Speaking at a function organized to hand over recommendations of child rights organizations to be incorporated in the new constitution to Purna Kumari Subedi, the vice-chair of the Constituent Assembly (CA), UNICEF Representative in Nepal Gillian Mellsop said children in Nepal face numerous challenges.
"It is vital that challenges are recognized and resolved," said Mellsop, urging the government and the people to seize the constitutional window with both hands. "Meaningful and coordinated efforts are necessary."
On the occasion, about 72 child rights organizations under the Children as Zones of Peace (CZOP) movement and Consortium of organizations working for child participation prepared the concept paper with recommendations to CA and submitted it to Subedi.
The concept paper said there should be a provision of a child rights commissioner to ensure fulfillment of child rights in the new constitution. It added that a more definite child protection role may be needed in order to ensure accountability of the government and to monitor the fulfillment of the child rights guaranteed in the constitution. "This could take the form of an expanded role for the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), or a commissioner with powers to investigate child rights violations."
The concept paper has also proposed for juvenile justice provisions into the new constitution.
Speaking on the occasion, former Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations Kul Chandra Gautam said Nepal can get the best child-friendly constitution if the recommendations of the concept paper are incorporated in the new constitution.
A child participant, Manish Timilsina, expressed the hope that the CA members will ensure children´s rights in the new constitution. In response, CA member from Nepali Congress, Gagan Thapa, assured them that Nepal will indeed have the best "child-friendly" constitution in the world.
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