Kathmandu: Cases of digital violence are on the rise due to the misuse of modern technology in daily life. Stakeholders have emphasized the urgent need to adopt and implement effective measures to protect individuals, especially children and teenagers, from such threats. At a national dialogue jointly organized by Children as Zone of Peace (CZOP) and Sathi, participants also advocated for increasing access to justice for survivors of digital violence.
According to National News Agency Nepal, coordinated efforts among the government, security agencies, and civil society are essential to safeguard vulnerable communities from digital violence. Nira Adhikari, Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, noted that current laws inadequately address the evolving nature and severity of gender-based violence facilitated by digital technology. She mentioned that the process to amend the Domestic Violence (Crime and Punishment) Act is underway, highlighting that women with disabilities, teenagers, and marginalized communities are predominantly affected by digital violence.
Superintendent of Police (SP) and Spokesperson at the Nepal Police Cyber Bureau, Deepak Raj Awasthi, identified online grooming, unauthorized sharing of personal images and videos, and digital extortion as significant forms of gender-based digital violence. SP Awasthi cited legal ambiguities, a lack of resources at the provincial level, and a 90-day limit for victims to file complaints as obstacles to effective police investigations. He advocated for better resourcing and enhanced institutional capacity for the Cyber Bureau.
Intersex activist Ishan Regmi cautioned against limiting the understanding of technology to mobile phones and social media, highlighting the misuse of medical technologies in performing non-consensual sex change surgeries on intersex children. CZOP’s Chairperson Tilottam Poudel described the rising cases of digital violence as an epidemic, expressing concern over the long-term impacts on victims. Poudel called for civil societies to create environments where survivors are empowered to speak out and stressed the importance of investing in rehabilitation.
Devi Prasad Dotel from the National Child Rights Council emphasized the need to strengthen child protection mechanisms, such as the Child Helpline (1098) and the Child Helpline and Children Search and Rescue Coordination Centre, to manage cases of violence against children effectively.