Make child rights part of essential rights: Experts

Kathmandu, July 11:

The new Constitution should include child rights ensuring that every child across the nation has access to education and health, experts said today. Child rights, according to them, should come under the fundamental rights in the Constitution.

Child rights should be incorporated not only in the new Constitution but also in the interim Constitution, for which, “I am willing to do my bid,” said Attorney General,Yagya Murti Banjade. Child rights should be part of the fundamental rights in the new Constitution, said advocate Santosh Sharma, while presenting his paper at a workshop titled “Constitutional Assembly, New Constitution and Child Rights” organised by Child NGO Federation today. Free education to children up to secondary level should be mandatory, he said, pointing out the need for free health services to children. Ramesh Thapa, of Nepal Working Peasants Party, also pointed out that child rights should be incorporated into fundamental rights. Children’s heath and education, according to him, should be given prime importance.

Munnu Dahal, of RPP, said the state should focus on children’s education and health and the issue of child rights should not be a “begging bowl” for the NGOs. The government’s power should be decentralised there by promoting regional autonomy, she said.