Kathmandu, November 19:

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal and UNICEF (United Nation’s Fund for Children) in Nepal today appealed to the government and the Maoists to place the rights and well being of children among their key priorities in the implementation of the peace process.

In a joint press statement issued here today, it said on the eve of an historic peace agreement, there is an opportunity to restore the rights of children who have suffered greatly during the long conflict, and to ensure that future generations of Nepali children can grow in lasting peace. “Protecting and restoring the rights of children is an enormous challenge,” said Dr Suomi Sakai, UNICEF’s Representative in Nepal. “Children in Nepal have been among the thousands forced from their homes and displaced by the conflict,” added Lena Sundh, Representative of the OHCHR-Nepal.