One of the major themes and working areas of Freedom Forum is protection and promotion of human rights. Freedom Forum believes that guarantee of fundamental rights will lead to the flourishing of democracy and improving the livelihoods of people. Nepal is currently passing through a serious transitional period with sharp violation of people's basic human rights from different sections of society. Country's impunity index is ascending day after day and assaults on human rights are a widespread social practice that happens especially at this time of rebuilding the state and promoting democracy. The deliberate human rights violations committed during this transitional period have further jeopardized the whole process of building peace and restructuring a New Nepal.In a bid to ensure every aspect of human rights and make congenial environment where every strata of people can enjoy their unalienable rights, Freedom Forum has put its efforts to strengthen human right situation in Nepal. In order to deliver our human right activities more effectively and timely, the Forum has set up a separate human right wing,-Human Right Unit-within the organization. Major areas that we work under the theme human rights: • Training on Human Right issues • Research on the area of human right • Monitoring of Human Right Situation • Production and dissemination of IEC (information, education and communication) materials based on human rights themes and issues • Advocacy and Lobbying for effective and timely enforcement of international human rights instruments • Campaigns on human rights issues including media campaign and public awareness programs • Celebration of special Human Rights occasions • Civic education for the protection and promotion of human rights • Interaction and discussion with law-makers and other stakeholders to ensure people's fundamental rights • Developing papers and reports on various dimensions of human rights
Freedom Forum is a prominent non-governmental organization in Nepal dedicated to institutionalizing democracy, protecting and promoting human rights, press freedom, freedom of expression, right to information, promoting audit accountability, open and accountable budget, public finance reforms, citizen engagement in public finance management and citizen participation in audit. Established in February 2005, the organization emerged in response to the political turmoil following Former King Gyanendra’s coup dated February 1, 2005, which imposed severe restrictions on media and democratic rights. A group of media professionals, legal experts, and academics founded Freedom Forum to safeguard Nepal’s hard-earned democratic freedoms during this repressive period.
