Nepal2024-02-06T11:40:40+00:00

Nepal

We are excited to accept your 2024 nominations for Integrity Icon Nepal! We are looking for exemplary civil servants from all provinces who consistently go above and beyond the call of duty. Send in your nominations via the tab above or the button below.

Earlier this year we were proud to unveil our inspiring group of winning Integrity Icons Nepal for 2023. They include Hema Thapa, Hospital Nursing Incharge at Narayani Hospital, Birgunj; Pratik Rai, Administrative Officer, District Administration Office, Jhapa; Padma Nath Atreya, Horticulture Development Officer, Temperate Horticulture Development Centre, Marpha; Neera Adhikari, Under Secretary, Department of Women and Children, Pulchowk, Lalitpur; and Rabina Maharjan, Principal, Manamaiju Secondary School, Tarakeshwor. The Integrity Icon campaign received 466 nominations for this year (2023) from across the country. The top five Integrity Icons for this year were selected from the nominations by a committee of esteemed judges. The judging committee included Mr. Suryanath Upadhyaya, the Former Chief Commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA); Mr. Kashiraj Dahal, Public Administration Expert; Ms. Jiwan Prabha Lama, Former Secretary of the Government of Nepal; and Ms. Sucheta Pyakuryal, Director at the IIDS Centre for Governance. 

Enjoy our winners’ profiles below!

  1. Hema Thapa, Hospital Nursing Incharge, Narayani Hospital, Birgunj: Hema Thapa has dedicated 28 years of service to Narayani Hospital in Birgunj. Known for her selflessness, she’s seen as a pillar of support for the helpless, a catalyst for change, and a true inspiration. Within two years of taking charge of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), she not only met the government’s standard requirements but expanded the unit from five to ten beds. Her initiatives included installing an oxygen pipeline and establishing a Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) unit. As the focal person for the One-stop Crisis Management Centre (OCMC) since Magh 2078, she transformed it from a mere name to a fully functional entity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she took on challenging tasks and set an example by being the first in the hospital to receive the initial COVID-19 vaccine.
  2. Neera Adhikari, Director, Department of Women and Children: Neera Adhikari is a driving force behind disability-friendly policies. Her efforts led to amending the Disability Rights Act to address the unique situation of women with disabilities, which was previously omitted. She’s spearheading the transition to a paperless office and revamped the government’s numerical survey by incorporating crucial qualitative questions related to women-centric programs’ success and effectiveness.
  3. Padmanath Atreya, Horticulture Development Officer, Temperate Horticulture Development Centre, Marfa, Mustang: Unlike the common perception of government officials as inaccessible, Padmanath Atreya stands out. He effectively communicates agricultural information to farmers through various mediums like videos, books, and social media. His availability and dedication to service have drawn people from different regions seeking his expertise. Notably, he pioneered the production of high-quality apple plants in Mustang using tissue culture technology, a first in Nepal.
  4. Pratik Rai, Administrative Officer, District Administration Office, Jhapa: Pratik Rai advocates for the system’s adherence to organizational rules and regulations to ensure convenient service delivery for seekers. He’s earned praise for efficiently managing crowds at the Non-Tourist Visa section of the Department of Immigration. His initiatives to streamline services, like arranging tables and chairs for service-seekers, have improved efficiency. Even during off-hours, he’s dedicated to managing files, ensuring citizen satisfaction, and motivating colleagues to work collaboratively.
  5. Rabina Maharjan, Principal, Manamaiju Secondary School, Tarakeshwor, Kathmandu: Rabina Maharjan’s leadership at a public school challenges the notion that private schools are the only option for quality education. Under her guidance, previously disinterested students excelled in mathematics, and many dropouts returned to school. She prioritizes extracurricular activities, effective school management, and education quality, fostering student leadership through initiatives like forming a children’s club and promoting personal journals. Her efforts not only boosted student confidence but also increased school enrollment from 500 to 833, showcasing the school’s enhanced reputation in the community.

Watch our five finalists’ short films below.

Hema Thapa

Neera Adhikari

Pratik Rai

Padma Nath Atreya

Rabina Maharjan

News

Accountability Lab is building a new generation of active citizens and responsible leaders around the world. We train, mentor and resource citizens in creative ways to strengthen systems of accountability and unleash positive social and economic change. 

Since 2012, we’ve worked across Liberia, Nepal, Mali, Nigeria and Pakistan, making governance work for people everywhere. We now operate in other countries too, including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Niger, Mexico, DRC, and Somaliland.

About - Celebrate, Encourag and Connect Civil Servants | Integrity Icon
About - Celebrate, Encourag and Connect Civil Servants | Integrity Icon

A lack of integrity – which leads to corruption, inequality and insecurity – is a global challenge. Ordinary citizens often feel helpless in the face of graft and mismanagement. There is a need to encourage champions of integrity, which ultimately builds public trust. We ‘name and fame’ public servants who display exemplary integrity and make heroes out of ordinary people doing the right thing.

The value of Integrity Icon is the process, not the outcome. It is a way to create meaningful conversations about what it means to be a public servant and shines a light on the role of ordinary people in strengthening institutions in a society such as ours. It also encourages us to think about what is needed to build an open, inclusive and accountable societies.

INTEGRITY ICON CAMPAIGN TIMELINE:

  • January – May

    Nominations: The public nominate public servants who embody the value of integrity and demonstrate the importance of honesty, accountability and personal responsibility. 

  • June – August

    Selection: A high level panel of respected social leaders select this year’s Icons.

  • September

    Filming: Locally based film production company to work with 5 young aspiring filmmakers to create short mini-documentaries (90-120 seconds) about the finalists doing their jobs, talking about why it is important to serve with the spirit of accountability and interacting with others who can attest to their integrity.

  • October

    National Screening and Public Voting: Short films to be shown on Social Media platforms and national and community radio stations. The public are encouraged to send a vote of thanks for their favourite Integrity Icon through the website.

  • October

    Local Screenings and Dialogues: The short films are shown in the Icons’ communities through local partners leading a dialogue with the Icons on understanding some of the systemic public service accountability challenges and the creative ways the Icons are addressing these.

  • 29 October

    The new cohort of Integrity Icons are celebrated at a Final Ceremony and Integrity Summit.

SUPPORT OUR CAMPAIGN FOR CHANGE:

Our goal is to build a broad movement of people recognising and acknowledging ethics and integrity in the public service. To make this possible, we need you. Support us in one or more of the following ways:

  • Spread our Message

    Help us to raise awareness about the Integrity Icons campaign and its importance for promoting service excellence and turning the tide on corruption and misconduct in the public service. Share stories about our Icons and the campaign; host an engagement with one of our Icons; or profile a public servant you believe epitomises integrity and service excellence.

  • Submit a Nomination

    To name the cohort of Integrity Icons, we need you to help us identify them. Run a nomination drive at your workplace and in your community. Submit as many nominations as you would like, showcasing how your nominee goes over and above the call of duty to be a model of ethics and integrity in the public service.

  • Sponsor the Awards

    It takes a lot of capacity and resources to run a national campaign, profiling and acknowledging excellence in the public service, and amplifying the importance of doing the right thing. Back our campaign with a donation; support our Film Fellowship; contribute an insert or airtime on your publication, channel or station; or sponsor our awards ceremony.

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