Centre for Media FreedomAnti-corruption Expert Advisory Committee meeting for the project “Strengthening Citizen Engagement in Anti-Corruption Efforts (STREAC)” was held on Thursday at Centre for Media Freedom (CMF) office, Kupondole Road, Lalitpur. The meeting was attended by members of the Advisory Committee, STREAC project staff and SODEC representatives.
CMF Executive Director Bimal Gautam briefed Advisory Committee members about the objectives of the STREAC project and also informed them about fellow consortium partners: SODEC, NCCR and ODC. Emphasizing on the project’s coordination with anti-corruption agencies, Gautam said that the Committee will guide project activities. He then requested Committee members to provide their constructive feedback, technical inputs and valuable suggestions on the overall activities of the projects.
Committee member Komal Prakash Ghimire expressed happiness regarding project activities saying that these activities strengthen anti-corruption bodies’ works. He also provided suggestions on sketching anti-corruption cartoons.
Another member Madhab Paudel said that that students can be imparted knowledge of United Nations Convention against Corruption that broadens anti-graft bodies’ jurisdiction.
Likewise, another member DhrubaHari Adhikary said that student sensitisation programme can contribute to put pressure on policymakers to build robust anti-corruption measures.
Similarly, another member Niranjan Baral lauded the programme of encouraging students to take anti-corruption initiatives. He also said that students can be sensitised about corruption so that they would assist in anti-graft bodies’ efforts to alleviate corruption in Nepal.
Project Director Dr. Pius Mishra said that the Committee will hold together all consortium partners so that the project runs smoothly.
Before requesting Committee members to provide their suggestions, Project Coordinator Sharada Rijal had showed them anti-corruption sketches prepared by a creative designer hired by CMF to be disseminated as part of instructional materials to college-going students. She had also asked for suggestions on pre- and post-test questions to be distributed to students to gauge their level of knowledge about corruption. Committee members gave their suggestions on improvements to be made on the sketches to make them easily understandable for students and said that they will provide technical suggestions on preparing questions.
Anti-corruption Expert Advisory Committee was formed on 26 February to advise, interact with and provide technical inputs on STREAC project.