Kathmandu, January 17:

Experts today called on all stakeholders concerned to effectively implement laws, action plans and policies to combat child labour in the country.

“With the revival of democracy in 1990, many programmes were introduced to ensure child rights. The State formulated action plans, Acts, laws, policies and regulations showing commitment to international declarations and conventions on child rights. However, there is a big challenge in implementing these provisions,” said Gauri Pradhan, executive president of Child Workers in Nepal Concerned Centre (CWIN).

Presenting a paper on ‘Combating Child Labour through Meaningful Education: Role of Stakeholders’, Pradhan said “The number of child labourers between 5 and 14 years engaged in different sectors has reduced to 0.2 million from the earlier 2.6 million due to social movement against child labour.”

Uneven economic and social relations, poverty and lack of awareness are pushing children into child labour. Even though children get an opportunity to go to schools, they cannot continue education. Pradhan added skill-oriented, qualitative and practical education is important to lessen child exploitation.

Dinesh Hari Adhikari, the joint secretary at the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management, said coordination between central and local authorities is important to implement national plans and policies and international conventions on child rights.

Dr Om Gurung, the general secretary of the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities, said, “Though poverty is considered as a root cause of child labour, lack of representation of minorities, women, Dalits and indigenous nationalities in the decision making level is also the cause behind it.” He added that children of indigenous nationalities comprise half of the child labourers. He stressed on the need to develop school curricula in such a way that they could address the ethnic and cultural diversities of the country.

Dr Lazima Onta, the national programme manager of the Community Owned Primary Education (COPE), said, “Despite formulation of plans and policies and allocation of budget for child education, the results are far from satisfactory.” She stressed on the need to increase the enrolment of children fro-m the Dalit and indigenous communities in schools.