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In this fast-paced era, two powerful and often opposing forces have come to light: globalization and jingoism. These dynamics are shaping human history in various ways. Globalization has increased prosperity, innovation, and cultural exchange, but it's also brought social challenges requiring global action for mitigation of their effects on society and the environment alike. Juxtaposed with this is aggressive nationalism, or jingoism, a mechanism fostering intolerance and leading to societal upheavals and political instability through conflict arising from divisive beliefs, which only fuel negativity. As with other countries, Nepal is facing the dilemmas and possibilities of globalization and nationalism. Achieving equilibrium between these two factors has become more crucial because we live in a world that's highly interconnected. It's vital to advocate global partnership, intercultural exchanges, and sustainable development while also remaining vigilant about preserving national identity, safeguarding local industries, and promoting appreciation for cultural heritage. Defining globalization and jingoism The phenomenon of globalization pertains to a growing interdependence amongst individuals, corporations, and nations across the globe by means of extended trade routes, investments made abroad, and the exchange of information. The positive aspects have been immense, such as a boost in economic progressiveness resulting from innovation alongside cultural interactions; however, it has also wrought difficulties like disparity among countries or regions within them, destruction of natural environments, and the loss or dilution of traditional cultures worldwide. In contrast, jingoism denotes a more forceful kind of patriotism. This belief prioritizes one's country above all other nations and can cause feelings of suspicion or animosity toward countries deemed unworthy. Jingoistic attitudes can take many forms, such as encouraging racism against foreign individuals, refusing to participate in international affairs that would benefit mutual interests, and using the military to control rival states. Although it may evoke patriotic sentiments, its consequences are often divisive, including harmful social dissension, disputes, and political agitation. A force that shapes our planet In the modern world, globalization has become an undeniable force that shapes our planet. We can see its impact on the growth of economies and businesses all around us, as well as foster innovation and creativity through sharing knowledge across borders, leading to advances in fields such as medicine, engineering, and communication. This creates more job opportunities, especially for developing countries that have greatly benefited from its widespread expansion into markets worldwide. Moreover, globalization promotes cultural exchange by making it easier for people to learn about different cultures, which fosters a greater understanding among individuals with diverse backgrounds—a significant benefit that cannot go unnoticed today. The basic component of globalization has been trade. Countries have gained comparative advantages through specialization in specific manufacturing sectors. Yet, as businesses look for ways to save costs, it has also resulted in the violation of labor rights. Another challenge with globalization is environmental degradation. Rising demand for resources and the use of fossil fuels have caused pollution, climate change, and the depletion of natural resources. In the debate over globalization, immigration has been a complicated issue. Amid increasing cultural exchanges, security and terrorism-related worries have also increased. Economic growth, cross-cultural exchange, environmental destruction, inequality, and territorial integrity are the main drawbacks of globalization. Global cooperation and the implementation of fairness, protectionism, and multiculturalism-promoting policies are required to overcome these issues. International cooperation In order to tackle today's increasingly complex and interrelated global challenges, international cooperation is essential. To find appropriate remedies for issues like climate change, pandemics, economic inequality, and political uncertainty, we need to collaborate and establish global governing institutions. Nations can pool their resources, knowledge, and technology through international collaboration in order to resolve common issues. Moreover, collaboration makes it easier to coordinate policies and initiatives as well as share best practices and lessons learned. Countries could cooperate and collaborate on initiatives attributable to international institutions like the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and the International Monetary Fund. Moreover, international collaboration fosters the ideals of international respect, trust, and understanding. It facilitates cross-cultural understanding and fosters a sense of oneness. Collaboration between the public and private sectors, information exchange and coordination, resource mobilization, the creation of international frameworks and agreements, and the building of international institutions are all made possible by international cooperation. Global frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change offer direction to nations and stakeholders in tackling these issues. Working collectively, countries and organizations can create international frameworks and agreements, build international institutions, improve public-private sector collaboration, and more effectively address global concerns. A more sustainable, fair, and prosperous world could result from the success of these initiatives. A balancing act Globalization can promote economic development and cross-cultural engagement, whereas jingoism can breed chauvinism, isolationism, and conflict. For the sake of humanity in its entirety, it is crucial to find a solution to balance these two forces. While addressing the drawbacks of globalization, it is critical to also acknowledge its advantages. Economic expansion and cultural engagement brought about by globalization can improve global growth and mutual understanding. Globalization, however, may also lead to the exploitation of labor, resources, and cultural norms. Thus, it is imperative to control the detrimental effects that globalization has through laws that support fair trade, sustainable development, and cultural diversity. Finding a means of harnessing the positive aspects of globalization while controlling its negative effects is necessary to strike a balance between globalization and jingoism. Policies that support fair commerce, sustainable development, and cultural variety can help achieve this. Promoting international collaboration and cooperation is also necessary, as opposed to a restricted emphasis on national interests. In order to achieve this balance, diplomacy, cultural exchange, and the development of international organizations that encourage cooperation and understanding may all be extremely important. Through education, we can encourage a balanced attitude toward globalization and nationalism. Education can build a more nuanced knowledge of the world and encourage an inclusive and collaborative attitude by raising awareness of both the advantages and disadvantages of these forces. The author is the President and Founder, Lumbini World Peace Forum

While searching for an unspoiled and secluded trail near the Kathmandu Valley to spend my weekend, I came to know about Khumai Danda. Situated at an altitude of 3,245 meters above the sea level, it lies to the north of Pokhara in Kaski district. Though Khumai Danda trek, also known as the Great Machhapuchhre Trail, is a newly-developed trekking route in the Annapurna Conservation Area, it has become a popular trekking destination among the domestic tourists in a short period of time. Upon coming to know that Khumai Danda trek is a relatively easy trek in the Annapurna region, I decided to take my mom (62) on this journey. Despite being a regular hiker and nature lover, she had not experienced the real adventure of trekking due to her busy schedule. That is why, her yearning for walking into the woods for days was limited to herself. So, a day before the journey began, we went to Thamel to buy trekking gear for her. The new trekking shoes and stick among others brought a joyous smile of excitement on her face. The next day, I along with my mom and a friend took a night bus to Pokhara. As it was the first time for all of us traveling in the night bus, the excitement was palpable. But the exhilaration turned into grouchiness as the bumpy road that started soon after we reached Muglin disturbed our sleep the whole night. When I heard the conductor saying Prithvi Chowk… Prithvi Chowk, it was already 4:30 in the morning. The road was quiet and silent. As it was a chilly morning, we wanted to have tea to beat the cold but did not find any tea shop with its shutter open. So, we decided to walk toward Harichowk from where we had to take a jeep to Ghachowk. It took us around 1:30 hours to reach Harichowk. On the way, we saw houses built in Newari architecture with decorative brick works and ornately carved windows similar to those in the Kathmandu Valley. As we were fascinated by the old houses, design and architecture, we decided to explore the place. While walking through a narrow street, we saw temples and shops selling religious stuffs. With curiosity, when I asked a man about the place, he said the area is popularly known as Purano Bazaar or Old Town. He said that the place is located about 4 km north of the Lakeside. In the 17th century, Pokhara used to be a hub for trade and business with Tibet. With an objective to promote trade in Pokhara, the king of Kaski invited Newars (well known as traders) of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur to settle in the area. When the people migrated to Pokhara, they brought the Newari style engineering and culture with them. The people have become albeit modern with changing times, while preserving their locality beautifully. We reached Harichowk at around 6 am. A man standing on the roadside announced that the jeep will leave for Ghachowk at 7 am. While waiting for the jeep, we got into a shop to have tea. In the meantime, we saw two girls from Kathmandu waiting for the jeep. Later, we three and the two girls booked a jeep to Ghachowk for Rs 3, 000. The four-wheeler left Harichowk at 7: 15 am. The driver, a resident of Ghachowk, was so responsive and friendly. On the way, we talked about Khumai Danda and various other matters. He said that the place became popular as normalcy returned after the Covid-19 pandemic. Lately, it has been drawing people from across the country, he said. Though the driver was supposed to drop us at Ghachowk, he took us straight to Saripakha. We reached there at around 8 am. He also booked a hotel for us in Khumai Danda and also ordered lunch at Hilekharka. Without wasting time, we started walking steep stone stairs from Saripakha. Just 10 to 15 minutes after leaving the beautiful hamlet, we got to see a scintillating view of Mt Machhapuchhre and Mt Annapurna. After walking together for around 30 minutes, the two girls faced difficulties in walking and decided to abort the journey. Soon after saying ‘ciao’ to them, we reached an open ground where we saw a traditional cow shed. A herd of buffaloes were grazing nearby under the morning sun. Not treading for more than 15 minutes, we reached Tubu. Usually, people who start their trek from Ghachowk have their lunch at Tubu. But, as we started our journey from Saripakha, we decided not to stop there. After walking for around 1:30 hours, we reached Hilekharka at 10 am.  While waiting for lunch, we opted to bask in the warmth of the morning sun, enjoying the panoramic view of high Himalayas. The nutritious and local lunch at the Green Cottage was out of the world. We left Hilekharka at 11:30 am. Once we crossed Hilekharka, we started climbing a steep trail into the forest of rhododendron trees.  For the time being, the forest was an immediate sunburn relief for us. We reached Chichimle at 12:30 pm. As we trudged higher up to Deurali enjoying the pastoral beauty of the Bhurjung river and uninterrupted view of Mt Machhapuchhre and Mt Annapurna, we reached a place where some people were building a home stay. They offered us tea and snacks. We had tete-a-tete for around half-an-hour. Saying goodbye to them with a promise to meet again in the future, we entered a dense forest. While walking into the forest, the sound of rustling leaves and twittering of birds recharged us. When we reached Lobruchu, some people were having noodles. We also planned to have something to muster energy but the weather suddenly became cloudy. With fear that the rain would make for a tough grind for us, we decided to reach Khumai Danda at the earliest. It was just half-an-hour away from our destination, and snow started to fall. Though the snow brought chill air from the Himalayas ranges, we also felt lucky as the snowfall was the first of the season. Soon after we reached Khumai Danda, Naran Dai, the owner of the Green Cottage, with a warm smile spread across his face welcomed us with masala tea and popcorn. As the weather was cold, we went directly to the kitchen to sit around the fire. Other hikers from Butwal and Pokhara were also relaxing in the kitchen. When they started singing and dancing, the environment became ebullient. The sad part of the journey was we could not see the sunset. While staying in the kitchen, we made a decision that we would go to Korchan Danda (3,700 m) to see the sunrise if the weather becomes favorable. Otherwise, we would return to Pokhara. After having dinner, we went to bed. The next morning at around 4, we saw stars twinkling in the sky. My mom told me that the weather would be clear. At around 6 o’ clock, we headed toward Korchan Danda. When the sun started to rise above Mt Machhapuchhre to lift the mask of the night, the magical golden color made us forget all the pain and stress of our life. As we went higher, the beauty of the sun and the views also escalated. It was a dream-like moment and the best ever experience of my life. We spent some time glancing at the unlimited richness and beauty of the snow-capped mountains and nature. We played with the snow and also took photos and videos of pristine views of the Himalayas before returning to the hotel. The local and authentic breakfast was waiting for us at the hotel. Some people had already left the guest house and some were preparing to leave. As the weather was bright and sunny, we decided to stay that day in Khumai Danda to behold the beauty of the sunset. Coming out of the kitchen after having breakfast, we saw a herd of mules transporting water.  A man, who was looking after the mules, said that he charged Rs 400 per mule from the hotel owner for ferrying the water. As we had nothing to do, we decided to go along with the man and the mules to see the source of water. We walked behind the mules for around an hour to reach the water source. After having lunch, we freshened up and relaxed watching clouds dancing above the gigantic Mt Machhapuchhre. As the evening slowly descended, the red glow of the setting sun started to cover the sky. In what could be termed the ‘moment of golden hour’, the view was outside of the realm of imagination. After having dinner, we went to bed to wake up early in the morning to see the sunrise. As there is a saying: just like the days, no two sunrises are the same, we felt like the sunrise on that morning was more beautiful than the previous day. That is why, one must see the sunrise and sunset from the Khumai Danda, the precious gift of nature. Taking all the good memories with us, we headed toward Ghachowk from where we hopped onto a jeep and drove back to Pokhara. The breathtaking views of mountains, rich vegetation, culture and lifestyle of the people have made Khumai Danda, located on the lap of Mt Machhapuchhre, an idyllic destination among the trekkers in recent days. Photos: Achitra Thieng

There has been a significant shift in the lifestyle and usage of daily amenities by households in Nepal in the last 10 years. An increasing number of Nepali households are now using liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) as a primary fuel source for cooking, and there has been a marked rise in the number of Nepalis owning televisions, laptops/computers, mobile phones, cars, and motorcycles. According to the National Census 2021, which was made public on Friday, traditional fuels like firewood and cow dung are still in use, but there has been a noticeable increase in the adoption of LPG and electricity. The Census 2021 reveals that the percentage of households using LPG as their primary source of cooking fuel has increased from 21.03 percent in 2011 to 44.3 percent in 2021. In 2011, firewood was the most commonly used fuel source for cooking in Nepali households, with 64 percent of households relying on it. However, this figure has dropped to 51 percent in 2021, indicating a shift towards cleaner and more sustainable fuel alternatives. The Census 2021 indicates a significant decrease in the use of kerosene as a primary source of cooking fuel, from 1.03 percent of households in 2011 to just 0.05 percent in 2021. In 2011, biogas was used by 2.43 percent of households, but this percentage dropped to 1.2 percent in 2021. Similarly, the use of cow-dung as a primary fuel source for cooking decreased from 10.38 percent of households in 2011 to just 2.9 percent in 2021. Although the Census reports a significant increase in the adoption of cleaner fuel alternatives, the use of electricity as a primary cooking fuel remains low, with only 0.5 percent of households using it in 2021. The Census 2021 also shed light on interesting facts about the usage of amenities in Nepali homes. According to the census, Nepalis are increasingly opting for smartphones over basic mobile phones, with the ownership of the former surpassing the latter. Additionally, more Nepalis are investing in televisions, while radio ownership is declining. Thanks to the expansion of telecom infrastructure, mobile telephony has replaced basic telephony, leading to a surge in mobile handset ownership and internet subscribership over the last decade. As per the Census, the percentage of households with ordinary mobile phones has increased to 73.15 percent in 2021, up from 64.63 percent in 2011. Furthermore, 37.72 percent of households now have internet facilities, compared to just 3.33 percent in 2011. The percentage of households with computers or laptops has also seen an increase from 7.28 percent in 2011 to 15 percent in 2021. In terms of appliances, the percentage of households with televisions has risen from 36.45 percent in 2011 to 49.37 percent in 2021. Refrigerator ownership has also seen a significant increase, with the percentage of households owning one jumping from 7.16 percent in 2011 to 23.7 percent in 2021. The Census also reveals a significant increase in motorcycle ownership as a means of transport in the country. The percentage of households with bicycles has increased from 32.38 percent in 2011 to 35.21 percent in 2021. Meanwhile, motorcycle ownership has seen a tremendous increase, rising from 9.58 percent in 2011 to 27.3 percent in 2021. The percentage of households with cars, jeeps, or vans has also gone up from 1.57 percent in 2011 to 3.1 percent in 2021. An increasing number of Nepali households now have access to tap or piped water facilities, which is a positive development toward ensuring safe and clean drinking water for all. According to the census data, the percentage of households with access to tap or piped water facilities has increased from 47.78 percent in 2011 to 57 percent in 2021. In contrast, the percentage of households relying on wells or hand pumps for their drinking water has decreased from 35.1 percent in 2011 to 29.8 percent in 2021. The Census 2021 also revealed that access to electricity in Nepal has significantly improved over the last decade, thanks to the completion of more hydropower projects. The data shows that the percentage of households using electricity as their primary source of lighting has jumped from 67.3 percent in 2011 to an impressive 92.2 percent in 2021. As the access to electricity has increased, the use of kerosene as a source of lighting has witnessed a sharp decline. In 2011, 18.3 percent of households relied on kerosene as their primary lighting source, while in 2021, only 0.6 percent of households used this method. The census also revealed that the use of solar energy as the primary lighting source has decreased slightly, from 7.44 percent in 2011 to 6.6 percent in 2021. These figures indicate a significant improvement in access to electricity across the country, particularly in rural areas. The census provides important data on the country's labor force, showing that a significant portion of the population is engaged in economic activities. Of the total population of 23,958,868 aged 10 years or above, 15,689,777 persons (65.5 percent) are economically active, while 8,211,012 persons (34.3 percent) are not economically active. According to the census data, 9.4 percent of households in the country are involved in operating small-scale enterprises other than agriculture. Among these households, the majority operate trade/business (49.5 percent), followed by cottage industry (21.9 percent), service-related businesses (11 percent), transportation businesses (5.5 percent), and other types of small-scale enterprises (12 percent). Of the total population of 23,958,868 aged 10 years or above, 15,689,777 persons (65.5 percent) are economically active, while 8,211,012 persons (34.3 percent) are not economically active. Of the total economically active population of 15,689,777 persons aged 10 years or above, 11,038,105 persons (70.35 percent) are usually economically active, while 4,651,672 persons (29.65 percent) are not usually economically active. Of the total usually economically active population of 11,038,105, a majority of 10,270,447 persons (93.05 percent) are usually employed, while the remaining 767,658 persons (6.95 percent) are usually unemployed. Among the total population engaged in any economic activity, the majority (50.1 percent) are skilled workers in agriculture, forestry, and fishery, followed by elementary workers (23.0 percent), service and sales workers (5.8 percent), crafts and trade workers (5.6 percent), managers (5.1 percent), professionals (3.8 percent), plant and machine operators (2.7 percent), technician and associate professionals (1.9 percent), office assistants (1.3 percent), and armed forces (0.7 percent). According to the census, the majority of economically active individuals in Nepal are engaged in the agriculture industry, accounting for 57.3 percent. Among those engaged in any economic activity, the top five industries are agriculture, forestry, and fishing at 57.3 percent, followed by wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles at 12.5 percent, construction at 8.1 percent, other service activities at 3.9 percent, and manufacturing at 3.8 percent. The number of households owning four-wheelers (jeep/car/van) has increased in the last 10 years. As of 2021, there are 204990 households in the country that own a jeep/car/van, up from 85,135 households in 2011. The number of households owning motorcycles increased to 1816121 in 2021 from 519570 households in 2011. Similarly, the number of households owning television increased to 3291185 in 2021 from 1976603 households in 2011.

Data protection is a legal mechanism that regulates the collection and processing of personal data, and arrangements can only be made transparently and with the user's consent. The General Data Protection Regulation passed by the European Union in 2016 establishes certain principles and rights for data subjects that must be respected by data processors. These include the right to access, correct, and delete collected data, and to receive compensation for any violation of their rights. Data protection is not just a matter of data security, but also of protecting the rights and interests of individuals and the state. Legal lacuna An ongoing investigation into the state of data protection shows the lack of adequate data protection laws in Nepal. It is crucial to understand how Nepali law regulates the collection, security and the use of personal information. Fortunately, there is a policy system in Nepal that governs data collection. The Privacy Act, 2018 not only specifies how to collect personal information, but also classifies it. For example, this law defines caste, religion, education, telephone number, passport/citizen number, voter ID card details, biometric information, and criminal offense details as personal information. Article 10 of this law allows for collection of information by authorized personnel, with the consent of the person concerned. While collecting information this way, it is necessary to inform the person about the time, content, nature, purpose, method, process, confidentiality, and safety of the information. There are also policy laws concerning data security. For instance, the Privacy Act, 2018 states that the agency collecting information must protect it. Section 25 of the law mandates that the public body shall make appropriate security arrangements against the risk of unauthorized access to personal information or the unauthorized use, manipulation, disclosure, publication or transmission of such information. Different regulatory bodies have also paid attention to data security. After the online network was launched in banks around 2010, Nepal Rastra Bank introduced Information Technology Guidelines (in 2012). These guidelines and procedures require banks to establish strategies and policies related to information technology, provide information security education to employees, and conduct information technology audits or information system audits. During the IT audit, the security of the hardware and system is evaluated, and improvement measures suggested in case of weak security. In response to a series of hacking incidents, the Nepal Telecommunication Authority has mandated that internet service providers submit IT audit reports since 2020. Similarly, in 2020, Nepal Insurance Authority made it mandatory for its respective organizations to undergo such audits as well. However, the policies and laws related to the use of data held by public bodies have not received enough attention. For example, Section 26 of the Privacy Act, 2018 states that information collected for open purpose, with consent for investigation and prosecution during criminal cases, or to solve certain questions can be used if the information officer makes a written request. The right to correct personal information in public institutions is mentioned in Section 28 of the Act. If the information is incorrect or not based on facts, it can be corrected, but if a benefit or advantage has been obtained based on the same information, an application for correction cannot be made. This law does not provide the data subject with the right to correct wrong information, which is provided for in data protection laws in other countries. This law is silent on many aspects of the use of information held by public institutions. It does not address how long the first collected information should be kept, what punishment will be meted out if such information is used for other purposes, or what should be done with public organizations if the collected personal information is not provided with security and becomes public. Way ahead The digital landscape of Nepal is rapidly evolving, with people increasingly relying on digital media technologies to access services ranging from education to healthcare. However, as this transformation takes place, both state and private companies are collecting vast amounts of personal data and processing it for various purposes. But it's often difficult for people to know what data is being collected and how it's being used. To address this issue, the state must play a leading role in establishing governance mechanisms to protect personal data in Nepal. Given the lack of clear policies, it is crucial to formulate a comprehensive data protection law in Nepal. There is growing concern that organizations processing data may also be collecting non-essential information. Furthermore, when personal data is used for purposes other than for which it was given, such as for advertising, there is a question of whether such data is being bought and sold. If personal data in different sectors is exposed, it could violate individuals' privacy and create difficulties in their lives. For instance, if sensitive patient data in the healthcare sector were made public, the consequences would be even more severe. There are two ways to legislate data protection in Nepal. One approach is to amend the existing Personal Privacy Act by adding necessary provisions. The preamble of this Act mentions the "protection and safe use of information" as its purpose, indicating that data protection issues were already intended to be covered. However, when the law was passed, the inclusion of data protection issues was not addressed. Therefore, new provisions could be added to the Act, including responsibilities for data users and rights for data providers. Additionally, a separate body could be established to determine what data can be collected and used. Alternatively, a separate data protection law can be formulated and implemented to ensure clear responsibilities and rights. This law could cover data protection issues across various sectors and establish guidelines for data collection, use, and storage. With such a law, individuals' privacy rights would be better protected, and organizations would be held accountable for misuse of personal data. The author is a senior researcher at Martin Chautari