Key Takeaways:
- Calls for timely, accurate, verifiable information to aid rescue and tracing
- Urges media to respect privacy, dignity and ethical standards
- Photos of missing people can help reconnect families but must be verified
- Caution advised when publishing images of deceased, injured or grieving families
- Consent required before sharing personal stories, photos or videos; parental consent for children
- Warns against indiscriminate publication of graphic images
- Encourages all communicators to verify before sharing and communicate with care
The United Nations in Nepal has urged media organisations, authorities and the public to ensure that information related to the recent flash floods in Rasuwa is accurate, verified and shared with due regard for the privacy and dignity of affected people.
Issuing a statement on information integrity and responsible communication, the UN said timely and reliable information was crucial as response efforts continued and details concerning those killed, missing and otherwise affected by the disaster emerged.
"Timely, accurate and verifiable information supports effective emergency response, helps locate missing persons, connects families and communities, and sustains public trust," the statement said.
The UN encouraged those reporting and sharing information to follow public interest and ethical standards while respecting privacy and human dignity. It noted that photographs and information about missing people could help authorities and humanitarian organisations reconnect families, but stressed such information must be verified before publication and used primarily for humanitarian purposes.
The UN called for particular caution when publishing or sharing photographs and videos of deceased or injured people, grieving families, children and others in vulnerable situations. It emphasised the need for informed consent before collecting and sharing personal stories, photographs or video footage, with parental consent required for children under 18.
The statement further cautioned against indiscriminate publication of identifiable or graphic images of deceased people, saying such material requires careful consideration of public interest, dignity, privacy and its potential to cause distress.
"During this difficult time, the United Nations in Nepal encourages everyone contributing to the information landscape to verify before sharing, communicate with care, and uphold the dignity and privacy of people affected by the disaster," the statement said.