The Himalayan Times: UNESCO, Federal Parliament Secretariat Hold Discussion on Social Media Bill 2081

UNESCO, in collaboration with the Federal Parliament Secretariat, organized a discussion on the Social Media Bill 2081 with Members of Parliament from the National Assembly and House of Representatives.

The workshop, held on February 5–6, convened parliamentarians from various parliamentary committees alongside national and international experts to review key elements of the proposed legislation and provide recommendations to align it with international human rights standards.

The workshop aimed to empower MPs to foster a legal regulatory environment that fosters and promotes information integrity focusing on international standards of freedom of expression and access to information and on the importance of a multistakeholder approach on social media regulation, according to the press release issued by UNESCO.

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Ahead of the workshop, UNESCO conducted a comprehensive review of Nepal’s Social Media Bill 2081, guided by international human rights principles and the UNESCO Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms.

Dr. Joan Barata Mir, a Senior Consultant for UNESCO, developed a legal analysis to inform the bill’s revision process.

Independent experts participating in the workshop emphasized the necessity of a thorough review of the bill to uphold human rights as enshrined in both international frameworks and Nepal’s Constitution. They also commended Parliament’s willingness to engage with the multistakeholder community for a deeper understanding of digital platform governance.

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