Accountability Lab Nepal revealed the 5 Integrity Icons for 2021 via a live-streamed event on Facebook on 20 October 2021. The IIN core team, Suresh Chand, Ashmita Sharma, and Bikin Ghimire came together for an informal dialogue during the event to reveal the names and special highlights of the campaign. The event commenced with a brief discussion around Integrity Icon Nepal journey until the eighth season, challenges faced, future possibilities, etc. It was followed by short videos of the icons and discussions around their works.
Ghimire, hosting the live program, recalled the trust deficit faced by the campaign during the initial years when many even advised them that the campaign wouldn’t work. He also spoke about how the campaign has emerged as a unique example of innovation, “When we talk of innovation, we think of advancements made in foreign countries. But Integrity Icon, a campaign that started from Nepal to appreciate the positive doers, has expanded to 15 countries. This can also serve as an example to young people wanting to make a change”.
Moreover, speaking about the special highlight of the campaign this year, Chand, who had been at the lab since its inception, said, “We had mere expectations of receiving nominations this year due to the pandemic. However, we received nominations of some really amazing government officials. The nominations made us realize that the service recipients observe and acknowledge the work of public servants even more closely during a crisis”. Adding to the highlights, Ashmita, the campaign manager, shared how the campaign is growing more inclusive every year. “This year we have 3 female Integrity Icons. The percentage of female government officials in Nepal is only 26.4% so the number this year really has given us a reason to celebrate”, she said.
From nominations to the screening process, the team had been accustomed to doing things physically, but that had to change with the pandemic this year. Sharma, about the process of finalizing 5 Icons from hundreds of received nominations, said, “This year was definitely challenging as we couldn’t continue our offline campaigns which were proving very effective. But we quickly adjusted to online campaigns, and also reached out to our networks of scholars, fellows, icons, and volunteers for their support”. Ultimately, the unlikely network built upon the years came through with great support this year as well.
Lastly, reflecting on the limitations and future possibilities of the campaign, Chand said, “We aren’t able to honor many exemplary public servants as Integrity Icon because of the set of criteria. We have also not been able to reach and find many others. But our search for these heroes is always open. We need everyone’s support for this mission”
The Integrity Icons 2021 are Dr. Lok Bahadur Lopchan, Manamaya Bhattarai Pangeni, Chandrakant Chaudhary, Dr. Sumitra Gautam, and Shila Sharma.
Shila Sharma
Nursing Officer at Bheri Hospital, Banke
Based on Shila’s incredible performance as a health worker providing medical and counseling services to violence survivors, she was given the responsibility as a COVID-19 focal person at Bheri Hospital. She led the team of health professionals and made use of extra spaces such as corridors and otherwise used halls to establish COVID wards to increase the number of patients the hospital can treat, and also checked and monitored oxygen leakages to avoid mishandling and scarcity of oxygen. Her excellent leadership skills ensured smooth and efficient services at the hospital, situated in a COVID-19 hotspot during the crisis. Watch her video here.
Dr. Lok Bahadur Lopchan
Under Secretary, Language Commission, Kathmandu
Dr. Lok Bahadur started his career as a teacher and became District Education Officer in Panchthar. During his tenure, he ensured that no student was deprived of quality education because of mismanagement and carelessness from teachers. Now, after being appointed as Chief of the Mother Tongue Education Section, he is playing a key role in preserving languages on the verge of extinction. One example is the Kusunda language, which had just one known person alive who spoke the language. He not only documented the language but also promoted it in the community. Further, he has been strongly advocating for schools to teach students the languages of ethnic minorities. Watch his video here.
Manamaya Bhattarai Pangeni
Chief District Officer, District Administration Office, Nawalpur
Manamaya is a strong advocate for gender issues who began her career as Assistant Health Worker. She was well known for encouraging fearful pregnant women from local communities to visit hospitals for check-ups and deliveries. Similarly, during her tenure as Chief of the Women Division at the Ministry of Women, Children, and Senior Citizens, she successfully lobbied to include women from hard-to-reach areas in urban municipalities who were excluded in the Presidential Women Upliftment Program that was focused on rural areas. As a Chief District Officer, she has been actively engaging youth to promote security in her jurisdiction by training them to report crimes and raise their voices against violence. Watch her video here.
Chandrakant Chaudhary
Agriculture Officer, Makawanpurgadhi Rural Municipality, Makawanpur
Chandrakant is passionate about improving the status of farmers. As an Agriculture Officer, he has encouraged local farmers to develop farming and agriculture as a means of income generation rather than subsistence. He initiated an agricultural marketing system through a cooperative in collaboration with the municipality. As a result, farmers in the municipality have been able to get the price they deserve for their products, rather than a middle man earning all the profits. Similarly, he also started a credit card scheme where farmers can easily access loans of up to 2 hundred thousand rupees. His efforts were highly appreciated by farmers in raising their living standards. Watch his video here.
Dr. Sumitra Gautam
Medical Superintendent at Bhaktapur Hospital, Bhaktapur
Dr. Sumitra is a senior gynecologist. Before her arrival at Sindhuli Hospital, patients only received minor health services. She improved the infrastructure and built the capacity of the hospital through her dedicated leadership. Many women facing gynecology issues for decades finally received proper health care at the revitalized hospital. She was then transferred to Bhaktapur Hospital which was facing severe management issues. However, under her leadership, the hospital has proved to be one of the best hospitals in the province. Watch her video here.