Diversity Policy
Nepal.al is a platform built around one of the most diverse countries on earth. Nepal is home to over a hundred ethnic groups, more than a hundred and twenty spoken languages, multiple religious traditions, and a geography that ranges from the subtropical Terai plains to the highest mountains in the world. The people who come to Nepal.al are equally diverse — Nepali citizens from every province and community, members of the global Nepali diaspora, tourists and trekkers, researchers, students, journalists, investors, and curious people from every corner of the world.
This Diversity Policy sets out our commitment to ensuring that Nepal.al reflects, respects, and serves that full diversity — in the content we carry, the community we build, and the way we treat every person who visits our platform.
1. Diversity Within Nepal
1.1 Ethnic and Indigenous Communities
Nepal recognises over fifty-nine officially listed indigenous nationalities, known as Adivasi Janajati, alongside many other ethnic communities. These include — but are not limited to — Newar, Tamang, Gurung, Magar, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, Chepang, Raute, Madhesi communities, and many others. Each of these groups carries its own language, culture, history, and way of life. Nepal.al is committed to representing all of these communities with accuracy, dignity, and equal regard. No single ethnic group will be treated as the default or the norm against which others are measured.
1.2 Caste and Social Background
Nepal’s history includes deeply entrenched caste hierarchies that have caused — and continue to cause — significant social inequality. Nepal.al firmly rejects caste-based discrimination in any form. Content on our platform will not reinforce caste prejudice, demean any caste group, or perpetuate harmful social hierarchies. At the same time, we recognise that caste is an important social, historical, and political topic that deserves thoughtful and informed discussion. Such discussion is welcome on Nepal.al when it is conducted with care, accuracy, and respect for the dignity of all communities involved.
1.3 Geographic and Regional Diversity
Nepal is sometimes represented through the lens of Kathmandu alone. Nepal.al is committed to reflecting the full geographic breadth of the country — from Koshi in the east to Sudurpashchim in the far west, from the Himalayan highlands to the Madhesh plains. The experiences, concerns, and knowledge of people from Humla, Rolpa, Taplejung, Saptari, Kailali, and every district in between are as valid and as welcome on this platform as those from the capital. We actively encourage questions and contributions that shine a light on lesser-known regions of Nepal.
1.4 Language
Nepali is the lingua franca of Nepal, but it is the mother tongue of only a portion of the population. Maithili, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Tamang, Newari, Magar, Doteli, Urdu, and dozens of other languages are spoken as first languages by millions of Nepali citizens. While Nepal.al operates primarily in Nepali and English to serve the broadest possible audience, we recognise and respect the linguistic diversity of Nepal and will not treat any language community as lesser or peripheral.
1.5 Religion
Nepal is constitutionally a secular state and is home to Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Kirant, Bon, and other religious communities. No faith tradition will be treated as superior, more authentically Nepali, or more deserving of respectful coverage than any other. Our platform will engage with religious topics — festivals, pilgrimage sites, traditions, and beliefs — with equal curiosity and equal respect across all traditions.
1.6 Gender
Nepal.al is committed to gender equality in how we represent Nepali society and in how we treat users of our platform. Content that demeans, stereotypes, or marginalises women or any gender group will not be permitted. We also recognise Nepal’s legal framework, which acknowledges gender identities beyond the binary, and we commit to treating all gender identities with dignity and respect.
1.7 People with Disabilities
People with disabilities are part of every community in Nepal and are among the users of this platform. Content on Nepal.al — including travel and trekking information — should, where relevant, acknowledge the needs and experiences of people with disabilities. We will not permit content that is derogatory toward people with disabilities, and we are committed to improving the accessibility of our platform over time.
2. Diversity Among Our Users
2.1 Tourists and Visitors to Nepal
Nepal receives visitors from all over the world — from South Asia, East Asia, Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East, and beyond. Every visitor, regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, or background, is equally welcome on Nepal.al. Questions from first-time visitors who know very little about Nepal are as valued as those from experienced travellers or scholars. We expect all community members to treat tourist users with patience, generosity, and respect — answering questions about visas, customs, etiquette, and safety without condescension or judgment.
2.2 The Nepali Diaspora
Millions of Nepali citizens live and work outside Nepal — in India, the Gulf states, Malaysia, Japan, South Korea, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and elsewhere. Members of the diaspora often have a deep personal connection to Nepal alongside questions shaped by distance and time away. Their perspectives, experiences, and contributions are an important and valued part of the Nepal.al community.
2.3 Researchers, Journalists, and Students
Nepal.al is used by people conducting academic research, journalistic investigation, and formal study on topics related to Nepal. These users approach Nepal from professional and scholarly perspectives that may differ from those of casual visitors or community members. All such users are welcome, and we ask that they, in turn, approach Nepal and Nepali people with intellectual honesty, cultural sensitivity, and an awareness of the power dynamics that have historically shaped how Nepal has been written about by outsiders.
2.4 Investors and Business Users
Nepal’s growing economy, its hydropower sector, its tourism industry, and the Nepal Stock Exchange attract interest from domestic and international investors and business professionals. These users are welcome on Nepal.al. We ask that all commercially motivated engagement with our platform be conducted transparently and in accordance with our Ethics Policy and Terms of Use.
3. How We Uphold Diversity on the Platform
3.1 Balanced Representation in Editorial Content
Our editors are committed to seeking out and prioritising content that reflects the full diversity of Nepal — not just the stories and places that are already well known internationally. This means actively covering communities, regions, languages, festivals, issues, and perspectives that are underrepresented in mainstream coverage of Nepal.
3.2 Inclusive Language
Content on Nepal.al should use language that is inclusive, accurate, and respectful. This means using correct names for ethnic groups and communities rather than outdated or pejorative terms, using person-first language where appropriate, and avoiding generalisations that flatten the diversity of any group of people. Our editors may correct content that uses language we consider exclusionary or harmful, and will explain why when they do so.
3.3 Multiple Perspectives on Contested Topics
On topics where Nepali communities hold genuinely different perspectives — historical interpretations, political questions, cultural debates, social issues — Nepal.al will present multiple viewpoints rather than imposing a single authoritative position. Diversity of thought and perspective is as important to us as diversity of identity and background.
3.4 Zero Tolerance for Discrimination
Discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, caste, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, language, age, or socioeconomic background will not be tolerated on Nepal.al — in content, in comments, or in the conduct of any user toward another. Discriminatory content will be removed. Users who repeatedly post discriminatory material will be permanently banned from the platform.
3.5 Welcoming New and Inexperienced Users
A person asking their very first question about Nepal — whether they are a tourist wondering what to wear at Pashupatinath Temple, a student researching the Maoist conflict, or a first-generation diaspora member trying to understand their own heritage — deserves to be welcomed warmly. Nepal.al will not be a space where inexperienced or unfamiliar users are made to feel unwelcome, ignorant, or unwanted. Every question asked in good faith is a valid question.
4. Diversity and Responsible Tourism
Nepal.al recognises that tourism, while vital to Nepal’s economy, can also place pressure on local communities, sacred sites, and natural environments if it is not conducted responsibly. We are committed to providing tourists with information that encourages respectful, informed, and sustainable engagement with Nepal. This includes guidance on appropriate behaviour at religious sites, awareness of the economic realities faced by local communities, sensitivity around photographing people and places, and understanding of the environmental impact of trekking and adventure tourism. Diversity on Nepal.al means not only celebrating Nepal’s richness but also encouraging visitors to engage with it in ways that honour and preserve it.
5. Our Ongoing Commitment
We acknowledge that a diversity policy is only as meaningful as the effort put into living it day to day. Nepal.al is committed to regularly reviewing whether our content, our community, and our editorial practices genuinely reflect the diversity we have described here. We welcome feedback from users — particularly from communities who feel underrepresented or misrepresented on our platform — and we will act on that feedback seriously.
If you have a concern about how a community, group, or individual has been represented on Nepal.al, or if you believe our platform is falling short of the commitments set out in this policy, please contact us at [email protected] with the subject line “Diversity Concern.” Every such message will be read and considered by a member of our editorial team.
Nepal.al belongs to everyone who loves, lives in, comes from, or wants to understand Nepal. That is the diversity we are here to serve.