HU Supports New Program to Enhance Capacity of Nepali Journalists

At Humanity United (HU), we want to transform the systems that contribute to human rights abuses like violent conflict and the exploitation of people. We also believe that awareness and understanding is an essential first step to addressing these problems.

That is why we support media partners, journalists, and storytellers to bring much-needed attention to the exploitation and de-humanization of people around the world. And we’ve seen how this work has educated and influenced key stakeholders – such as lawmakers, regulators, and corporations – motivating necessary action and change.

Over the past 10 years, we’ve supported global media projects like The Guardian, the Pulitzer Center, Fuller Project, the Global Reporting Centre, and the Global Investigative Journalism Network. We’ve also supported locally led journalism because of the essential role local journalists play in telling the stories that need to be told, in investigating and reporting, and in holding powerful institutions and individuals to account.

With HU’s support, a new program was launched this month led by Media Foundation Nepal to train and build the capacity of Nepali investigative journalists, with a focus on the issues of human trafficking, labor migration, and accountability.

With limited prospects for local employment, many Nepalis are forced to seek work abroad, mostly in Malaysia and Gulf countries. Remittances sent home by these workers account for approximately 31% of Nepal’s GDP. Though vital to Nepal’s economy, these workers are unfortunately often subject to coercion, fraud, deceptive recruitment, forced labor, and also experience harsh working and living conditions in their destination countries.

The new program – “Strengthening the Capacity of Nepali Journalists in Investigative Reporting” – includes three week-long workshops in the spring and summer, where 60 journalism fellows from throughout Nepal will be trained on various issues related to investigative journalism, multimedia storytelling, mobile journalism, migration, human trafficking, accountability, ethics, writing, fact-checking, safety, and first aid.

Media Foundation Nepal believes local journalists can play an important role by exposing the systems and actors that contribute to these problems and providing information to mitigate the exploitation of workers. We at Humanity United are pleased, not only to support this program to build capacity within Nepal, but also to learn alongside our partners in the coming months and years about the impact these local journalists will have on this issue.

Based in Kathmandu, Media Foundation Nepal is a not-for-profit education, research, and policy initiative working to elevate the quality and standards of media in the country. Their aim is to promote media education, advance media research, strengthen professionalism, advocate for public interests, and promote excellence in the country’s journalism and communications disciplines.

To learn more about Humanity United’s work in Nepal, please visit our website here.

To learn more about Humanity United’s work and approach to support media, please visit here.