KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 13

Work procedure related to protection and promotion of child rights has been formulated in 290 local levels of the country so far in the course of implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

As per the statistics of 2021- 22 of the National Child Rights Council, local child rights committee has been formed in 206 local levels and 203 child welfare officers have been designated. Similarly, child fund has been established in 180 local levels and they are in operation.

Statistics of 2020 of the National Planning Commission reads that the birth registration rate of children below five years of age has reached 15.3 per cent. A total of 15.3 per cent children aged between five and 17 years are still in child labour, according to the Child Labour report-2021.

At a national workshop organised here today on the eve of National Children's Day, local governments were urged to be more responsible for implementation of the main provisions of the acts related to children.

National Child-Friendly Local Governance Forum organised the workshop in collaboration with Jagrit Child and Youth Concern Nepal and support of World Vision International Nepal for the effective promotion and establishment of Child-Friendly Local Governance concept.

Promotion of child-friendly governance in local levels was stressed. Speakers at the programme said child marriage, discrimination, menstruation, lack of separate toilets for children, sexual violence, social anomalies, misbehaviour, online violence against the children of sexual and gender minorities and disabilities still exist as obstacles for overall development of children.

On the occasion, former commissioner of the National Human Rights Commission Gauri Pradhan said strong environment for children would be easier for all age groups, but other age-centred environment would not be strong for all. It is necessary to increase investment on children for the same, he shared.

Similarly, Under-secretary at the Child Protection and Development Section of the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens Krishna Thapa, Dr Debaki Acharya from Child Rights Council, former executive director of the Council Milan Dharel, and Coordinator of the Forum Tilottam Poudel, among others, stressed that the local levels should be active for the protection of child rights.

This year's National Children's Day is being observed with the slogan, 'Foundation of Child-Friendly Society: Responsible Family, Accountable Society'.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 14, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.