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Organisation Profile

Centre for Investigative Journalism was established in 1996 by group of enthusiastic journalists under the umbrella of non-profit Himal Association. The aim of the organisation was to produce quality investigative reporters through fellowship and mentorship support under the tutelage of senior journalists.

 One and half decade later, the centre has developed into an independent organisation which has worked to promote quality investigative reporting in the mainstream Nepali media. With wealth of expertise in the field, our experienced mentors have provided orientation and trained journalists to probe deeper, develop a thorough understanding of the issues at hand and report comprehensively.

Nepal is still recuperating from decade long conflict, and protracted transition has weakened institutions of the state and the rule of law. Under such circumstances, the fourth estate, the media needs to be more vigilant in its watchdog role, reporting on growing incidences of corruption, impunity, organised crime and human rights violation.

It is in this backdrop, CIJ, with generous support from national and international partners, and stakeholders in the mainstream media including publishers, editors and reporters - has provided technical, logistical and editorial support to improve quality of investigative reporting in Nepal.

CIJ Projects

2012-2013
In 2012-2013, CIJ commissioned and published more than 30 investigative stories, some of which made national headlines and induced policy changes. During the same period, five career journalists were provided 12 months intensive training. The trainees produced 15 investigative reports as a part of their coursework. One of the trainee reporters Satrudhan Sah was felicitated collectively by the British Embassy, Women’s Rehabilitation Centre (WOREC) and National Alliance of Women Human Rights Defenders (NAWHRD) in December 2012, for his in-depth reporting on gender violence in Nepal’s Terai region.

To help journalists improve their investigative reporting skills, CIJ also published a training manual on investigative reporting and a handbook focussing on judicial reporting.

In summer of 2013, CIJ also sent three career journalists from Nepal’s mainstream media, who were awarded Thomson Foundation and British Embassy supported competitive Investigative Journalism campaign award, to London for a short journalism course.

 CIJ has been encouraging media houses to set up their own investigative reporting team and resource centre. Last year, our organisation helped set up one such resource center at one of Nepal’s leading FM stations, Radio Sagarmatha.

2013-2014
In 2013-2014, CIJ has been involved in four different project partnership with Open Society Foundation (Switzerland), VIKES(Finland), Thomson Foundation/The British Embassy(UK) and United Nations Development Fund (UNDP). Most of the projects are now in their final stages of implementation and would be wrapped up by the end of 2014.

In 2013, CIJ partnered with Open Society Foundation (Switzerland) in a project titled ‘Developing and Strengthening Centre for Investigative Journalism’ since 2011. The project helped redesign CIJ’s interactive website (www.cijnepal.org) which will gradually be upgraded into online IJ resource centre, supported distribution of fifteen investigative reporting fellowships and organised New Media seminar workshop for Nepali media managers to encourage and help them adopt media technology and promote investigative reporting in their respective media outlets. The project ended in January 2014.

CIJ also partnered with The Finnish Foundation for Media and Communication (VIKES) in project titled ‘Supporting democracy and peace-building through investigative journalism’ which commenced in June 2013. The objective of the project was to orient and train 25 career journalists working in Eastern Nepal, with an objective of strengthening investigative journalism at the local level. 

The British Embassy and Thomson Foundation supported project titled ‘Promotion of the Investigative Journalism in Nepal: Strengthening Electoral reporting in Nepal’s Constituent Assembly Elections 2013’ had two major components - training 60 reporters from across the country on election reporting before November Constituent Assembly elections and competitive Investigative Journalism campaign which awards four investigative journalists by providing them opportunity to attend short term journalism course in London.

Currently, CIJ is involved in a short term project partnership with UNDP, focussing on social investigative reporting. Under the project, 14 journalists will be trained and deployed to various parts of the country where they will investigate, document and produce in-depth reports on post conflict social dialogue in ethnically polarised regions of Nepal.

In October, CIJ participated in 8th Global Investigative Journalism Conference which was held at the Pontifical Catholic University in Rio de Janeiro alongside 800 reporters from 90 countries attending 150 panels. CIJ is now taking an initiative to hold conference of South Asian Investigative journalists this summer.

Future Strategies
With a concerted effort from various organisations including CIJ, investigative journalism is finally picking up in Nepali media with the mainstream showing interest in publishing in-depth reports. However, in a breaking-news culture, Nepali media’s focus is excessively on event reporting, ignoring the stories behind the events. Newsrooms are often hard-pressed and unwilling to invest time and resource to generate investigative pieces, especially those that impinge upon their own commercial interests.

This underscores the need for organisations like CIJ to uphold free and fearless journalism by continuing its support to investigative reporters while working closely with the media outlets.

There is a rapid change in the way information is being accessed and disseminated globally, notably due to shifting eyeballs from print to electronic and online media. In this context, CIJ is also making an effort to make its presence in the electronic and social media. The redesigning of CIJ website (www.cijnepal.org), and plans for developing online resource centre for journalists is part of our initiative to create alternative medium of dissemination.

With its highly experienced mentors, efficient management team and support from national and international partners, CIJ hopes to continue mentoring journalists and produce more investigative reports to promote and strengthen free and fearless investigative journalism in Nepal.

Organisational Structure of CIJ

Mr. Kunda Dixit (Chairman)

Kunda Dixit is the Editor and Publisher of Nepali Times English Weekly, one of the leading English newspapers in Nepal. He was Asia-Pacific Director of the Inter Press Service from 1990 to 1996 and Director of the Panos Institute South Asia from 1997 to 2000. He has also worked with the BBC in the past and authored books including ‘Dateline Earth- Journalism as if the world mattered’.

Mr. Chandra Kishore Jha (Vice Chairman)

Chandra Kishore Jha is one of Nepal’s leading journalists, based in Central Nepal town of Birgunj. Jha regularly writes for major national publications like Himal Khabarpatrika and Kantipur Daily, on various issues including media, politics and society.

Mr. Hasta Gurung (General-Secretary)
Hasta Gurung has two and half decade of experience in teaching and training journalists. His long term association with Nepal Press Institute gives him wealth of knowledge and experience with Nepali media. He is author of book titled ‘Peace Journalism- Theory and Practice’, published in Nepali. He has also researched and written extensively on environmental issues, edited and written for several national and international media outlets.

Mr. Ujir Magar (Treasurer)
Ujir Magar is a Kathmandu based journalist and editor with Republica National English Daily.

Ms. Namrata Sharma (Executive Member)
Namrata Sharma is editor and senior journalist with Nepali magazine Women’s Voice. She has over twenty years of experience in Nepal’s print media and writes regularly on gender issues.

Ms. Aarati Chataut (Member)
Aarati Chataut is a popular television journalist who has been working with Nepal’s national television channel for the last decade and half.

Mr. Gunaraj Luintel (Executive Member)
Gunaraj Luitel is Chief Editor with Nepal’s leading national daily Annapurna Post. He has over 15 years of desk and reporting experience in print journalism.

Mr. Rajendra Dahal (Founding Member/Advisor)
Rajendra Dahal is the founding member of CIJ with over two and half decade of experience in journalism. He has edited and reported for several national publications like Himal Media, Deshantar Weekly and served in senior position for media organisations like Nepal Press Institute and Federation of Nepali Journalists. Dahal was first Executive Director of CIJ from 1996 to 1999.

Mr. Hari Thapa (Advisor)
Hari Thapa is the Editor with Nepal’s largest Media outlet Kantipur Publications. He has over two decades experience in Nepali journalism and regularly writes on various issues.

Executive Team
 
1. Anurag Acharya, Program Manager

2. Hasta Gurung, General Secretary/Investigative Editor

3. Pooja Thapa, Finance Officer

4. Pitamber Kattel, Finance Officer

5. Umakanta Nepal, Documentation Officer

Contact

Purnachandi Marga
Jawalakhel Lalitpur
Phone : 01-5531434
PO BOX : 24846
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.www.cijnepal.org