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Volume 5, No 2, February,
2008
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TABLE
OF CONTENTS
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Editorial
CWIN in News
Children in
News
Book review
Press release
Fact sheet
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Suffering
students
Strikes have now become the main weapon for
achieving a goal no matter what it is. For weeks, Terai has been
reeling under an indefinite strike that was called for political
reasons. Since Thursday (February 7, 2008), the Maoist-affiliated
Nepal Educational Republican Forum (NERF), which claims to protect
the rights of teachers, has shut down schools across the country.
Innocent students have been denied their right to education.
The irony is that teachers, who are supposed
to be the role models of these innocent children, are preventing
them from attending schools. The frequent closure of educational
institutions will have serious consequences. Firstly, the strike
has certainly affected the academic calendar. Secondly, many parents
who can afford to educate their children abroad will rethink their
decision to keep them in the country. One way or the other, the
country's economy is paying the price for such frequent closures
of educational institutions.
The Guardian's Association Nepal (GAN)
has urged Nepal Educational Republican Forum (NERF) not to shut
down schools as a tool to meet their demands. In its statement,
issued on Monday (4 February 2008), GAN said the teachers should
stop violating children's right to education in order to fulfil
their own rights. "Teachers' way of closing down school for
their own sake carries a very negative message to the students,"
the statement said. "They will be more disturbed this time
as the final exam of the academic session is nearing."
"School
as Zones of Peace" (SZOP) and "Smoke free Zones"
declaration in schools of Rolpa
Since 2003, CWIN-Nepal has been working in 11 VDCs (Libang, Khumel,
Dhawang, Mijhing, Junkot, Kareti, Sakhi, Jhenam, Dubring, Khungri
and Whama) of Rolpa through which twelve thousand children have
directly benefited. In 2007, CWIN provided 208 furniture sets
to 11 schools, swing and sports materials to 16 schools, construction
of toilets and repair work (drinking water) in 16 schools, 21
classrooms and door, window repair in 7 schools. CWIN-Nepal, Rolpa
provided Rs. 15000 as emergency fund for 10 VCPCs (Village Child
Protection Committee). 72 children of 34 Child Clubs received
journalism training, 61 children child rights training and 89
children training on child participation in the Constituent Assembly
and training regarding the protection of children from landmines.
Furthermore 6 schools have been declared as SZOP (School as Zones
of Peace) and "Smoke free zones."
Source: Janadisha, February 11, 2008.
Blood cancer among
children common
More children have been identified having cancer because of the
better availability of testing services. At least 50 percent of
the diagnosed children could be cured completely if the cancer
was found on time and the treatment started immediately. The amount
of diagnosed cases has risen due to increased awareness amongst
people and their willingness to bring their children for check-up.
Furthermore, as the assistant director at Kanti Children's Hospital,
Dr. Kailash Shah, noted the easy access to health services and
testing facilities has helped to identify more cases of cancer.
He said 80% eye cancer, 90% of kidney and 80% of lymph nodes in
children are curable if they are detected on time. He said this
year's World Cancer Day focuses on children and in providing them
with smoke free environment, because smoke is the major cause
of cancer among children. The theme for this year is "I Like
My Smoke Free Childhood."
Dr. Shah also said that blood cancer was most common among children
and 80% of the children with cancer are found to have blood cancer
or leukemia.
If children suffer from high fever for long time, if the whole
body turns white, there is bleeding from the gum, swelling of
liver, spleen and gland, they might be symptoms of leukemia and
should be taken seriously, he informed. Most leukemia can be cured
with chemotherapy.
Source: The Rising Nepal, February 5, 08.
Child
soldiers still recruited
According to UN, children are still recruited as child soldiers
even after the peace agreement in Nepal., A report prepared by
UN on the situation of 12 countries' armed conflict and recruitment
of child soldiers states that within the period of one year of
peace agreement in Nepal, four children have been recruited as
combatants by CPN-Maoist. Two of the children have escaped from
the camp. The report was launched by UN general secretary Ban
Ki-moon, who is concerned about the fact that such an activity
can take place even after the peace process.
The use of children in Young Communist League (YCL) by Maoists
was also included in the report. The UN criticized the state for
not giving attention to the reintegration of more than 300 children
who have come out of the camps. The situation of Armed conflict
and child soldiers of Nepal, Afghanistan, Burundi, Chad, Columbia,
Democratic Republic Congo, Myanmar, Philippines, Somalia, Srilanka
and Uganda were reported in the UN publication.
Source: Annapurna Post, February 1, 08.
A
girl raped by a teacher
A social science teacher of Amar Jyoti Secondary School, Jamuni,
Bardiya raped 9 year old girl from Manau 4, Bardiya. The teacher
was living in a rented house in Nepalgunj, where he kept the girl
as a domestic worker. The girl has accused him of raping her two
nights in a row. The incident came out in public after the girl
had told the incident to the owner of the house. .After the incident
she was not able to walk. Her cheeks and lips were hurt and tongue
and private parts swollen.
The teacher has been arrested and human rights organizations have
put petition in district police office to take actions against
the teacher. NHRC, Advocacy Forum, Human Rights Planning and Nepal
Bar were amongst the organisations calling for action against
the teacher. At present the girl is under protection of Maiti
Nepal.
Source: Naya Patrika, February 2, 08.
A daughter being
gambled
In Doti, on the 3rd of February 2008,
a gambler gambled his own daughter after losing 30 thousand rupees,
and being unable to pay his depths. Therefore, , in order to keep
his promise he will wed his 9 years old daughter with the 30 years
old son of the man who had won.
According to Ms. Deepa Shrestha, President of Women Rights Forum,
Doti; Dil Bahadur Mahara from Kafalekhi, had promised to wed his
daughter after loosing in gambling. The names of the winner and
the person who is to marry the girl have not yet been published.
Ms. Shrestha clarified that she had received
the information from the female leaders of the same VDC. Furthermore,
she had informed the District Police Office, Doti soon after receiving
the message.
Similarly, Assistant Police Inspector of District
Police Office, Mr. Dilip Deupa reported that a team of investigators
had been sent to investigate the issue. Kafalekhi is four hours
away from Dipayal, district headquarter of Doti.
Source: Kantipur Daily, February 3, 08.
Mentally ill child chained
for five years
Jhalari (Kanchanpur): A seven-year-old child
has been kept chained for the last five years. Lal Singh Srki
of Bhujela village of Mahendranagar Municipality-11 is living
in chains since he was two years old. He was kept in chains after
he was found to be mentally imbalanced. Lal Singh's father Jamjati
said that the family could not gather enough resources for the
treatment of his son. "As thee is no one to take care of
him when the family members go to work, he has to be kept in chains."
he said. The family said no social organization has approached
the family to rescue and treat the child so far.
Source: The Rising Nepal, February 14, 2008.
 Constituent
Assembly and Children (Sambidhan Sabha ra Balbalika)
"Constituent Assembly and Children"
(Sambidhan Sabha ra Balbalika) is a book examining the issues
of children in the context of the constituent assembly. The book,
published by CWIN-Nepal in a partnership with Save the Children,
analyses policies, which are to be formulated and further implemented
as a part of the process of building a New Nepal. The book provides
information on both the foundation and the future of the process
of building a New Nepal. In particular, the focus is on issues,
such as, children's concerns in the context of Nepal's constitutional
history, Child Rights and the new constitution, and the role of
stakeholders of child rights in the constituent assembly. Moreover,
the book addresses child rights in the context of restructuring
the state and electing the constituent assembly. The book was
prepared after series of discussions held with children and different
stakeholders during National campaign on "Let's build New
Nepal with Children."
 New
Nepal and Child Rights (Naya Nepal ra Bal-Adhikar)
CWIN-Nepal has published a book "New Nepal
and Child Rights" (Naya Nepal ra Bal-Adhikar). This book
deals with various issues, such as, the emergence and historical
background of the concept of 'New Nepal', and the issues related
to children which need to be addressed as a part of the process
of building the new Nepal. The book is divided into four chapters;
the first chapter outlining the book's perspective on New Nepal
and the second chapter outlining the issues of children related
to the concept of New Nepal. Furthermore, the third chapter addresses
the constituent assembly and child participation whereas the fourth
focuses on the legislation of children in Nepal's interim constitution
of 2063. The book was prepared after series of discussions held
with children and different stakeholders during National campaign
on "Let's build New Nepal with Children."
February 21, 2008
Do not
hamper children's right to education
20th February, 2008 in Garuda VDC of Rautahat district, unknown
group torched the school office of Garuda Higher Secondary School,
Garuda, Rautahat. Due to the fire, school's asset worth of approximately
five lakhs and the registration form of class 12 have been destroyed.
We request Nepal Government to investigate the incident and take
action against the perpetrator. Similarly, we appeal everyone
not to hamper the education of children through strikes and the
closure of schools.
The schools of Eastern hill- and tarai regions
have been closed completely due to movement and general strike,
called by different political parties and groups. This may affect
the coming exams and final exams of other classes. Furthermore,
the disturbances in transportation and shortages of food items
affect children. These strikes and closures have violated the
notion of "Children are Zones of Peace." We request
all not to affect the rights of children by any movements.
Children in Nepal
- The mortality rate of children below 5 years
of age is 76 per 1000 birth.
- Every year 27,000
children die due diarrhoea.
- 46 percent of children
are suffering of malnutrition.
- Children aged below
16 year's constitute 40.94 percent of the total population.
- 87 percent of children are admitted in primary
level school.
- Children have contributed
6 percent of Nepal's total domestic production.
- 10 percent of children
are handicapped out of total population of Nepal.
- Twelve thousands Nepali
girls are sold in India every year.
- There are 2.6 million
child labourers in Nepal.
- Fifty-six thousand
children work as domestic child labour.
- Forty-six thousand
children have worked as child porters.
- There are forty thousand
bonded child labourers.
- There are fifty-nine
thousand child labour workers in the brick-kilns in Nepal.
- There are seventy-two
thousand child labourers working in tea shops in Nepal.
- 32 thousand children
are involved in macadam area in Nepal.
- In Nepal, 15 thousand
child labourers are involved in mechanical area.
- In the Kathmandu
valley, there are 22 hundred children working as transportation
labour.
- There are approximately five thousand street
children in Nepal.
- Out of all marriages,
37 percent are child marriages.
- Four hundred eighty-seven
children have lost their lives in the armed conflict in Nepal.
- 17.4 percentages of
children in the aged between 10-16 years consume alcohol in
various forms. 21.25 percentages of them are boys and 11.25
percentages girls.
- Out of the total population of children
20 percentage are Dalit (19 lakhs in numbers).
Source: Ministry of Health, Ministry
of Education, UNICEF Nepal, ILO, Geneva2006, Concern, National
Planning Commission, CWIN National Resource Centre on Child Rights
and Children in Conflict
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