Tag: Government

Enhancing research impact and the launch of our multi-lingual, multimedia resources on the safe, wise and secure use of digital tech by migrants in Nepal, January 2026

Prof G. ‘Hari’ Harindranath visited Nepal in January 2026 funded by an ODA grant from Royal Holloway, University of London to work with partners there to develop new collaborations and help sustain digital interventions undertaken through the UKRI GCRF MIDEQ (2019-2024) project and over the past two years through other funding streams.

Launch of our new collaborative resources

A key highlight was an event to launch our multi-lingual, multimedia resources on the safe, wise, and secure use of digital technology by migrants and other vulnerable groups, developed in partnership with the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters (ACORAB), a network of 300+ community radio stations reaching every corner of Nepal

The event included a multi-stakeholder dialogue on digital safety among vulnerable groups in Nepal which brought together nearly 60 participants representing migrant and civil society organisations (female migrants, undocumented labour migrants, LGBTQ+ communities and migrant families from marginalised backgrounds), media and tech organisations including BBC Nepali and international NGOs as well as other international organisations.

New partnership opportunities with Pourakhi

The visit led to new opportunities for partnership with organisations in Nepal that can help further the impact of our ongoing work in support of labour migrants’ use of digital technologies. Pourakhi Nepal, a migrant advocacy group that supports female migrants and returnee migrants, and a key partner for our MIDEQ work, has committed to taking guardianship of the migrant information portal, Pardesi.org.np, which was the result of our collaboration with several migrant organisations and a local tech NGO undertaken during our UKRI GCRF MIDEQ project. The portal will now become part of Pourakhi’s core activity ensuring that it remains updated and relevant to Nepali migrants and their family members.

Meetings with government officials and international organisations

Hari was also able to meet with Nepal’s Minister for Education as well as senior officials at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, migrant organisations, local tech and media organisations, and international organisations including UNESCO, IOM, ILO and Helvetas, all with a view to embed our digital interventions within the activities undertaken by our partners, thereby ensuring their sustained impact.

Photos, from the top: two with Gov. of Nepal officials; with UNESCO Nepal; with the Minister for Education; with BBC Nepali Sewa; and with ILO Nepal

Hari Harindranath

23 January 2025

Improving the management of digital government

Liz Quaglia and Tim Unwin from the UNESCO Chair in ICT4D attended the launch discussion for the Institute for Government’s new report on Improving the Management of Digital Government at a breakfast meeting on 21st June, which focused on the question “Who is responsible for effective, efficient and secure digital government?”.

Speakers at the event included:

  • Ciaran Martin CEO National Cyber Security Centre
  • Janet Hughes, Doteveryone
  • Bryan Glick, Editor Computer Weekly

and it was moderated by Daniel Thornton from the Institute of Government, one of the co-authors of the report (the other being Lucy Campbell).

Concluding thoughts from the speakers included:

  • It is very difficult to deliver effective digital government, but we should not despair and must keep moving forward to make things better;
  • It is essential to have a joined up approach across governments, with leadership at the highest level; and
  • How governments are organised is a secondary issue; what matters is beginning with a clear strategy, and then finding ways to deliver it.

The report itself makes interesting reading, and has wider relevance beyond the UK context.