KATHMANDU: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gyanendra Bahadur Karki has said the Right to Information (RTI) is necessary for durable peace, good governance and development in the country.
Inaugurating the “National Seminar on Women’s Participation in RTI: Challenges and Opportunities” organized by the National Information Commission (NIC) in Kathmandu Monday, the Minister urged one and all to contribute from their respective quarters for the effective enforcement of the RTI Act.
“The nation needs a lasting peace, good governance and the development,” the Minister said, adding, the RTI is mandatory for the same. He further described the RTI as the means of empowering the State and the nation keeping them well- informed. He said the women upliftment programs had got pace following the restoration of democracy in the country.
National Women Commission Chair Kamala Parajuli said information is power and women’s participation in RTI should be the focus of all bodies concerned. As she said, political parties have a big role in promoting the RTI and making sure the dissemination of State’s information on a larger scale. People’s representatives are accountable for the enhancement of RTI at the local levels.
NIC Chief Commissioner Mahendra Man Gurung apprised the session that the program aimed to encourage women’s participation in RTI. Urging one and all to use RTI as a tool of making State’s every affair transparent, he said only 17 women reached the Commission last year, seeking the guarantee of their RTI.
NIC Commissioner Kamala Oli gave her presentation on the topic while UN Women Program Chief Santosh Acharya and journalist Babita Basnet joined the panel as the commentators.
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