Joint campaign to promote Right to Information launched

UNESCO Nepal and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal have jointly launched a joint campaign to promote the right to information with the launching of a documentary in the capital on Tuesday.

The 23-minute long documentary 'I am Nepali-Hear My Voice' drew attention to the obstacles faced by many Nepalese in accessing information and the impact.

The documentary shows an ex-bonded labourer from Bardiya as saying, “Nothing comes here, no radio, no newspapers. No one has a radio in the camp.”

A man from the Gaine community in Kaski says, “Here we have no development. We’ve heard of the Constituent Assembly, but we don’t know what it is. We want to know more of what this means”.

Speaking at the launching of the film, Chief of the OHCHR-Nepal Lena Sundh said the right to information is indispensable for creating a more open and democratic society and is a key element in the effort to reduce poverty and a tool for challenging corruption.

“In relation to the current peace process, the right to information means that Government and political parties have a responsibility to share information about processes of decision making, about why decisions are made, and about how they affect the lives of people,” Sundh added.

Similarly, Abdul Waheed Khan, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Communication and Information in his message on the occasion of the first public screening of the film said, “The principle that public bodies hold information not for themselves but on behalf of the public is essential for free flow of information. The right to freedom of information, also known as the right (for all citizens) to access information held by public bodies, is central to promote accountability, good governance, universal access to essential services, local ownership - all elements also vital to eradicate poverty and to achieve sustainable development.”

Toby Mendel of ARTICLE 19, a global campaign for freedom of expression, said the documentary demonstrates that basic fundamental rights cannot be exercised without access to information. nepalnews.com pb Feb 07 07