Media Handbook for National Human Rights Institutions PROTECTING JOURNALISTS IN NEPAL In June 2013, the National Human Rights Commission of Nepal joined forces with UNESCO, professional journalists associations, security and judicial bodies and other national and international bodies in a coordinated effort to defend press freedom. The two-year initiative aims to increase the safety of journalists and end impunity in the crimes against media outlets and individual journalists, while also contributing to the overall peace effort in the country. It is part of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, which includes a focus on: •• Helping governments develop laws to safeguard journalists •• Providing training courses for journalists in safety •• Establishing real-time emergency response mechanisms •• Strengthening the safety of journalists in conflict zones •• Raising public awareness of the damage done when a journalist’s right to freedom of expression is curtailed. It also calls for enhancing protection for women journalists in response to the increasing incidence of sexual harassment and rape, decriminalizing defamation offences and encouraging adequate remuneration for full-time and freelance employees. In Nepal, the Commission, UNESCO and its partners will work to establish a nationally-owned and independent mechanism to provide an appropriate framework to tackle the issue of journalists’ safety and impunity. They will also seek to build the capacity of security and judicial institutions to protect journalists and strengthen the ability of journalists to protect themselves. More than 100 journalists around the world were killed in 2012, making it the deadliest year for media professionals since UNESCO began keeping records on the issue. More information on the UN Plan of Action is available at: www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/freedom-ofexpression/safety-of-journalists/un-plan-of-action/. Chapter 5: Supporting journalists in their work | 71