Call for strengthening citizens’ right to information

Kathmandu, June 20

Chairperson of the parliamentary Development Committee Rabindra Adhikari today said his committee was committed to strengthening citizens’ right to information.

Speaking at an interaction organised by the National Information Commission here today, he said, “There will be no compromise on protecting the right to information of all citizens, including women. The political leadership has attached high priority to women’s empowerment and development.”

Chief Information Commissioner Krishnahari Baskota stressed on creating information commission at the provincial level and demanded that the government scrap the term ‘secrecy’ from the provision of ‘oath of office and secrecy’ to further strengthen the RTI movement.

Information Commissioner Kiran Kumar Pokharel informed that the NIC had published a handbook on facilities provided by the Government of Nepal to inform people how and where they could obtain such facilities.

Information Commissioner and NIC Spokesperson Yashoda Devi Timsina said the government had still more to do in the field of women’s empowerment as many legal provisions were not put into action.

NIC Secretary Yam Kumari Khatiwada appealed to office-bearers of all public entities to  effectively implement RTI.

Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Bidya Sundar Shakya pledged to begin special programmes for gender equality in the metropolis.