Kathmandu, Feb 29: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, has underlined the need of making the digital literacy campaign wider to mitigate incidences of online abuse. In her address to an interaction on ‘women safety on online’ organised by the National Women Commission here today, the Minister stressed the need of escalating the digital literary efforts down to the local level to discourage the online violence.
“Technology itself is not biased. The role of technology is vital to minimize violence, instead. We can reap abundant benefits if we could utilize it,” the Minister said.The Government Spokesperson pressed an idea of promoting the digital education from the government to media to school curriculum and extending it to the rural level. According to her, the government is committed to addressing the issue of online violence legally, adding that the National Cyber Security Policy, Social Sites ( Use and Regulation Act) are instrumental in mitigating the cases of online abuse. The government can’t overlook the issues concerning the violence to take place in the cyber space, according to the Minister.
National Women Commission Chair Kamala Kumari Parajuli called for using technology for the cause of life, underlining the need of incorporating issues about the gender-based violence and changing forms of violence right from the school curriculum. Nepal Police (Cyber Bureau) Superintendent of Police, Deepak Raj Awasthi gave his presentation about the ‘status of women safety on online, challenges and solution’. As he said, until mid-February, the Bureau received 5,131 complaints regarding the online violence against women. “Lately, complaints about financial fraud assisted by online have increased.”
Lalitpur metropolis deputy-mayor Manjali Shakya Bajracharya, Bhaktapur municipality deputy-mayor Rajani Joshi and Nepal Telecommunications Authority deputy director Roja Kiran Basukala were among those putting views at the programme, underlining the need of self-awareness, collective efforts and right use of technology to mitigate the problem.
Stakeholders concerned present at the programme spoke the need of an integrated law against the gender-based violence. The role of a family is also highlighted to address the matter. They were univocal on the proper use of technology. The programme was held on the occasion of the upcoming 114th International Women’s Day.
