Kathmandu, August 17

Central Child Welfare Board (CCWB) today strongly condemned the use of children in the protest against the proposed delineation of provinces, in Khalanga, Jumla, on August 15.

Issuing a press statement here today, the organisation said that using children in the rally, sit-in protest, strike and other protest of adults to fulfill the vested interest of certain group was not acceptable from the perspective of Child Rights.

“Using children in protest programmes and writing slogans on their half-naked bodies is against child rights,” said Tarak Dhital, executive director of CCWB in the statement, adding, “This not only affects children mentally, but also risks their lives.”

The statement reads that it is a human right to protest peacefully without violating others’ rights, but using innocent children in such protest amounts to violation of child rights.

“We request all concerned authorities and guardians, parents and other relatives of children to be more responsible towards them,” he added.

Meanwhile the National Human Rights Commission, the constitutional rights watchdog had yesterday urged all agitating political parties and groups not to use children in their demonstrations.

NHRC said that using children for demonstration was acting against the basic principles of child rights.

Similarly, National Coalition for Children as Zone of Peace and Child Protection (CZOPP) and National Campaign for Education have also urged political parties not to engage children in demonstrations and other political activities.