37-Point Declaration Issued to Prioritize Child Rights at National Level
The Child Rights Learning Conference 2083 has issued a 37-point declaration calling for the protection and holistic development of children’s rights to be prioritized at the national level. Kathmandu, 3 Bhadra. The conference emphasized the need to place child rights protection and overall development as a national priority by releasing this comprehensive declaration. Organized by the Children Peace Zone National Campaign (CPZNC), the two-day conference was held in Kathmandu on Bhadra 2 and 3. Over 150 organizations and stakeholders from 50 districts participated in the event.
The declaration advocates for the effective implementation of the constitution, laws, policies, and programs that guarantee children’s rights to survival, protection, development, and participation. It stresses that the best interests of children must be prioritized in policies, plans, and budgets at all three levels of government. The declaration also calls for the effective enforcement of the Child Budget Code of Procedure, 2082, ensuring adequate budget allocation, expenditure, and monitoring dedicated to children.
Additionally, the declaration highlights the necessity of establishing a high-level mechanism for the effective coordination of child rights-related work. The conference demands the maintenance of the legal minimum age of marriage at 20 years to end child marriage, as well as the robust advancement of programs aimed at eradicating child labor, child trafficking, and creating a child labor-free Nepal. It further calls for ending violence, abuse, exploitation, and both physical and mental punishment against children. The declaration also urges the creation of a safe digital environment to protect children from online violence and risks, and the provision of essential psychosocial and health services in schools to promote children’s mental health.
The declaration commits to ensuring the rights of children with disabilities and marginalized children, making schools child-friendly and disability-inclusive, expanding the afternoon snack program up to grade 10, and establishing the necessary infrastructure for dignified menstrual health management. It also stresses the importance of meaningful participation of children in policies and decision-making processes related to them, protecting children from disasters and unsafe structures, and implementing the concept of “schools and children as zones of peace” in practice. The conference was supported by various child rights organizations active in Nepal, including Jagriti Children and Youth Concern Nepal from Banke, along with representatives of children and adolescents, development partners, and other stakeholders.
Participants from various districts shared experiences, challenges, and best practices related to child rights protection, with a focus on local government initiatives, achievements, and upcoming hurdles.