With the rapid expansion of internet access, incidents of online harassment have also surged. Experts and media professionals stress the need for digital education to curb online abuse, particularly on social media platforms.
Experts highlighted this concern on the Safer Internet Day 2025, observed under the theme "The Situation of Children and Women Affected by Online Abuse and the Role of Media for a Safer Internet."
At the event, National Women's Commission Chairperson Kamala Parajuli emphasized that both women and children are vulnerable to online abuse and called for collective efforts to address the issue. Similarly, Federation of Nepali Journalists Chairperson Nirmala Sharma urged individuals and government agencies to be proactive in combating cyber harassment.
Indra Devi Dhakal, member secretary of the National Council for the Rights of the Child, noted that many children fall victim to cyber violence, stressing that internet use cannot be eliminated but must be made safer.
According to the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police, 635 children—253 boys and 382 girls—were subjected to cyber abuse in Fiscal Year 2023/24. Additionally, 8,745 women over 18 reported experiencing online harassment. Data shows that Facebook accounts for over 81% of online abuse cases in Nepal.
A study conducted by Voice of Children and KNH Germany involving 514 children, families, and child protection stakeholders found that 97% of teenagers aged 13 to 18 have internet access, with usage split between 55% girls and 45% boys. -- RSS
