Youth IGF Nepal 2025: Transforming Nepal’s Digital Landscape
On 7 October 2025, more than 120 young leaders, policymakers, civil society actors, and technical experts gathered at Vivanta, Kathmandu for the fourth edition of Youth IGF Nepal. Under the theme “Empowering Youth for an Open, Inclusive and Secure Internet,” the forum showed just how far Nepal’s youth community has come in shaping the national and regional Internet governance agenda.
Hosted by Open Internet Nepal (Internet Society Nepal Chapter) and supported by partners including IGFSA, UNESCO Kathmandu, Internet Society Youth Standing Group, APNIC, ICANN, Internet Governance Institute, Worldlink, Nepal Internet Exchange (NPiX), Imperial Law Associates, Insight Technology, Byte Code Developers, and Digital Rights Nepal, the event marked a new milestone in youth-led digital governance.
Setting the Tone: Youth at the Centre of Digital Governance
The Opening Ceremony, chaired by Ananda Gautam, set a powerful tone for the day, framing youth not as beneficiaries, but as co-creators of Nepal’s digital future.
Key messages included:
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Open Internet Nepal’s commitment to youth leadership
Ashirwad Tripathy reaffirmed the organization’s dedication to keeping the Internet open, inclusive, and rights-respecting, and called on young people to engage at “all layers” of the Internet ecosystem. -
ROAM‑X: A rights-based Internet for all
Jaco du Toit (UNESCO) introduced the ROAM‑X principles – Rights, Openness, Accessibility, Multistakeholderism, and Cross‑barrier inclusivity – positioning the Internet as a human right and highlighting youth as essential drivers of ethical digital transformation. -
From origins to ownership
Deepa Bhattarai revisited the early days of Youth IGF Nepal and encouraged participants to claim ownership of the movement, not just attend events. -
From youth advocate to leader
Sagarika Wickramasekara (Internet Society) shared her journey from youth advocacy to regional leadership, demonstrating the pathways available to young people in the global Internet governance ecosystem. -
Internet as water, governance as infrastructure
Baburam Aryal compared the Internet to water – essential, powerful, and in need of careful governance. He shared a brief history of Internet governance and announced fellowships for APSIG 2025, opening concrete opportunities for Nepali youth.
Video messages from Anja Genjo (UN IGF Secretariat) and Amrita Choudhury (APrIGF Chair) further underscored the global relevance of Nepal’s youth-driven efforts ahead of WSIS+20 and the Global Digital Compact processes.
Banned and Beyond: Youth, Democracy and Social Media Regulation
The Opening Plenary, moderated by Sadichchha Silwal, tackled one of Nepal’s most contentious digital issues: social media bans and regulation.
Panelists: Hon. Padam Pariyar (MP, National Assembly), Nirjana Sharma (UNESCO), Santosh Sigdel (Digital Rights Nepal)
The discussion focused on the Directive for Managing the Use of Social Media, 2023, the TikTok ban, and the 4 September shutdown of 26 platforms, including Facebook and Twitter. These actions sparked youth-led protests and raised serious concerns about democratic accountability, transparency, and proportionality.
Key insights:
- Acknowledgement of governmental overreach and the need to bridge generational gaps in policymaking.
- Strong calls for multistakeholder consultation, grounded in UNESCO’s ROAM‑X principles.
- Warnings against tokenistic engagement of youth and civil society.
- Consensus that bans must be a last resort, not a default tool of regulation.
The message was clear: young people are not only affected by platform shutdowns they are ready and able to help shape better, rights-based alternatives.
Youth IGF Nepal: From Grassroots to Global
In the Spotlight Session, “Youth IGF Nepal – From Grassroots to Global,” Chair Ananda Gautam traced the evolution of both global and local Internet governance:
- From WSIS (2003, 2005) and the creation of the UN IGF,
- Through the IANA transition and the growth of ICANN as the largest multistakeholder body,
- To the emergence of youth initiatives as recognized components of the IGF ecosystem.
He reflected on how Youth IGF Nepal gained recognition from the UN IGF Secretariat and has evolved into a nationally significant platform for youth engagement in digital policy. Placing this journey in the context of WSIS+20 and the upcoming Global Digital Compact, he encouraged youth to see themselves as contributors to global processes, not just national ones.
The session ended with a roadmap of fellowships, schools, and forums from APSIG and APrIGF to Youth IGF Asia Pacific and other capacity-building spaces inviting participants to stay engaged long after the event.
Learning by Doing: Multi‑Stakeholder Role Play
The Role Play Session, facilitated by Nikesh Balami, transformed the room into a live policy lab.
Participants took on roles as:
- Government
- Law enforcement
- Private sector
- Civil society
- Citizens/end‑users
They debated whether and how to regulate a fictional social media app, mirroring real-world tensions around cybercrime, safety, free expression, and platform accountability.
Outcomes included:
- Recognition that inclusive, transparent, rights-based regulation is essential.
- Understanding that blanket bans undermine trust and democratic values.
- A deeper appreciation of the trade-offs and responsibilities each stakeholder carries.
For many participants, this was their first time arguing from a perspective different from their own, building empathy and practical negotiation skills.
Youth Power in Internet Policymaking
The afternoon panel on “Youth Power in Internet Policymaking”, moderated by Suvechchha Chapagain, brought together: Nhasala Joshi, Pawan Acharya, Kabita Rai.
The discussion challenged assumptions about “youth participation” and dug into structural barriers.
Key messages:
- Youth are not a homogeneous group – inclusion must consider geography, caste, gender, and other identities.
- With youth comprising over half of Nepal’s population but only 3.2% of decision-makers, there is a clear representation gap.
- Solutions must go beyond invitations to events:
- Youth advisory mechanisms in policy processes
- Access to civic tools like petitions
- Engagement at local as well as federal levels
- Safe civic spaces for ideological development and dissent
The takeaway: youth engagement must be structural, not symbolic.
Debunking, Defending, and Reflecting: Lightning Talks
Three lightning segments added depth to the day:
“Breaking the Chain of Falsehoods” – Pravin Bhatta (NepalFactCheck.org)
- Explained misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation.
- Shared practical verification tools like lateral reading and reverse image search.
- Reinforced a simple rule: “Check the post before you share it.”
“Understanding the Rising Landscape of Cybercrime” – Suraj Ray
- Highlighted the rapid rise of cybercrime in Nepal.
- Introduced Jack M. Balkin’s Internet Regulation Framework, outlining roles of the state, platforms, and public.
- Emphasized user awareness, media literacy, and responsible digital behavior.
“Experience and Feedback Sharing” – Sameer Gahlot
- Reflected on years of youth engagement in Internet governance.
- Encouraged participants to use regional platforms and community spaces as entry points into global policy discussions.
- Called for an Internet that is inclusive, responsible, and rights-respecting.
Passing the Torch: New Leadership for Youth IGF Nepal
In the closing session, outgoing Chair Ananda Gautam reflected on the journey of Youth IGF Nepal and reaffirmed that the Internet remains a driver of innovation, inclusion, and lifelong learning.
The event also marked an important leadership transition:
- New Chair: Surendra Tiwari
- New Vice Chair: Nikesh Balami
- Continuing Vice Chair: Sanjina Kshetri
The new leadership team pledged to:
- Strengthen youth participation in Internet governance.
- Expand capacity-building programs across Nepal.
- Connect more Nepali youth to regional and global Internet governance processes.
As the day closed with tea, coffee, and networking, one message stood out: Nepal’s youth are not waiting to be invited into the digital future—they are already building it.
