KATHMANDU: A cybercrime convention that the UN Ad Hoc Committee adopted will be introduced to the UN General Assembly later this year. After three years of planning, this is the first international tool designed to combat cybercrime. The treaty places a strong emphasis on strengthening national laws, international cooperation, and technological aid in the fight against cybercrime. In order to handle the problem fully, it requires cooperation between states, national and regional organizations, civil society, and the commercial sector.
Addressing the Ad Hoc Committee, Nepali diplomat Shivani Basnet emphasized the country's support for the agreement and its dedication to multilateralism in combating cybercrime. She praised the convention's emphasis on protecting human rights while highlighting the necessity of technological support and capacity building for Nepal to more effectively handle cyber threats. Like other countries, Basnet pointed out that cybercrime poses a serious threat to Nepal.
Human rights experts and civil society organizations have expressed worries about the convention's possible implications for state surveillance, even after it was adopted. The Geneva Internet Platform noted that rather than dictating state action, the convention is intended to be used as a criminal justice tool to target individual conduct in the fight against cybercrime. Global efforts have been joined by organizations like the Freedom Forum from Nepal to guarantee that the convention effectively incorporates protections for human rights.
