National Conference on Human Rights Defenders from DRN’s lens

Digital Rights Nepal (DRN), in collaboration with COCAP and other partner organizations, co-organized the National Conference on Human Rights Defenders on June 21–22. The conference brought together more than 150 participants from across Nepal, including human rights defenders, civil society organizations, the National Human Rights Commission, law enforcement agencies, government ministries, journalists, and other key stakeholders.

The conference provided an important platform for dialogue, advocacy, knowledge sharing, and collective action to strengthen the protection of human rights defenders and foster an enabling environment for their work across the country.

DRN actively contributed to the conference’s thematic discussions. DRN Executive Director, Adv. Santosh Sigdel, joined the panel discussion, “Ink Under Siege: Journalists as Human Rights Defenders,” facilitated by Advocacy Forum and HRJC. The session explored the threats and challenges faced by journalists, existing legal protections, and the way forward to safeguard journalists and press freedom.

DRN also facilitated a dedicated session on “Digital Safety and Online Harassment of Human Rights Defenders,”moderated by Adv. Sadichchha Silwal, Program Officer at DRN. The panel featured Mr. Yagya Prasad Adhikari, Joint Secretary, NHRC; Ms. Deepa Bhattarai, Inspector, Nepal Police Cyber Bureau; Adv. Anita Neupane Thapalia, Executive Director, LACC; and Ms. Nuva Rai, Program Coordinator, Body & Data. The discussion focused on the digital threats confronting human rights defenders, existing protection mechanisms, ongoing initiatives by different stakeholders, key challenges, and the way forward.

The conference also adopted a declaration that incorporates key digital rights priorities affecting human rights defenders, including online freedom of expression, the protection of digital civic space, and digital safety.

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