Nepal’s digital landscape is changing fast—and so are the risks and opportunities that come with it. Recognizing the need for stronger, more coordinated digital rights advocacy, the Internet Society Nepal Chapter (Open Internet Nepal) has joined forces with like‑minded organizations to form the Digital Rights Action Group (DRAG).

DRAG is a collaborative consortium made up of:

• Internet Society Nepal Chapter (Open Internet Nepal)
• Digital Rights Nepal
• Dignity Initiative
• Women Leaders in Technology

Together, these groups are working to ensure that Nepal’s digital future is rights‑respecting, inclusive, and safe for all.

Why DRAG? A Collective Response to Shared Challenges

Digital policy in Nepal is evolving rapidly—from social media regulation and cybersecurity laws to AI adoption and data protection. Yet affected communities often have little voice in these processes.

DRAG was created to change that. Its mission is to:

• Promote rights‑based digital policy reforms aligned with global human rights standards.
• Increase representation of women, Dalits, and marginalized groups in digital rights debates and decision‑making spaces.
• Strengthen civil society capacity and public awareness around digital rights, digital safety, and online freedoms.
• Coordinate advocacy and policy engagement across sectors so that technologists, lawyers, activists, and community leaders are working in sync—not in silos.

By pooling expertise from technology, law, human rights, and community organizing, DRAG aims to become a trusted, unified voice in national and international digital policy discussions.

Early Impact: From Youth Workshops to the UPR

Despite being a relatively new alliance, DRAG has already contributed to meaningful initiatives:

1. Youth Capacity Building on Cybersecurity and Digital Safety

On 31 October 2025, Open Internet Nepal and DRAG co‑organized a workshop titled “Youth & Internet: Capacity Building on Cybersecurity and Digital Safety.”

The event gathered youth from across sectors—digital rights advocates, cybersecurity professionals, students, and community organizers—to build practical knowledge and skills around online safety and Internet governance.

Key moments from the workshop included:

1. Opening Remarks & Internet Governance Overview

   • Delivered by Mr. Ashirwad Tripathy, President of the Internet Society Nepal Chapter.
   • He introduced core concepts of Internet governance and highlighted DRAG’s mission to create a more inclusive and rights‑respecting digital ecosystem in Nepal.

2. Digital Safety and Threat Landscape

   • Led by Mr. Ananda Gautam, Co‑founder of the Nepal Chapter.
   • The session covered everyday threats—phishing, doxxing, account hijacking, surveillance—and shared concrete steps for protecting personal data, devices, and online identities.

3. Interactive Threat‑Mapping Exercise

   • Facilitated by Mr. Nikesh Balami.
   • Participants worked in groups to map the legal, social, and technical dimensions of cyber threats, then developed mitigation strategies tailored to their own communities and contexts.

The workshop’s hands‑on format helped participants move from awareness to action, equipping them to adopt safer online practices and to become peer educators and advocates in their own networks.

2. Contributing to Nepal’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR)

DRAG has also contributed to Nepal’s submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review (UPR), ensuring that digital rights feature prominently in the country’s human rights assessment.

The consortium highlighted issues such as:

• Online freedom of expression, including criminalization of speech and overbroad content controls
• Privacy and surveillance, especially around data collection and monitoring practices
• Access to information and digital inclusion, particularly for women and marginalized communities

By feeding ground‑level evidence and expertise into the UPR, DRAG is helping to anchor digital rights firmly within Nepal’s broader human rights commitments.

Toward a Safer, More Inclusive Digital Ecosystem

The formation of DRAG represents a strategic shift in how digital rights work is done in Nepal:

• From isolated projects to coordinated campaigns
• From expert‑only spaces to inclusive, community‑driven dialogues
• From reactive responses to proactive, long‑term policy engagement

For Open Internet Nepal, joining DRAG is a natural extension of its mission: to defend an open, secure, and inclusive Internet, where everyone—especially those historically excluded—can exercise their rights and realize new opportunities.

As DRAG expands its activities—through more trainings, research, advocacy, and regional collaborations—it aims to ensure that Nepal’s digital transformation is built on rights, dignity, and justice.