Democracy Initiative with support from CIVICUS, DDI South Asia, and Accountability Lab.

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