Civil Society on RTI Day Celebration

GoGo Foundation in collaboration with other CS:MAP partners, the staged a rally with different banner and play card to mark the International Right to Information Day amidst big fanfare on 28 September 2019. Major objective of the campaign was to raise the awareness among the citizen about what is right to information and how can obtain the information that matters to the citizens. Typical Nepali Panchaibaja played by women leader was also an attractive part of the rally.

With the theme ‘Leaving No One Behind’, the rally started from Bhrikuti Mandap-Bhadrikali reached Ratna Park and finally ended in a corner meeting after reaching the starting point – Bhrikuti Mandap. The corner meeting was addressed by Tara Dahal, Freedom Forum. Mr Dahal thanked the enthusiasts including RTI campaigner, students, academician, media persons and human rights defenders for taking part in the rally and making it a success. In the same event, Ram Subedi, General Secretary of NGO Federation also briefly talked about the importance of the RTI.

The right to information is the corner stone of democratic society and every citizen has the inalienable right to know about the issue of public interest. Except the issue of national importance, the government should not hesitate to provide the information to the citizen upon request, he said in the gathering.

Besides, as part of the campaign, different awareness raising activities through social media was carried out. The campaign also engaged with media to reach out to wider audience informing them about what is right to information and what role it plays in fostering democracy. Likewise, the leaflet containing the basic knowledge about right to information and their significance in consolidating democracy was published and distributed among the commuters.

Another striking feature of the campaign was the ‘RTI Mobile Clinic’ which moved in and around the city including Baneshwor, Ratna Park, Pulchok, Jwalakhel,Patan Durbar Square and Tirpureshor disseminating the information how citizen can access to information that matters to them. It played songs and jingles containing the issues related with right to information.

Finally, the campaign has also developed a memorandum comprising key issues pertinent with Right to Information and its rational in forging just and democratic society. The signed memorandum was submitted by the members of the campaign (CSO and Media) to the Prime Minister of Nepal through Chief Secretary, Government of Nepal. It is hoped that the memorandum will be instrumental in redrawing the attention of the government to work in accordance with the constitution adopted two years ago under federal structure.

Over 300 campaigners including the students, civil society stalwarts, academicians, human rights defenders and media person took part in the event with great zeal and enthusiasm. The event was an ample success to inculcate what is right to information and how we citizen can obtain them.