Nepal has progressed 21 spots to reach the 74th position in the World Press Freedom Index 2024, according to the global rankings by Reporters Without Borders.

The country received 60.52 points this year, according to the organisation advocating for journalists and media workers. In 2023, Nepal had received 57.89 points, securing the 95th position in the rankings.

Nepal has clinched the top position among South Asian countries in the press freedom rankings. The Maldives follows in second place at 106th position, succeeded by Bhutan at 147th, Sri Lanka at 150th, Pakistan at 152nd, India at 159th, and Bangladesh at 165th. Afghanistan, ranking 178th, remains the lowest-ranked among South Asian countries.

The index, which evaluates 180 nations according to the freedom of journalism, reporting, and media operations, is regarded as a vital instrument for gauging the status of press freedom across diverse countries. The rankings are based on five indicators—political context, legal framework, economic context, sociocultural context and safety.

Norway leads the rankings with 91.81 points, followed by Denmark (89.6), Sweden (88.32), the Netherlands (87.73), Finland (85.55), Estonia (86.44), Portugal (85.9), Ireland (85.59), Switzerland (84.01), and Germany (83.84) on the index.

Eritrea has been ranked lowest at the 180th position with 16.64 points, followed by North Korea (17.41), Afghanistan (19.09), Iran (20.66), Turkmenistan (21.3), Vietnam (22.01), Bahrain (22.31), China (23.21), and Myanmar (24.41) on the index.

Press freedom around the world is being threatened by political authorities, Reporters Without Borders said in a report.

“A growing number of governments and political authorities are not fulfilling their role as guarantors of the best possible environment for journalism and for the public's right to reliable, independent, and diverse news and information,” reads the report.

The organisation sees a worrying decline in support and respect for media autonomy and an increase in pressure from the state or other political actors.