Extra efforts needed for child protection: PM Deuba

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said the additional effort is in need regarding the education, health and protection of children to protect them from the negative effects of COVID-19. The PM said this while extending best wishes in the virtual programme organized by the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen and the National Child Rights Council today on the auspicious occasion of 57th National Children's Day. Also, the chairperson of the 57th National Children's Day Main Programme Committee, said arrangements have been made for at least 20 per cent of beds for children in every COVID hospital.

Noting that the Constitution of Nepal has internalised children's rights as the fundamental rights, PM Deuba said the government has formulated and implemented Acts and laws related to children. "It is necessary for every household to be child-friendly for building a child-friendly nation by protecting the rights of the children. "The community, government, schools as well as the health services also should be made child-friendly. Protecting the children's rights is our collective responsibility," the Prime Minister stated. It is 30 years since Nepal became a state party to the United Nations Child Rights Convention, 1989. The day when the country endorsed the Convention is commemorated as National Children's Day. National Children's Day is being celebrated with various programmes under the theme 'COVID Pandemic: Protection of Child Rights is the Responsibility of All'. President of the House of Representatives, Women and Social Committee, Nirudevi Pal said National Children's Day should not be limited only to the slogan and wished that the country became free from street children. President of the District Coordination Committee Federation Nepal, Sita Sundas pointed out the need for practical implementation of the thinking that no child will be deprived of food, clothes and shelter. Member of the National Planning Commission, Saloni Singh, stressed the need of expressing common commitment for the protection of child rights and fighting violence against children and women.

Similarly, the Secretary at the Ministry and executive director of the Council, Milan Dharel, briefed about the initiatives taken in course of child rights protection and promotion as well as the achievements. UNICEF representative for Nepal, Elke Wisch, Chairperson of Municipal Association of Nepal, Ashok Byanju, and representatives of different ministries mentioned their initiatives taken for child rights, and extended best wishes of the Day. Similarly, a result of the three best videos related to child rights was also announced. Earlier, a two-minute video on the ‘Child rights in federal Nepal’ competition was announced. The video made by Amrit Rijal and Januka Jamarkattel won the first prize while the video made by Shraddha Shrestha and Srijanshil Sanstha Nepal bagged second and third prize respectively. The first video would get a prize of Rs 25,000 while second and third videos would bag Rs 20,000 and Rs 15,000 respectively.

Likewise, the road to stadium programme is being inaugurated under a campaign to make street-child free nation as well as Rugby training for street children. A total of 40 children rescued from the street would participate in the training.