Origins and Early Challenges
Freedom Forum was initiated weeks after the royal coup, which saw widespread censorship, military-backed suppression, and curbs on fundamental rights. To counter this, the organization launched nepalpressfreedom.org, a platform to disseminate accurate information about the deteriorating situation in Nepal. This website played a critical role in documenting press freedom violations, human rights abuses, and police brutality against journalists and activists during the royal regime’s direct rule. Despite challenges posed by stringent regulations on NGOs, Freedom Forum successfully registered and began its mission amid significant obstacles.
Mission and Vision
Freedom Forum believes that total freedom is a cornerstone of human civilization and holds that nothing is more valuable than liberty. Its mission is to protect and promote the fundamental freedoms of citizens in alignment with modern democratic principles. The organization envisions an inclusive democracy in Nepal, achieved through collective efforts to resolve conflicts, restore peace, and uphold civil liberties, press freedom, and human rights, promote open and accountable budget, citizen presence in public finance and audit and audit accountability.
Core Focus Areas
Freedom Forum’s work is centered on three key pillars:
- Democracy: The organization promotes civil liberties, fair electoral mechanisms, governance reform, conflict transformation, peacebuilding, and constitutional reform to strengthen democratic practices.
- Human Rights: Guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international conventions, Freedom Forum advocates for the right to life, education, medical care, equal treatment, and freedom of belief.
- Media Freedom and Freedom of Expression: The Forum champions the media’s role as the Fourth Estate, ensuring its independence and ability to disseminate information without hindrance. It also promotes the right to information as a fundamental trait of a democratic, equitable, and prosperous society while fostering media professionalism and social responsibility.
- Public Finance Management Reforms: Freedom Forum in Nepal actively promoting s audit accountability by collaborating with the stakeholders to enhance the scope and quality of performance audits, ensuring effective oversight of public spending. It advocates for budget transparency by pushing for open budgeting practices and timely dissemination of fiscal information, enabling citizens to monitor government expenditure. Freedom Forum strengthens citizen engagement by training & man power development of civil society organizations to participate in budget formulation and oversight processes. Additionally, it works also in policy reforms in public financial management across all government tiers.
Strategic Priorities (2022–2026)
Endorsed by the organization’s general assembly on February 8, 2022, Freedom Forum’s five-year strategic plan (2022–2026) outlines the following priorities:
- Protection and promotion of press freedom and freedom of expression.
- Development of professional journalism.
- Defense of journalists, Right to Information (RTI) activists, and freedom of expression practitioners.
- Evidence-based policy and legal research for media reforms.
- Promotion and practice of the right to information.
- Proactive civic oversight for good governance.
- Research and advocacy for Open Data.
- Research and advocacy for Open Budget initiatives.
- Advocacy for Internet freedom.
- Policy studies in Public Financial Management.
- Advocacy for citizen participation in audits.
- Research and advocacy for audit accountability, focusing on recommendations from Nepal’s Office of Auditor General.
- Advancement of social accountability and responsibility.
- Promotion of human rights and democratic norms.
- Civic monitoring and advocacy for free and fair elections.
- Use of media, RTI, Open Data, and Public Financial Management tools to support social justice and development for disadvantaged communities.
- Advocacy for Public Service Broadcasting.
- Research and advocacy for parliamentary transparency and political accountability.
- Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 16, through national and international collaboration.
- Participation in regional and global networks for transparency, RTI, freedom of expression, and civic engagement.
Strategic Approaches
To achieve these priorities, Freedom Forum employs the following strategies:
- Knowledge construction, management, and dissemination through research and studies.
- Training and mentoring programs.
- Policy advocacy, lobbying, and campaigns.
- Collaboration with civil society organizations, government, academic institutions, media, and international networks.
- Media mobilization to amplify its initiatives.
- Institutional capacity development and knowledge transfer.
- Facilitation of dialogue and networking at local, national, and international levels.
- Ensuring organizational sustainability through funding from national and international donors, excluding government aid for institutional operations.
- Commitment to institutional governance, transparency, civic freedom, gender equity, and anti-discrimination principles.
- Establishing Freedom Forum as an academic and knowledge center for sustained impact.
Current Work and Impact
As of 2025, Freedom Forum continues to be a vital force in Nepal’s civil society, recognized for its professional and independent approach. The organization actively monitors press freedom and human rights, advocates for policy reforms, and engages in public discourse to uphold democratic values. Its website, freedomforum.org.np, serves as a hub for resources, updates, and reports on its ongoing initiatives. Similarly, Freedom Forum is actively committed on promoting Public Finance Reforms in Nepal with various initiatives like Open and Accountable Budgeting, Audit Accountability, promoting citizen engagement in Public Fiancé as well as in Audit.
Freedom Forum remains committed to fostering dialogue, conducting research, and implementing campaigns to promote good governance and socio-economic development.
Through its unwavering dedication, Freedom Forum has solidified its reputation as one of Nepal’s most respected organizations working at the intersection of democracy, media freedom, and human rights.