Digital Inclusion Index 2011

Nepal ranks among the ‘extreme risk’ countries in the Digital Divide Report launched on 13th April 2011. “Of the 39 countries rated at ‘extreme risk’, Nepal is one of them,” according to the report that revealed that 29 countries were from sub-Saharan Africa.

The Digital Inclusion Index, released by risk analysis firm Maplecroft uses 10 indicators to calculate the level of digital inclusion found across 186 countries. These include numbers of mobile cellular and broadband subscriptions, fixed telephone lines, households with a PC and television, internet users and secure internet servers, internet bandwidth, secondary education enrollment, and adult literacy.

Sweden is among the countries with the best access to communications technologies, according to the report.

A Digital Inclusion Index compiled by British risk analysis firm MapleCroft put India in the ‘extreme risk’ category, meaning much of its population was shut out of the so-called ‘digital revolution’.

India stood at 39 on the index, far behind Russia at 134, Brazil at 110 and China at 103, which were classified as being at ‘medium risk’ from lack of ‘digital inclusion’.

The survey looked at 186 countries to identify those nations whose populations were being stifled by a lack of ‘digital inclusion’. It used 10 indicators to assess to communications technology including mobile and broadband subscriptions.

Despite strong economic growth, the BRIC nations are still significantly outperformed by developed nations in the Digital Inclusion Index. The countries with the best access to communications technologies were the Netherlands (186), Denmark (185), Luxembourg (184), Sweden (183) and the UK (182). Trends suggest that the BRIC nations may not lag behind for much longer.

Of the BRIC nations, India (39) is the only country to be classified as ‘extreme risk’, meaning that the country’s population suffers from a severe lack of digital inclusion. China (103) Brazil (110) and Russia (134) are rated ‘medium risk’. Despite huge economic growth, the BRIC nations are still significantly outperformed by developed nations in the Digital Inclusion Index. The BRIC nations have witnessed huge growth in demand for ICTs, which is currently driving global spending for the sector. China has the highest total number of Internet users in the world (420 million), accounting for just over half of Asia’s Internet users and is set to become the world’s largest ICT market, whilst India, Brazil and Russia have all seen huge expansion in demand and market size.

(2011 April 14)

Nepal at 108th position in world rankings : WB

The World Bank has projected Nepal’s economic growth to be at four per cent. The GDP in current prices for Nepal in year 2010 is $15.10 billion, according to World Economic Outlook 2011 that has ranked Nepal at 108th position in world rankings according to GDP for 2010.

“Nepal is more than the average,” it said, adding that a year ago in 2009, the GDP (at current prices) was $12.89 billion.

In the year 2011, the GDP (at current prices) will be $15.17 billion, which will be 0.41 per cent more than the 2010 figure.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) had, last week, projected 3.8 per cent growth for 2011. The ADB had projected inflation at 10 per cent but the World Economic Outlook 2011 has projected the price-hike to be at 9.9 per cent.

“The consumer price is estimated at 9.9 per cent in 2011 from 2010’s 9.3 per cent,” according to the World Bank report. “It is expected to moderate to eight per cent in 2012.”

In accordance with the standard practice in the World Economic Outlook, movements in consumer prices are indicated as annual averages rather than as December–December changes during the year, as is the practice in some countries.

Similarly, the bank projects negative balance on Current Account till the year 2016.

Some advanced economies have significant output gaps and elevated unemployment rates; many low-income countries are growing at rapid but sustainable rates; and there are signs of overheating in a number of emerging market economies. Similarly, there are large disparities in some economies’ external positions, it has warned.

However, broad-based recovery is continuing in most Asian economies, supported by strong export performance, buoyant private domestic demand, and in some cases rapid credit growth. Asia continues to outpace other regions even though growth has moderated.

(2011 April 13)

NEPAL'S GDP LOWEST IN SOUTH ASIA

Nepal's Gross Domestic Production (GDP) is lowest among all South Asian countries, according to a report released by Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS/Nepal) on 22nd March 2011.

Nepal's GDP is estimated to be 3.47 percent in last seven months of the current fiscal year. The estimation is far below than 12 percent of Bhutan, 6 percent of Bangladesh, 10 percent of China and 9 percent of India.

In the current fiscal year, the agriculture sector and non-agriculture sector are expected to register 4.11 percent and 3 percent increase.

In the industrial production index, production of soybean, biscuit, beer, jute, leather, paper, plastic, concrete, iron rod, GI pipe and electricity wire decreased, according to the statistics. The growth rate of mustard oil, paddy, wheat flour, readymade garments, lube oil, paint, medicine, soap, brick and other materials is negative.

Sector-wise hotel and restaurant sector is estimated to grow by 7.3 percent, fishery by 6.8 percent and transport communication and storage by 7.15 percent compared to the last fiscal year.

Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) was established in 1959 under Statistics Act, 2015 BS as the central agency for the collection, consolidation, processing, analysis, publication and dissemination of statistics. It is under the National Planning Commission Secretariat (NPCS) of Nepal and serves as a national statistical organization of Government of Nepal.

International Property Rights Index 2011

Nepal ranked at the 120th position with a score of 4.4 out of 10, putting it in the bottom 20 per cent of the quintile in the International Property Rights Index for this year.

The International Property Rights Index (IPRI) is a publication of the Property Rights Alliance, with sixty-seven think tanks and policy organisations in fifty-three countries involved in research, policy, development, education and promotion of property rights in various countries.

Compared to last year’s score of 4, Nepal has scored a little higher to 4.4 due to improvement in physical property rights but in overall property right status, Nepal has scored 3.2, in legal and political environment 5.8, in physical property rights and 4.1 and in intellectual property rights 4.1.

Flanking neighbours to Nepal — Peoples Republic of China and India — on the other hand have scored 5.5 and 5.6 respectively, making it to the list of countries, where property rights are better honoured.

Sweden and Finland have tied for the top spot in this year’s index with a score of 8.5, Finland has retained its top spot for the fifth year in a row, whereas in South Asian region, Pakistan and Bangladesh that are below Nepal, scored 4.1 and 3.6, respectively. Nigeria with 3.9 is in the bottom of the list, according to the index.

In the context of Property Rights and Gender Equality, Nepal ranks 68th along with Zambia and Uganda.

Overall, the United States declined to 18th place in the world (from 16th in 2010 and 14th in 2007, when the Index was originally created), losing out to top-ranked Finland.

The biggest contributor to the U.S.’s reduced standing was in the Physical Property Rights category (real property), which accounted for nearly half of the year-over-year decline in points. The variables for this category are protection of physical property rights, property registration, and access to loans. It is here where one might be surprised by some of the countries who rank ahead of the U.S. (ranked 25th) in terms of real property rights: Bahrain (5th), Saudi Arabia (8th), Oman (9th-tie), Botswana (21st-tie), and Tunisia (21st-tie).

(2011 March 22)

Nepal is 40th in Civic Engagement

Nepal ranked 40^th among 130 countries which commit itself maximum to the of its community. This came anfter a survey conducted by a US-based company 'Gallup Organization' conducted a survey in 2009 and 2010. The survey measured individuals’ likelihood to volunteer their time and assistance to others.
Sri Lanka has become the leader in Asia for standing by its citizen. Sri Lanka is on the 8th place out of 130 countries. India is on the 48^th and Pakistan on the 27^th in the Gallup Poll of civic engagement.
The United States topped with 60 percent followed by Ireland with the same score and Australia in the third place with 59 percent.
In general, the Gallup poll showed people with high civic engagement are positive about the communities where they live and actively give back to them. Data from 130 countries show that, in general, adults in developed countries are much more likely to be civically engaged than those in the developing world, the noted US public opinion research agency said.
Respondents, it said were asked whether they have done any of the following in the past month: donated money to a charity, volunteered time to an organization, or helped a stranger or someone they didn't know who needed help.
People are much more likely to either say they have helped a stranger in need or donated money in the past month than they are to say they volunteered their time to an organization, the poll found.
While the most civically engaged countries are primarily in the developed world, the level of participation in each activity the index measures varies significantly among countries, it said.
For example, 83 percent of Thais say they donated money to charity in the past month, among the highest levels in the world. However, 16 percent say they volunteered their time.
Conversely, Americans are much less likely than Thais to say they donated money, but Americans are among the most likely in the world to say they volunteered their time.

(2011 January 18)

Freedom in the world 2011

On January 13, 2011, Freedom House released its findings from the latest edition of Freedom in the World, the annual survey of global political rights and civil liberties. According to the survey’s findings, 2010 was the fifth consecutive year in which global freedom suffered a decline—the longest period of setbacks for freedom in the nearly 40-year history of the report.

These declines threaten gains dating to the post–Cold War era in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the former Soviet bloc. The latest survey hightlights the increasing truculence of the world’s most powerful authoritarian regimes, which has coincided with a growing inability or unwillingness on the part of the world’s democracies to meet the authoritarian challenge.

In ASEAN, Singapore is ranked as Partly Free along with Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines.

Some other countries also ranked Partly Free include Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bhutan.

ASEAN countries ranked Not Free are Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos and, of course, Burma.

Only one country in ASEAN is Free, and that is Indonesia.

ASIAN countries that are Free are Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, India and Mongolia.

Click here for full report.

Reporting for All: Challenges for the media in Nepal's Democratic Transition

The 16-page report entitled "Reporting for All: Challenges for the media in Nepal's Democratic Transition" presents the findings of a multi-approach study on Nepal's media in the last few years of post-conflict situation. The document produced by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), in collaboration with the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) says journalists and media organizations continue to face challenges. The following is the background of the report, followed by a link to the original document:

Background
After 10 years of civil conflict, the peace agreed with the Maoist insurgency movement in 2006 was followed by the institution in 2008 of a Constituent Assembly (CA) to oversee Nepal's political transition. The ceasefire of 2006 and the aftermath of the 2008 elections, were seen by the country's journalists as an opportune moment to put in place a legal framework equipped to promote the healthy growth of the media, on firm foundations of the public interest and the right to free speech. Nepal's journalists and their organisations played a central role in resisting the repression that was unleashed during the years of royal absolutism and turning back the tide, creating a popular movement for the restoration of democracy. Since the ceasefire, the journalists' community has secured legally protected rights to freedom of speech and freedom of association. Journalists moreover, were key participants in lobbying for and successfully securing the passage of a right to information law.

There have been worries since, that the momentum for positive change is being lost. Nepal's journalists and their organisations have in the circumstances, been consolidating their unity and solidarity as a means of defending a free media and seeking to develop and entrench a media culture that serves peace, reconciliation and the public good. However, journalists in Nepal still face enormous challenges, not the least of them being security. Though formally ended, the Maoist insurgency has, in certain perceptions, implanted a cult of violence and spawned numerous emulative militant groups, which are smaller, uncoordinated and hence more dangerous. State nstitutions and authorities have at the same time shown a limited ability to protect lives and assure people of a secure environment. Maoist elements that are keen to enter the political mainstream and participate constructively in democratic politics feel betrayed that there is no sense of accountability for the years of royal absolutism and its structural and often hidden violence against the poor and the underprivileged.

This failure is seen in some circles to feed into a renewed cycle of violence. Since the 2006 peace agreement, a pattern of violence is evident in relation to the grievances of minority and marginalised groups, notably in the southern plains bordering India, or the Terai. A failure to implement many of the peace accord provisions and to respond adequately to minority group grievances is undermining the peace process. The situation is made more volatile by serious economic difficulties, exacerbated by natural disasters in 2008. Fresh political turbulence arose in May 2009 with a long simmering dispute between Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahaland the Chief of Staff of the Nepali Army (NA), General Rukmangad Katawal becoming public. Prime Minister Dahal, known alternately by the nom de guerre of Prachanda from his days as leader of the Maoist insurgents, was seeking to make the transition to a civilian persona after emerging unexpected winner in the April 2008 national elections. But in evident frustration at the complexity of the transition, he resigned soon afterwards, with important partners in the coalition he had put together openly opposing his effort to dismiss the army chief. Another coalition arrangement came into being, headed by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal from the third largest party in the national parliament - the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist), known most often as the UML or as the Ma-Lay in local parlance. But this arrangement looked tenuous from the outset, and the resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Nepal in June 2010, following a nationwide general strike orchestrated by the Maoists in May, has resulted in a prolonged political stalemate, with the national parliament failing in several sittings afterwards, to agree on any form of successor government.

Attacks and threats against journalists reportedly decreased amid initial peace-making efforts, but violence targeting the media has been on the rise again amid new tensions and insecurities. Journalists continue to confront intimidation and psychological pressures. Editors are pressured through discriminatory allocation of advertising revenues. And journalists face the constant threat of dismissal for their work, The FNJwith media proprietors being altogether too susceptible to political demands.

Anger in the southern plains (or Terai), the western regions and elsewhere is increasingly directed against journalists and media outlets for their coverage (or lack of coverage) of events and issues related to the political transition and minority interests. In 2008, newspapers in some districts were forced to close temporarily as a result of violence arising from frustration among some groups about information transmitted via news reports. It seemed that the veracity of the information was not the issue so much as what the news broadcasts said about political power and identity interests. Much of the anger and mistrust that targets the media is misdirected and misinformed. However it is also the case that a good deal of media output is aligned with political interests and does not pay due heed to the needs, views and sensitivities of all groups in Nepali society. In the lead-up to the Constituent Assembly elections in 2008, certain media outlets in Nepal, were found to be engaged in partisanship and the denial of opposing voices. In extreme cases, some were found to be actively engaged in disseminating false information about political opponents.1

Senior journalists and journalists' organisations are worried that personnel in the many media establishments that have sprung up across the country lack sufficient awareness of and training in the principles of responsible journalism and the positive role of an independent media in a peaceful and democratic society. They worry that a failure by poorly trained media workers and others to understand and recognise the human rights of minorities can become a base for serving special interests, leading to renewed conflict. Integral to this concern is the limited availability of highquality professional training focused on the principles of ethical and inclusive journalism.2These concerns are framed by the rapid expansion of Nepal's media sector in recent years, notably the increase in FM radio stations from under 50 in 2004 to over 300 in 2007. As well, the number of licensed television stations rose to nine in 2007 from four in 2004, while about 2,600 registered daily, weekly and fortnightly newspapers were operating in 2007.3

Click here to read the full text of the report.