Kathmandu, August 17:

With a view to safeguarding the basic rights of children, the Central Child Welfare Board CCWB) is launching child-friendly programmes as a pilot project in seven Village Development Committees and a municipality.

The programmes would focus on child protection, child health, child education, child participation, family income and habitat, mainstreaming children and family services and referral. These priorities would be implemented at the grassroot level with the participation of local people, authorities concerned and non-governmental organisations working for children.

According to Deepak Raj Sapkota, executive director of the CCWB, a feasibility study has been carried out in Godak VDC of Ilam, Tetria VDC of Morang, Gedhiguthi VDC of Rautahat, Maheshpur VDC of Bara, Fokhel VDC of Makwanpur, Parspur VDC of Banke, Dodhara VDC of Kanchanpur and Inaruwa Municipality of Sunsari, where the programme would be launched.

No separate budget has been allocated as the programme would focus on ensuring that children avail themselves of services provided by government agencies.

“The programme would be launched in other VDCs and municipalities if the pilot project is successful,” said Sapkota, adding that respective VDCs and municipalities would give continuity to the programme.

Village Child Protection Committees would be formed to implement the programme if there are no local bodies for implementing the same, he said. Child participation would be an integral part of the programme at all levels. The programme would be extended to the grassroot level after identifying the children of different social and economic background and their needs, said Sapkota.