Leaders of major political parties express commitment to prioritize child rights issues in upcoming election

KATHMANDU, April 16: Leaders of major political parties have pledged to prioritize issues and concerns related to children and child rights in their manifesto for upcoming local-level elections. The local level election is slated for May 13 in a single phase. 

At an interaction program organized by the Children as Zones of Peace National Campaign here today, they assured to take concrete steps for implementation and protection of child rights enshrined as the fundamental rights in the Constitution of Nepal.

CPN-UML General-Secretary Shankar Pokharel said that his party had been championing the cause of child rights and called for declaring schools as a peace zone since the insurgency. "There is no doubt that the State should lay its focus on children to ensure a bright future for the nation," he noted. 

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Similarly, ruling Nepali Congress's Joint General Secretary Jivan Pariyar shared that they had been addressing many concerns related to children by holding discussions and consultations during the promulgation of the constitution. "Nepali Congress is committed to enforce the policies and laws formulated to guarantee child rights."

He lamented that the issues of child rights were neglected even in educated families.

Likewise, senior leader of the CPN (Maoist Center) Shakti Bahadur Basnet pointed out the need to walk the talk instead of confining child rights issues to sloganeering. He viewed the current constitution as child-friendly as he argued that it was promulgated by the elected people's representatives.

Child rights defender Gauri Pradhan said that the political parties, as well as the State, should prioritize concerns of child rights such as smooth registration process for child birth, free education and free enrollment, sports, entertainment and protection of child rights.

Advocate Indu Tuladhar pointed out the need to adhere to the provision in the election code of conduct that bars mobilizing children in the election campaign and forbids use of school for election promotion.