WASHINGTON: Nepal´s Ambassador to the United States Dr Shankar Sharma yesterday inaugurated a photography exhibition depicting rehabilitation

of child labourers. On the occasion, he appraised the macroeconomic situation of Nepal and the efforts that its government is making to alleviate poverty.

The photo exhibition ‘Faces of Freedom’ was organized in the President’s Gallery of World Bank. The photographs are images from South Asia — mostly Nepal — of children who have been helped out of the rug industry and rehabilitated and educated.

The idea of the exhibition is to disseminate the method Nepal has used to eliminate child labour from the carpet industry. The method that has been employed is one of

independent third party

inspection of factories,

certification of child labour-free products and labelling. The method develops a contractual understanding between the exporter and importer while working to raise consumer awareness.

“Nepal has formulated and enforced a Master Plan and implemented the Child Labour Act to prevent worst forms of child labour. The time-bound program activated by the government has helped rescue and save several thousands of children from being engaged in worst forms of child labour,” Sharma informed the gathering.

He stressed that Nepal can achieve Millennium Development Goals except in primary education and anti-HIV/AIDS, if the present trend continues.

The seminar was attended by high-level staff of the World Bank, Nepalese carpet importers, labour experts and representatives of the

United States government. The photographs were taken by photographer, filmmaker and human rights educator Roberto Romano.