PUBLISHED: JUNE 2017

This assessment examines the legal environment for civil society and the media in Nepal from May 2016 to March 2017. The country’s civil society and media sectors are vibrant, however, there is a growing sense of fear that the environment for civil society and media is becoming restrictive. Our assessment outlines recommendations for reforms that can improve the legal enabling environment in Nepal.

The assessment was conducted through a combination of desk research and information obtained from civil society organizations and media stakeholders through field interviews and the convening of five workshops in Nepal (in Kathmandu, Banke, Dadeldhura, Kavre, and Palpa). This report provides an overview of the laws that regulate civil society and media in Nepal and identifies those laws or practices that affect the freedoms of association and expression.