Children are Zone of Peace

Government and NGO sources say that some 300 children are adopted annually from Nepal. But data collected by CWIN National Resource Centre in the first three months of year 2007 show 338 children were adopted during this time alone. Generally, children from poor countries are adopted by families from richer countries. According to the 1st International Conference on Inter-country Adoption held in Kathmandu, foreigners from USA, Italy, Canada, Spain, France, The Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, Australia, Germany and United Kingdom had adopted more than 2000 Nepalese orphans since last thirty years. Nepali children - abandoned, orphaned, and even those having parents - are being adopted by foreigners. Increasing number of children is being sent abroad without their biological parents' consent as orphans from different child care homes. According to Child Care Home Network Nepal (C-Net), there are more than 1000 children's homes out of which only 523 are registered with Social Welfare Council (SWC).

Intra or inter-country adoption could be one of the resorts for children without families. But the process is often not in the best interest of the children and has many irregularities. Many adopted children might have found a better life and future but there are cases of children being sold and abused sexually. There are even stories of some children sold for camel jockeying in the Middle East. Corrupt agents and orphanage homes in Nepal are running a multi-million-rupees business of child trade and trafficking in international adoption, which directly violates Article 21 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC).

Some countries have strict laws and have their own rules and regulations on inter-country adoption. There are also countries which totally prohibit inter-country adoptions. The existing law of Nepal does not deal with the cost involved in the adoption process. Whatever laws, rules and regulations may the countries have, it is the responsibility of the state to provide social security, protection and rights to each and every child of the country who were adopted. It is sad that Nepal does not have sound follow-up mechanisms and a good tracking system or a mechanism to monitor and take necessary actions against the ill-treating adoptive parents. There should be strong and effective laws, rules and regulations along with a proper monitoring system to keep track of the conditions of the adopted children. It is the state’s responsibility to take care of orphans and monitor the process of both intra and inter-country adoptions to ensure that no child's right is being violated.

EVENT OF THE MONTH

[TOP]

PEOPLE’S SAARC: South Asian Forum on the Rights of the Child

Rally organized during People SAARC on 25th March, 07 Kathmandu

Different people's movements have come together in Kathmandu in March 2007 to hold People's SAARC. People’s SAARC is a focal point and platform for sharing, forging and strengthening solidarity linkages along progressive action groups, resource agencies, progressive individuals, among other with the common aim of promoting movement for justice, democracy and build peoples’ resistance against the forces of globalization across the nations of South Asia in different issues to come up with an effective people’s agenda in South Asia.

Sessions were held on peoples’ issues such as people’s empowerment in politics, women and peace, trafficking and child rights. On 23rd March 2007 ‘People’s SAARC: South Asian Forum for the Rights of Child’ was conducted jointly by Global March/ CWIN-Nepal and CZOP. The coordinating committee for the forum was Global March Against Child Labour South Asia Secretariat and CWIN-Nepal. The main objectives of the forum were to fill the gap between commitments and action on rights of children in South Asia; identify the challenges and to recommend actions for the future; bring solidarity in the region; sharing of the mass awareness campaign organized by the Global March: The South Asian March Against Child Trafficking.

With the outcome of the South Asian discussions and deliberations on Children’s Rights on 24th March 2007, a Kathmandu Declaration 2063 was endorsed with a mass meet at Basantapur on 25th March 2007.

Kathmandu Declaration 2063 on Child Rights

Commitments made so far on child rights in SAARC region need to be practically implemented and reports should be published annually.
Accessibility to equal education for all should be guaranteed and SAARC region should declare "Children as Zones of Peace".
The concept of child friendly schools should be promoted in SAARC region.
Governments should pay attention for strengthening of the structures built for the protection of children at national levels.
Common policy should be formulated and implemented for basic rights of children such as education, health, nutrition etc. including policy against child abuse and exploitation.
Children's voice should be heard for the promotion of child participation.
Coordination should be strengthened among SAARC countries while carrying out any activities concerned with child rights.
Basic principles of child survival, protection, development and participation should be practically implemented.
Social justice and peace should be promoted in child sector in this region.
Common policy should be formulated and implemented to track the trafficking of children in border area of Nepal, India and Bangladesh and also for their rescue and social reintegration.
Culprits of child trafficking should be provisioned to strict punishment enacting extra territorial law in the SAARC region.
Joint monitoring should be started in a managed way to track child trafficking in the open border area of Nepal, India and Bangladesh in coordination with government and other stakeholders.
National and regional level initiatives made so far should be strengthened for the elimination of child labor exploitation.
Common concept should be developed for the socialization, rehabilitation and social reintegration of children at risk.
Common forum should be formed and conduct activities for the promotion and protection of child rights at SAARC level.

South Asian March Against Child Trafficking

South Asian March Against Child Trafficking, a physical march from February 25, 2007 to March 22, 2007 from Calcutta to Delhi was organized by Global March Against Child Labour, Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) and their partner organizations in India, Nepal and Bangladesh as a precursor to its fight against trafficking. In solidarity for this march, it was planned to organize a Solidarity Rally in Kathmandu on March 25, 2007 to raise awareness among the civil society members on the issue of child trafficking. The rally was jointly organized by Global March, CWIN, AATWIN members, Maiti Nepal, FWLD and ABC-Nepal. This South Asian March joined the People's SAARC Rally showing the solidarity to the South Asian Voice.

The objective of the march was to increase awareness on cross-border trafficking in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, especially amongst the most vulnerable sections of the society. The March along the Indo – Nepal - Bangladesh border consisted of a physical walk by the core marchers (100 in numbers) joined by local people while passing through the by-lanes of cities, towns, villages and remote countryside. It is also expected that the march would help parents air their views on the problems and build a network of civil society organizations that would carry on the work forward after the March. Approximately 200,000 people were directly influenced en route and more than 10,000,000 reached and sensitized through media and other IEC materials. People on the streets have not only pledged support to the South Asian March Against Child Trafficking, but have also pledged to end trafficking of children and provide education to all children. The March Against Child Trafficking has successfully rescued scores of children from being trafficked along the route of the March and have helped police arrest the traffickers.

For more news on ‘South Asian March Against Child Trafficking’, www.globalmarch.org

PRESS RELEASE

[TOP]

Adoption should always be the last resort!

Kathmandu, 10 March 2007: UNICEF hopes that the International Conference on Inter-Country Adoption being held in Kathmandu 11-13 March 2007 will lead to the ratification of the Hague Convention on Inter-Country Adoption and the adoption of national laws and mechanisms to regulate in-country and inter-country adoption.

"The Hague Convention is designed to put into action the principles regarding inter-country adoption which are contained the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) which Nepal has ratified." said Ms. Gillian Mellsop, UNICEF's Representative in Nepal. "These principles include ensuring that adoption is authorised only by competent authorities, and that inter-country adoption does not result in improper financial gain for those involved in it."

According to UNICEF these provisions are meant first and foremost to protect children, and also have the positive effect of providing assurance to prospective adoptive parents that their child has not been the subject of illegal and detrimental practices.

Referring to the increasing trend of families from wealthy countries wanting to adopt children from other countries, Ms. Mellsop said, "Lack of education and oversight, particularly in the countries of origin, coupled with the potential for financial gain, has spurred the unfortunate growth of an industry around adoption. This means that profit, rather than the best interests of the children, takes centre stage. Abuses include the sale and abduction of children, coercion of parents, and bribery, as well as trafficking to individuals whose intentions are to exploit rather than care for children"

"Adoption should always be the last resort for the child. The CRC, which guides UNICEF's work, states very clearly that every child has to the right to know and to be cared for by his or her own parents, whenever possible. UNCIEF believes that families needing support to care for their children should receive it, and that alternative means of caring for a child should only be considered when, despite this assistance, a child’s family is unavailable, unable or unwilling to care for her or him. "

"We therefore call upon the participants of the Inter Country Adoption Conference to seriously consider these issues and advocate for child adoption mechanisms that are transparent and in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child and The Hague Convention."

Source: http://www.un.org.np/pressreleases/UNICEF/2007/2007-3-10-UNICEF-PR-adoption-eng.pdf

CHILDREN ARE ZONE OF PEACE

[TOP]

After restoration of peace in country, everyone is committed to build a new Nepal with positive vision from their own perspectives. Armed Conflict has ended, reconciliation process has started. But the armed conflict has left some residual functions and some sections of the society still believe in violent ways and use of arms. Whatever is the reason to use arms, the hardest hit amongst are children. Whether in the period of conflict or peace, children who hold around half of the total population should be the priority for development and protection.

During the period of armed conflict, children were much affected and hence, a national campaign ‘Children are Zone of Peace (CAZOP)’ was started. It focused on protection of children from armed conflict but the concept of children being zone of peace is not only applicable during conflict periods but is still relevant during peace resolutions and post conflict situations. The campaign has a wide appliance and cannot be confined to the period of armed conflict alone.
In partnership with Plan-Nepal, CWIN organised a Public Hearing entitled “Children are Zone of Peace in Present Scenario” on 22nd March 2007 in Pokhara, Kaski with objectives to aware public regarding CAZOP; to put forward clear ideas and opinions of public and concerned people on CAZOP; and to make regional commitments on protection and promotion of Child Rights by political parties.

Leaders from different political parties, representatives from child rights organizations including child representatives participated in the program. Participants focused the discussion on inclusive and equal participation of children in the issues concerning them. The hearing also stressed that children should be kept away from any political activities, arms, violent activities, conflicts, strikes etc; All the participants shared common view that children should not be discriminated on any grounds and in a true democracy children’s issues should become national agenda. The discussion also objected on any disturbance during the children’s significant days, their exams and the times when children travel the most. They demanded that school activities should be transparent; adults at all fronts should promote child friendly behaviour and the state should promote peace education and likewise recognize schools as ‘Zone of Peace’.

NEWS

[TOP]

People’s SAARC held

The three day Kathmandu Assembly of People’s SAARC concluded with a Kathmandu Declaration on Sunday and a mass meet at Basantapur Durbar Square.

All Delegates and representatives from SAARC countries expressed their commitment to justice, peace and democracy in the South Asian Region. The declaration laid a 28-point demand as an urgent need of people in this region.

The declaration has asked the governments to ensure a visa-free South Asia; to strengthen and institutionalize democracy, human rights and justice; to demilitarize and denuclearize the states; to promote communal harmony; and many other contemporary and emerging issues.
‘We express out solidarity with the people of Nepal in their struggle for realizing loktantra and further strengthen and defend the gains of pro-democracy movement’, read the declaration. They further warned that the people of this region are sovereign and independent to decide their way of life.

Source: Kathmandu Post, 26th March 2007

1st International Conference on Inter-country Adoption 2007 held

After much discourse and commitment amongst the concerned authorities on Inter-country adoption, the 1st International Conference on Inter-country Adoption is commencing from today.

The Ministry for Women, Children and Social Welfare with Central Child Welfare Board and Child NGO Federation Nepal are the organizers. Nepal Children’s Organization is the co-organizer.

This conference is an effort towards sharing the benefits to the children as the last resort, national and international legal frameworks and processes, and global inter-country adoption issues.

The conference provides a forum to discuss the existing practices in other countries. It hopes to access on the feedback fro other country authorities, international organizations and national delegates championing child rights.

Source: The Himalayan Times, 11th March 2007

Toll free number for lost and found children

Toll free number 104 has been started to inform lost and found children from today. The collaborative approach between Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare; Nepal Police; Central Child Welfare Board and organizations working for children made collaborative approach to establish liaison office for finding lost children on Mangsir 22nd 2063 B.S. In situation where killings, abduction, loss of children are raising, the toll free number will be a great help.

Source: Gorkhapatra, March 8th 2007

Salon run by Street Children

Once those hands of street children were busy collecting plastic, paper scrap from garbage heaps strewn over the streets, but now they are busy cutting hair in their own barber shop. Durga Rana and Bijay Khadka, both 18, are busy cutting hari and shaving the beards of customers in “Bishram Handsome Salon. Both of them after getting training under the program “Child labor Elimination” initiated by Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industries (PCCI), took Rs. 20000 loan from Child Development Bank and with their own savings from rag picking, opened a solon last month. Before going through the training, both were rehabilitated from drug addiction by Children Welfare Organization. The shop has been set up as an example for all in the society. Bijay said, “Now the people who earlier neglected us are our clients”. They save Rs. 100 a day after all expenses. However, both of them regret their illiteracy. “We have left our past far behind and are happy with the present work”, said Bijay.

Source: The Kathmandu Post, March 19 2007

Fourteen kids rescued

A team of Police, Officials of the District Child Welfare Committee Kathmandu and Child Care Homes Monitoring Committee rescued fourteen children who were locked up in an unregistered shelter home at Dallu – 29 on Friday, a team member said. Krishna Maya Fuki, owner of the one room shelter home has been taken into custody. The children hace been sent to Umbrella Nepal.

Source: The Himalayan Times, 03 March 2007

The Power of One

Sunita Tamang, 15, is a student at the Jana Bikas Secondary School in Biratnagar. She was in New York last week as a panelist in the ‘Girls Speak Out’ session at the 51st Commission on the Status of Women.

She spoke out her mind,” Many people still feel that it is a waste educating a girl because she will marry and go to someone else’s house. I was not sent to school as a child but am lucky enough that an agency like UNICEF was there assisting girls who missed out on regular school to attend catch-up classes. After two years of non-formal education, I joined regular school in grade five and I am now in grade ten, preparing for my S.L.C. I go to school in the mornings and work at a factory assembling match boxes in the afternoons”.

Adding to it, she along with other friends opened a ‘Working Children’s Club’ to help other working children in the community. They organized street dramas, quiz contests, cultural programs to make aware people about the issues of discrimination among girl and boy child; rights of working children; and HIV & AIDS. She says,” If this is what children could do, governments, with all their power and resources, should be able to do much more so that every boy and girl could go to school”.

Source: The Nepali Times, Issue: 339, 9-15 March 2007

CWIN IN ACTION

[TOP]

Radio Program ‘Bal Chautari’ launched

CWIN in collaboration with Plan-Nepal and Radio Sagarmatha launched ‘Bal Chautari’, a fortnightly radio program. The program is aired on Sundays from 6:00 – 6:45 pm on Sagarmatha FM 102.4 Mhz. It incorporates issues on child rights, children at risk and other children related issues.

CWIN celebrates the 97th International Women’s Day

March 07, 2007. CWIN Balika organized a ‘Poem Recitation Program by Children of CWIN’ and ‘Quiz competition among CWIN staff members’ on 7th March 2007 to mark 97th International Women’s Day.

Children from different CWIN homes recited poems and performed cultural program. Quiz competition was held among four groups of staff. Chairperson of the program Mr. Gauri Pradhan distributed prizes to the winners and participants of the program.

Street Drama ‘Hosiyaar’ staged at Basantapur

Performing a Street Drama

Street Theater Group formed by ex-street children currently working with CWIN Self Reliance Center staged ‘HOSIYAAR’, a drama, based on ill effects of glue sniffing, at Basantapur, Kathmandu on March 21st 2007. Glue sniffing is considered as a debut drug and is rampantly used among the street children and adolescents. The drama was performed with objectives to aware general public; shopkeepers and cobblers; about harmful effects of glue sniffing and minimise harms of glue sniffing among children. The group also distributed pamphlets, posters and leaflets related to glue sniffing and street children.

BITTER FACT

[TOP]

Facts about Girls in Nepal

Population	Girls in Nepal consist 49% of the total child population.
Literacy Rate	Literacy rate of girls is 42.8% compared to 65% with the boys. In Nepal, primary school going girls is 74% compared to 86% with the boys.
Child Marriage	21% of total marriages in Nepal are held with girls below 16 years. 7% of child marriages are held with children below 10 years. 41% of girls give birth to a child before the age of 19.
Child Labor Exploitation	Most of the household chores and child rearing activities are the responsibility of girls. Girls aged between 10-14 works double as compared to boys in the same age group. In Nepal, 26 lakh children are working in different fields of labor. Among this, 56% are reported to be girls.
Girl Trafficking	Girls are trafficked for different purposes including domestic work, forced beggary and marriage, carpet weaving and for sex trade. About 20% (i.e. 40,000) of the total trafficked women for sex trade are girls below 16 years. Around 12,000 girl children are trafficked in a year.
Child Malnutrition	Child malnutrition in Nepal is 56.2% in which the state of girls is more vulnerable than boys. Biologically boys are vulnerable to diseases but because of the societal behaviour, girls tend to be vulnerable.
Child sexual exploitation	Almost 60% of survivors of child sex abuse and rape are girls below 18 years. Most of them are abused either at home, educational institution, work place or any given place. They are insecure in all these places.
Gender Discrimination	Discrimination of girls is rampant in every sector of society including education, economy, health care and work wage.
Street Children	Among 5000 street children in Nepal around 5% are girls.
Conservative Tradition	omen and girls are regarded as "untouchable during menstrual period. In some parts of far western Nepal, they are not even allowed to stay inside home and forced to stay outside, mostly in the cattle house. Despite legal prohibition, sexual exploitation of girls in the form of traditional and religious customs, such as Deuki, Badi, Jhuma still exists in Nepal.
Armed Conflict	In past 12 years, 475 children have died due to internal armed conflict. Among them 139 are girls. In the course of armed conflict many incidences of sexual abuse of girls has been made public. Similarly, many children including girls have been displaced to city areas and are involved in exploitative labor sectors. (Source: CWIN NRC)

Source: UNICEF, Central Bureau of Statistics, CWIN National Recourse Centre

BOOK IN SPOTLIGHT

[TOP]

A Training Manual on ‘Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs’

Published by: CWIN- ADD (Alcohol, Drugs and Development)

This manual published by CWIN –ADD (Alcohol, Drugs and Development) gives a clear contextual picture of tobacco, alcohol and drugs in Nepal. It is reader friendly and has definitions of related matters; their effects; methods of prevention and cure, etc.

In addition to that, the latest data on the topic is also available. This manual is useful for those who conduct trainings on the related topics; for the researchers; and even for those who want to know more about tobacco, drugs and alcohol.

P.S.: This book is available at CWIN Resource Center, Rabibhawan, Kathmandu.