KATHMANDU: The Central Child Welfare Board (CCWB) on Friday urged political parties not to use children in political demonstrations.

Expressing concerns over use of dozens of children in a demonstration organised by Netra Bikram Chand-led CPN Maoist in Kathmandu today, the Board Executive Director Tarak Dhital said the rights body could not accept such use of children in political activities under any pretext.

Dhital in a statement this evening argued that use of children in demonstrations of political nature was against national and international principles of child rights including those of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989, which Nepal is also a party of.

The activities also violate political parties' commitments to abide by and protect children and their rights, according to Dhital.

The Board in its monitoring found that the children were brought to protests forcefully directly from schools, according to the statement.

The Board reminded the parties that protecting child rights was their duty and urged them to develop a good political culture by keeping children away from political demonstrations.