The Rights of the Child Movement: An action not charity

By Gauri Pradhn

1. Introduction:

The children are an integral part of society and precious treasure of the world. We can not even imagine the existence of society if there were no children around us. They are our source of hope, joy and inspiration. Hence, children are regarded as the future of the world, but no child can grow sufficiently without proper love, care and understanding. In each stage of childhood, a child, who is innocent, vulnerable, dependent and voiceless, needs the proper support of adult care, otherwise there is a chance for every child to be in danger. If they are not taken care of properly and adequately their overall childhood development will be hampered and their future will lead towards uncertainty.

If we look back at the history of civilization, we will find that each war, famine and natural calamity has killed millions of children and for those who have survived all this, only darkness is in their future. In addition, there are also millions of children who are deprived of their basic childhood rights and are the victims of an exploitative socio-economic and cultural structure. It is, therefore, the truth that children are the most vulnerable and exploited group of society. Their problems are sadly a consequence of the existing reality, while in fact they deserve special rights so that the next generation can live in certainty.

The First World War and the Second World War killed millions of people, of whom children were the majority. These and other wars have not only killed children, but have also made them orphans and helpless. This had not only created a big tragedy in human society but also made the future unsafe and uncertain. Every year, hundreds of thousand of children die from disease, famine, war, conflict and ignorance. Many of them could be protected if we were rational and kind to human being and children, because, most of these problems are preventable. But unfortunately wars are increasing with every passing year. The State of the World's Children '96 in this regard revealed that the civilian deaths in 1990 was 90% compared to the 14% in the First World War and 67% in the Second World War.

In order to overcome this situation, people all over the world have been fighting for the restoration of peace, human rights and social justice. This very aspiration of people is not properly realised by the people in power and each new generation has to suffer a lack of a proper environment for children's survival, development and protection. The increasing power politics, both in the national and international arena, is creating more and more troubles and tensions to the peace-loving people of the world over.

Children are the most vulnerable group of society. They are easy victims of exploitation, injustice and danger because they are too young and inexperienced to protect themselves from these risks. They are helpless and voiceless. To get the protection they require support from adults. For this, the state is responsible providing their protection. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was adopted in 1989, ensures that children's rights are human rights and they deserve special rights to protection.

The UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child believe that in the inherent dignity and the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family as the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world. The rights of the child shall be extended to all children without any social, economic, cultural or political discrimination. Accordingly, children living and working in exceptionally difficult circumstances shall be provided special consideration. The rights of the child movement also advocates the protection and harmonious development of the child that are consistent with the good traditions and cultural values of different communities. By providing safeguards against social injustice and economic exploitation the rights of the child movement re-affirms a commitment to promote social progress that will ensure justice, freedom and progress.

" The Rights of the Child: Concern of All" is the philosophy of the rights of the child movement. This is an integral and inherent part of the broader social movement. The essence of the rights of the child movement is to ensure a better and safe future to every child. If children are not protected today, our future will not be safe. Thus, together we should work and together we should build a better place to live in future. The real future belongs to the children.

Children occupy about a half of the total population of the country. Most of the children are living very vulnerable and backward lives owing to mass poverty and backwardness. Issues of the rights of the children and their development are being raised strongly on one hand, while, on the other, our children are struggling for mere survival under the most difficult circumstances of acute poverty, illiteracy, scarcity and backwardness. Hence, it is an utmost need to herald the message of the rights of the child in the rural and remote areas where a majority of children are deprived of their basic rights.

2. SHARING CWIN'S EXPERIENCE

ON THE Rights of the Child Movement in Nepal

There is an international understanding that children should be the first priority in any social development process. Unless children are properly protected for their childhood development, no society can claim itself civilised and free of exploitation.

The role of social activist groups in advocating and protecting the rights of the child is a matter of appreciation and importance in this country. Human rights groups, community groups, social conscientisers have been playing a very significant role in awareness building and empowerment work. Despite many difficulties, they are playing a very effective role in empowering people to survive in the most difficult circumstances. No matter whether it is rural mountain or urban poor areas, social activist groups have been linking days and nights together to make people aware of their rights, dignity and welfare. As in other areas, the rights of the child have been also boldly highlighted, advocated and monitored by the social activist groups in the country. In the history of human rights and trade union movements, the rights of the child movement is regarded as the record breaking events or most successful right works in Nepal.

CWIN is an activist non-governmental social organization for the rights of the child. This organization is concerned with the rights, dignity and development of children living in the most difficult of circumstances, and has been dedicatedly working for the social emancipation of child laborers and children in servitude. In Nepal, CWIN is also regarded as a social movement dedicated to the protection and promotion of children and against all forms of exploitation over children. CWIN is linked up with the history of the rights of the child movement as it is the first national non-governmental organization (NGO) in the field of the child rights movement in Nepal. The concept of CWIN was established by the then youth activists dedicated to human rights, development and social services. Its activities against child labor exploitation and for the rights of the child originated in 1986, being formally established as an organization on the 1st of January, 1987. Inspired to work with dedication in the field of the rights of the child, CWIN, from its very initial stage, started several programmes to help liberate children from all forms of exploitation, discrimination & oppression. As an action based social NGO, CWIN has had to overcome many difficulties in the past. However, it has received much inspirations from people in the country and abroad.

After the historical pro-democracy movement (PDM) in 1990, CWIN entered into a new phase of action for children. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child was fully ratified by HMG-Nepal in 1990. Child development planning for the 1990s and the Children's Act 1992 were introduced to protect the children's rights in Nepal. Child labor is also gradually being controlled by law.

From the very beginning, CWIN has been trying to bring about a change in the conservative approaches of social services. It has also been critical towards the conservative approaches to child welfare and services for children living in most difficult circumstances. Its stand for self-reliance and self-determination in the field of social services or the NGO movement is another challenging task. In the field of the rights of the child, CWIN has started its action as a part of the broader human rights movement. In this connection, the CWIN field work, research, surveys, advocacy and campaigns have brought new impetus to the Rights of the Child movement in Nepal.

CWIN believes that no child development program would be possible without the active participation of the children themselves. Child development programms and planning would be futile unless they provide for the childhood of every child. Moreover, CWIN has been working hard to bring the child development program into the mainstream of national development planning, and to prioritise children living in the most difficult circumstances.

As the first rights of the child movement in Nepal, CWIN exposed and revealed information on a number of issues where children were either thrown away or exploited by the vested interest groups. Issues like street children, children in debt bondage, child labor exploitation and the rights of the child have been strongly raised by CWIN from its inception. From the very beginning, CWIN not only exposed the problems but brought out viable solutions for combating child labour exploitation. The campaign for the rights of the carpet children is one of the most successful events in the CWIN movement. While raising the issues like the rights of the exploited children, CWIN has come across many problems time and again. Understandably, it has come into conflict with several vested interest groups from time to time. However, with the help of like-minded groups and CWIN's moderate policy for handling crisis, the conflicts and contradictions in the field of the rights of the child movement in Nepal is being managed in a better way.

In brief, CWIN's role can be traced in the following ways:

2.1 CWIN as the first rights of the child organisation

2.2 CWIN as the first child labour concerned centre

2.3 CWIN as the pioneer organsiation in the areas of children living and working in the most difficult circumstances

2.4 CWIN as the promoter for alliance and networking for the rights of the child and children at risk.

2.5 CWIN as the rights of the child watch dog

2.6 CWIN as the research and resource information centre

2.7 CWIN as the first socialisation centre and concerned group for street children

2.8 CWIN as the welfare and rehabilitation centre for children at risk

2.9 CWIN as the facilitator to help organise local establishments for the rights of children

2.10 CWIN as the concerned centre for girl children at risk

Since CWIN has taken action in the field of children as the rights of the child organisation, society has recognised the social action groups as the conscientisers, welfare groups and watch groups in the movement for the rights of the child. Moreover they are the most reliable partner in the local development work, so that they have been working as the link-group as well as social advocates in the local rights of the child movement. This movement has worked very hard to bring the rights of the child as onto the political agenda in the country. It developed and coordinated several collateral programmes with like minded groups in order to coordinate the rights of the child movement as a major part of the broader people's movement.

CWIN has been getting many reliable partners in the rights of the child movement in Nepal. Human Rights organisations like INSEC is advocating for the rights of children in servitude, FOPHUR, Amnesty - Nepal, HURON, CVICT are lobbying in order to translate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into practice. Watch is focusing its work against the trafficking of young girls. Networking groups like CAR-NWG and its member organisations, CDC, CPC, ABC, CWS, Maiti Nepal, Seto Gurans, CWCD, PAM-Nepal, PIN, UPCA, etc., and other independent people's movements have also been strongly advocating the rights of the children living in the most difficult circumstances. Similarly in the field of women's development, CWIN has extended its relations with WATCH, WOREC, Stree Shakti, Saathi, etc.

The regional initiatives like 'South Asian Forum on the Rights of the Child', 'South Asian Coalition Against Child Servitude' and several other efforts are on the way to creating fora for mutual cooperation and solidarity in action. These movements have developed strategy-planning and programmes of action to attain its noble cause of restoring child's rights. With their movements and pressures, several South Asian governments have also ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Colombo resolutions of SAARC, SAARC - UNICEF -South Asia Cooperation and several other initiatives of INGOs have also provided some inspiration in this regard.

In the last eight years since CWIN's establishment, the rights of the child movement in Nepal has observed many ups and downs. Before the restoration of democracy in 1989, Nepal had been ruled by the authoritarian dictatorship called the 'Panchayat System'. This system was introduced in 1961 after the forceful removal of the multi-party system and continuously ruled the country for more than 30 years. During the Panchayat period, political parties, trade union organisations, professional organisations, human rights and NGOs were not allowed to work independently. Social services were controlled and patronised by the royal family and there was no access for ordinary people to this field. In fact, after the inception of the CWIN, the rights of the child movement was initiated and organised even under the most difficult circumstances, so that today we feel proud of the efforts we had to make in those days. In the last eight years we have achieved much.

3. The Present Status of the Rights of the Child Movement:

From the very inception of the human rights movement, the rights of the child has been raised as a major component. However, it could not be realised into practice. In order to protect children from harm, devastation and crisis, the world community has been continuously working for the rights of the child. If we go back through our history of civilisation, religion and philosophy, we will surely find different concepts for the protection of children and their childhood. In fact, The Geneva Declaration of the Child Rights, 1924, UN Declaration on the Rights of Child 1959, the commemoration of International Year of the Child (IYC) 1979, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, 1989 and UN World Summit for Children , 1990 are but a few such examples of their reflections. However, despite, all these international commitments and promises, the world's children have not yet got justice and priority in their every day life and the violations of their fundamental rights are still a bitter reality.

The plight of children has been heard time and again in the history of the people's movement, but it has taken a long time to gain momentum. It was only in the beginning of the 1980s that the voices of children really started to be heard. The issues like child labour, street children, child marriage, child prostitution and other forms of child servitude have been continuously raised by people's organisations both in national and international levels. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child has been also shouldering responsibility to strengthen and empower the rights of the child movement in this region. The global declaration for children has empowered the children one step ahead and aims to help protect the children living in especially difficult circumstances. These include millions of neglected, abandoned children, street children, child labourers, refugee children, victims of war and natural devastation, child prostitutes, children in bondage, disabled children, and so on. The world summit has also formulated a global goal to protect children at risk by the end of the year 2000. As the reflection of the CRC, the World Summit for Children held in 1990 had given a special priority for children living in difficult circumstances. There, the Heads of States and State Parties of the CRC strongly exhibited their concern about these issues and declared 'the first call for children'.

Nepal, from the beginning, has expressed its commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and ratified it, thus adding itself to the ranks of state parties to the Convention. Since Nepal ratified the Convention on the Rights of Child, efforts have been underway, both at the government and non-governmental levels, to get the Convention practically implemented. The movement for the rights of the child was actually started 8 years ago and now is gaining momentum. Issues like child labour exploitation, street children, child prostitution, refugee children, children in jails and others have been strongly raised as a major component of children's human rights in the human rights movement, trade union movement, development and environment movements. For this, CWIN, the first rights of the child organisation, which was established in 1987 has played a significant role for the promotion, strengthening and empowerment of the rights of the child movement in Nepal.

However, the rights of the child movement is still a young social movement. It is still too early to say whether this movement has been successful or not in achieving the rights of the children in Nepal. However, in order to make our road broader and more trustworthy, we have to correctly review and appraise our past. Thus, I would like to state the achievement and constraints of the rights of the child movement in Nepal in the following ways:

3.1 Achievements of the Rights of the Child Movement:

1. HMG/Nepal has ratified more than 14 different human rights instruments including the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and CEDAW, which have ensured HMG/Nepal's commitment for the rights of the child.

2. Based on UN CRC, HMG/Nepal has also adopted the Children's Act 1992 and By-laws of the Children's Act, 1995 which have contributed to strengthen the rights of the child movement a step ahead.

3. Upon the strong appeal of child rights organisations, women's movement and other concerned movements, HMG/Nepal introduced the Council for Women and Children and Ministry of Women and Social Welfare, so that the issues of children and women will be dealt by the authorised HMG/body. This development will hopefully help remove the confusion and set the stage for a more coordinated effort.

4. Social activist organisations and social service organisations, in the form of NGOs, have emerged as the pioneer organisers of the rights of the child movement in Nepal. In the field of advocacy, resource information, welfare, development and rehabilitation of children at risk, the Child NGOs have started playing a significant role in the country. It is believed that the change and attraction in the NGOs sector to the issues of children have also contributed to the enhancement of the rights of the child movement in Nepal.

5. The growing partnership between HMG/Nepal and Child rights NGOs, other NGOs and the trade union movement, and other sectoral movements have also has contributed to joint collaboration in action. This situation has also provided an atmosphere to build up an alliance, networking and partnership among like minded organisation that ultimately contribute to the enhancement of the rights of the child movement in Nepal.

3.2 Constraints of the Rights of the Child Movement:

Compare to other sectoral movements, the rights of the child movement, in a very short span of time, has emerged as an inspiring change in Nepal. However, if we properly review the present status of the rights of the child movement, we find many constraints and limitations as well. They are:

1. Many commitments but little action

In order to give a true picture of the situation, HMG/Nepal has made many commitments, but unfortunately, many of them are still far from being translated into action. Such a situation has not only discouraged the rights of the child movement but also lost its credibility in front of the public. Moreover, it has created a stage of crisis of confidence in the country.

2. Poor and ineffective implementation of the laws

No laws are called acts till they are put into enforcement. However, in our context, we have laws for the promotion and protection of the children's rights in the country. But the truth is that many provisions of laws regarding children's rights are still very slack and the rights of children are being violated despite the existence of the laws. The main constraints in this regard are many of these laws needs follow up actions in order to fulfill the spirit of the laws. Unfortunately, HMG/Nepal announces new laws for the enforcement, but fails to follow it with implementation. This seems to indicate that HMG/Nepal, most of time, is introducing laws regarding children for its image rather than for action. But, if such trends continue in future, this will not only weaken the rights of the child movement but will ruin government's image.

If the issues of the rights of the child and their development are really to be translated into practice, these weaknesses should be corrected immediately. The mere enacting of laws cannot solve the long existing problems.

3. Lack of co-ordination and confusion at work

No movement can achieve its goals and objectives and progress without proper co-ordination and understanding between different groups and individuals working for the common cause. This is certainly true in the rights of the child movement. In last eight- year period, many things have been achieved in the area of the rights of the child, but we could have achieved even more if we had had good understanding and co-ordination between the different agencies of HMG/Nepal, INGOs, UN agencies and NGOs working for the rights of the children. Many people who are actively involved in this field have seriously realised this, but unfortunately, the problems still exist in one way or other.

4. Urban based projects and rural areas neglected

Many of us have been also focusing our activities in the rural areas for the rights of the children, however the complaints about NGOs for being urban based or project oriented have some valid logic. Those who are working in the field of children must focus their activities also in the rural areas. Different organisations may have different priorities for their focus groups; however, rural children might also be the victims of similar problems. So while working with urban children, NGOs can also link up their programmes with the problems of rural children. Unless we can enhance the local social and community movement for the benefit of the children, the rights of the child movement hardly can move ahead.

5. Lack of self-sustainability in the movement

The rights of the child is a common concern of all; however, we might not be serious in all forms of the violation of the rights of the child. Thus, social conscientisation is a must in order to enhance and empower the rights of the child movement at the grass root level.

The momentum of many social movements, such as the environment movement, human rights movement, women's rights movement, ethnic and indigenous movements varies from time to time. Many of these movements are brought into lime light during international ceremonies and festivals and become insubstantial in the following years. One of the main reasons for this is that the movement is dependent on outside resources, programmes and visions. If we can create commitment and dedicated involvement in action, we can continue any social movement without outside backing. For this, self-sustainability and self determination in organising activities are needed. Thus, even if we cannot be self sustaining in the beginning, we should keep in our mind that we should move ahead for this. This will provide every movement a chance for independence and autonomy.

Unfortunately, most of the donor organisations who have been supporting the rights of the child movement do not seem serious about the continuation and self-sustainabilty of the movement. In many cases, the word self-sustainability has become an attractive jargon, but in action the partners of the rights of the child movement do not seem very serious. Yet many INGOs and UN agencies have been conducting the project- based programmes and also lack enough vision to make the social movement independent, autonomous and result-oriented. But, truth is that unless we can build up a self-sustained social movement, the rights of the child can not be accomplished.

A very big majority of our child population has been put into the severe situation of servitude, where they are not only insecure but also are deprived of their natural growth and development. They are socially, economically and sexually oppressed and exploited. If we are really committed to rescuing these children from deprivation and exploitation, we should critically review and reassess the results of our work to find out if we are really able to respond the needs of our target groups.

4. the rights of the Child Movement: Changes, Challenges and the Road Ahead

4.1 The Changes

The movement for child rights has taken deep root in the Nepali society over the last couple of years. With the change of time, issues of child rights, their development and issues of children's exploitation are being raised from various quarters of the society. The message of the rights of the child has been expanded throughout the country with the help of the media, public meetings, campaigns and social conscietisation programmes. In such programmes, Nepali human rights and the rights of the child organisations have played a significant role in carrying the message of the rights of the child, even to the rural and urban poor areas.

The ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child on 20th November, 1989 was a milestone in the movement for the Rights of the Child. After the disaster of the First World War, the issues of safeguarding children and their basic right was raised in the different occasions of the world history, such as the Child's Rights Declaration of 1924, the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Child 1959, and the commemoration of the International Year of the Child 1979. In spite of such a wide international concern and effort, the survival and protection of the world's children are continuously being challenged. Fortunately, the issues of the special rights of the child are being raised from the beginning of the 90s, and the world community has expressed a firm commitment to put the UN Convention into reality. Similarly, in the sectors of human rights, trade union and social development and welfare, there has been progressive changes in approach, vision and action for the rights of the child.

Nepal has signed and ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and has already adopted 'Children's Act 1992', the first child law in the country, as the follow up of the Convention. The government of Nepal also expressed its strong commitment to bring the Convention into reality during the World Summit on Children, 1990. In order to implement the laws into practice, HMG/Nepal also introduced the bi-laws of the Children's Act, 1992 in 1995. Similarly, under the chair of Prime-minister, the National Council for Women and Children has been incorporated. Issues like child labour, street children, the rights of the child, trafficking in women and children have been put on national agenda.

Children are a common concern of all sections of the society; however, there is a strong lack of proper priority in ensuring children their basic childhood rights. This has been felt not only in the government working style but in the human rights and NGOs movement as well. For years, children have been treated as a subject of charity, and their basic human rights have been undermined. Different social, economic, political and human rights movements spent time in raising the issues for their own rights and children were forgotten. However, there has been an increasing social awareness that the rights of children should be a major part of the broader human rights movement.

4.2 The Challenges:

As in all other societies, children are rightfully the source of hope and inspiration for the future; however, in practice, they are taken for granted. Not only at the family and community levels, but the state as such also tends to regard children as a matter of charity and welfare only. Many conventional societies generally do not feel that children deserve any special rights, not even normal human rights. They are very much guided by traditional beliefs and think that children should grow under the guidance and super-vision of adults. Whenever do they think about their obligation to their children, they tend to patronise them rather than protect them.

There are too many issues of children to be addressed at the ROC movement. However, there are some issues which need to be addressed urgently, such as the children living and working at the most difficult circumstances. If we are not able to rescue them immediately, it might be too late. Therefore, we must commit ourselves to bring all our effort into concrete action to help protect the most unprotected children. Deprivation of food, clothing and parental care adversely affects their growth and development. If these children are not taken care of properly or are left as they are, they may even die. Thus, every concerned parent, family and community should try to identify and understand their major problems and help protect them from every possible danger.

Issues of the rights of children and their development are being risen strongly on the one hand, while on the other, our children are still struggling for mere survival under the most difficult circumstances like acute poverty, illiteracy, scarcity and backwardness. Most people so easily reach the conclusion that the problems of children at risk are caused by poverty, ignorance and unemployment. Whilst this is true and so obvious, the growing trend of children in servitude should also be viewed in the broader prospective of the prevailing social injustice, irrational political decisions, and inappropriate people's empowerment mechanism. More concretely, the root causes or the challenges for the growing problems of the rights of the child movement can be expressed in the following ways:

1. Social ignorance and cultural stigma
2. Lack of enough political will in action, or words instead of deeds
3. Social injustice, unfair economic relations and poverty
4. Lack of national plans of action for the rights of the children
5. Lack of co-ordination among and between HMG agencies, INGOs and UN agencies
6. Lack of enough co-ordination among human rights, social organisations, trade unions and so on
7. Mass illiteracy in rural areas
8. Low priority on the issues of children
9. Social dis-integration
10. Lack of common concern

4.3 The Road Ahead

As a member of the Third World and one of the least developed countries (LDCs), Nepal has made a close tie with poverty, starvation, unemployment, injustice and illiteracy. The development trend of present day Nepal has shown that these problems will continue for many years. This situation affects the lives of ordinary people and their children deeply, sparing little hope for the coming generation.

Extensive research has been undertaken in these areas. People and children are interviewed a number of times, their photographs taken, their living conditions are shown on television, and they are offered lots of beautiful dreams. But, they are neither consulted nor asked whether they really want such programmes in their areas or not. Several experts, specialists and reporters are employed on a very high salary scale, although many of them do not even reach the target groups. As intellectuals, most of us may feel that we can make better plans, programmes and strategies for children at risk. However, no programme will be effective in a real sense unless we truly understand the problems of these children and our efforts help empower those people living in the most difficult circumstances. Therefore, we should be very careful that the problems of children should not be generalised and the needs of children at risk should be properly tackled with the help and support of the community. Truly, childhood has become a burden for an overwhelming number of children in many countries of the world, and they are stunted in their physical, mental, psychological and emotional development. There are millions of children in the country who are denied for their basic childhood rights and are living in a miserable conditions. They are exploited and discriminated against, and are neglected and abused at every step of their life.

In the last few years, the rights of the child movement has achieved tremendous results. Despite many constraints and challenges ahead, the rights of the child movement will continue to move forward. But in order to bring real effectiveness and better changes into the rights of the child movement, we will have to take the following steps:

1. Develop clear concepts and visions for the rights of the child movement as an integral and inherent part of the broader social movement. Such movement should dedicatedly contribute for social justice, development and fair economic relations.

Enhance political commitment in high level for the well being of the children which also ensures the well being of the society.

3. Develop the rights of the child movement as movement for action rather than for charity. The national plans of action for the building rights of the child movement should be based on this philosophy.

4. Develop local groups and help establish local initiatives for the promotion and protection of children's rights.

5. Develop necessary plans of action for the effective implementation of the rights of the child laws.

6. Evolve alliances, fora, networking groups and coalitions for better co-ordination, understanding and joint collaboration and partnership in action.

7. Ensure children their right to basic education. Develop rights of the child lesson in the school curriculum, so that the next generation will be aware of the rights of all children.

8. Make people aware on the rights of the child through education programme by radio, television and other media.

9. Develop fora, so that NGOs and HMG agencies will be able to share their experiences and ideas on the success and failures of their work dedicated to the rights of the child.

10. Develop Child rights watch groups both at the local and national levels, so that they can work as watchdogs on the activities undertaken by HMG/Nepal, INGOs and NGOs.

Moreover, the following suggestions are put forward to enhance and strengthen the rights of the child movement in Nepal. These suggestions are recommended for action:

Governments easily ratify the United Nations Conventions and Covenants to project its democratic posture and show that the government wants to protect human rights. However, they fail to demonstrate adequate commitment to translate them into action.

Despite efforts of the government to project itself as a democratic system, its state machinery is neither committed to nor compatible with the commitment of the government. Since the state machinery, which is responsible for the implementation of the government's policies and programmes, is not able, active and honest, it poses difficulties for human rights, social justice and values of democracy to be established in the country.

A majority of the Nepali people are not aware of their civil rights. This is not only linked with their social ignorance, but also associated with the level of commitment and effectiveness of various social organizations and communities working in the field of human rights, social justice, freedom and development, as well.

As advocates and social conscientisers, the social activist groups can organise advocacy campaigns, awareness building programmes and investigative works for the promotion and protection of the rights of the child,

As the social watch dog, the social activists group also can observe, review and monitor the implementation of the rights of the child in practice. They can keep well-documented reports including testimonies and case studies in order to record the successes and failures of the rights of the child movement.

5. CONCLUSION:

Each problem related to children reflects the state of the society. Most children generally do not land on the areas of risk by themselves - they are pushed down by the socio-economic factors of their circumstances. Generalising the problems of children at risk without any proper analysis will fail to lead to the bottom of the problem and the strategy planning developed for the target children will be ineffective in practice. Principally, we all think that children have got the first right to receive humanitarian support at a time of emergency, therefore, all children living at risk should be prioritised for their overall development. But the existing situation does not reflect these principles and the reality is the opposite. To work for children is not only a welfare work. It is empowerment, motivation and networking of people and groups for action.

Empowerment does not mean imposition at all. It goes along with the independence and autonomy of the movement. No social movement can have an impact on the status of children until and unless the strategies meet the depth of the magnitude of problem. The ROC is a commitment and action through mobilisation, motivation, networking and organisation. In this movement, we will be able to find a way through differences and gain power through the similarities. ROC is a socio-political issue, but demands every individual, group and political party to rise above personal, social or political interests while working for it. It is imperative to effectively translate this Act into reality. For this, political commitment, social awareness and active public participation and mobilization are essential.

Implementing the Rights of the Child is the major obligation of the government. But it cannot be realised in reality if the government fails to motivate, empower and support the movement on the rights of the child. Each section of our society is concerned with children and is obliged to fulfill their obligations for the restoration the rights of every child. Each people's movement will be incomplete if one doesn't give enough emphasis to the rights of the child. We are all duty bound to ensure the survival rights, development rights and participation rights of children and for this, the best interest of child must come first.

The rights of the child movement is mainly concentrated in the cities and towns and most of the remote rural areas are still untouched by it. Unless we brought the message of the rights of the child movement in the rural and deprived areas, we can not build up a real movement in this regard. Therefore, in order to change this situation, HMG agencies, INGOs, NGOs and other organisations working for the benefit of the children should focus their activities for the social awareness. The rights of the child movement is basically a participatory activity and without this participation of people at all levels, the rights of the child movement can not be achieved.