Democracy success stories: Episode 4 (Nepal)
Free and fair elections are the basic framework for a healthy democracy. They are how all people have a chance to influence the future of their society and hold their leaders to account.
Misinformation and disinformation are a real threat to democracies everywhere, especially during elections. In today's age where information spreads rapidly, effectively countering mis and disinformation is crucial for upholding the integrity of electoral processes and protecting democracy.
With Nepal holding national elections in 2022, WFD partnered with journalists and fact-checkers to help ensure people had access to accurate information about the election so they could make informed decisions.
Hear Dinesh Wagle, WFD's Country Director in Nepal, explain the importance of the 2022 elections:
The problem
Nepal’s democratic path is not without challenges. The country entered a new era of governance amid the rise of digital media, where social media platforms and online news sources proliferated with almost no regulation, facilitating the spread of mis and disinformation.
During elections, this is especially worrying. This is because mis and disinformation impact the decision-making capacity of people as they choose who to vote for.
In 2021, a survey found that almost 4% of the news stories published in Nepal's daily newspapers were false and misleading.
Hear Dinesh Wagle, WFD's Country Director in Nepal, set out what was at stake:
The intervention
Journalists and fact checkers have a crucial role in combating this problem. Fact checking plays a crucial role in debunking myths and raising public awareness by encouraging individuals to seek and consume accurate information.
WFD collaborated with journalists in Nepal to enhance their fact-checking capabilities during the 2022 elections.
This initiative included providing training for journalists, politicians, and civil society organisations to raise awareness about misinformation and equip them with the skills needed for effective fact-checking.
WFD also supported an independent fact-checking platform called Nepal Check, which actively engaged in fact-checking false information circulating in the digital sphere.
Hear Deepak Adhikari, Nepal Check's Editor, discuss Nepal Check and its work:
Hear journalist Ashmita Khadka explain her role:
The impact
Journalists who attended WFD's professional development programme acquired skills in spotting false information and have actively been writing articles about debunking such misinformation and disinformation.
Hear Shyam Sundar Pudasaini discuss how he investigated misinformation and provided fact-checking services:
Nepal Check published a fact check debunking fake screenshots that were circulating on social media, which showed the brand names of reputable Nepali media with a made-up report about a possible voting pattern.
Deepak explains more about the impact that Nepal Check was able to make following WFD support:
The journalists WFD worked with are also engaging in public programmes aimed at educating the community on misinformation and disinformation.
Democracy success stories
This episode is part of our democracy success stories, a series of videos produced under our #DemocracyCan campaign that illustrate how democracy can solve the problems that matter to people and address global challenges.
