Campaign against corporal punishment of children

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KATHMANDU, April 30:The theme for the first Spank Out Day 2002-Nepal is ‘Raising Responsible (Good) Kids Without Hitting’. A concept that is new to parents and teachers in Nepal.

At a programme held at Ratna Rajya School here today, the Central for Effective Discipline (CED)/End Physical Punishment of Children (EPOCH-USA) launched the beginning of the awareness campaign. The same awareness programme was also held in Biratnagar today.

"This campaign aims at providing awareness "to parents and teachers" through brochures on how to raise children without hitting," said the organiser, Ramesh Koirala, adding, "We have the target to cover all the public schools in Nepal."

The brochures that will be distributed amongst parents and teachers in the public schools of Nepal contain information on how to raise well-behaved children. There are two editions of these brochures. One focuses on babies and toddlers while the other is for school-age children.

The one for babies and toddlers advises parents and teachers to avoid spanking children. It states that with the hitting of children, what they learn is the way to solution of the problems lies upon violence.

It also says that children might stop misbehaving when the spanking person is around. Spanking,however, doesn’t help children to develop a better behaviour on their own.

In the school-age edition, the brochure teaches adults to realise what children would feel when they are spanked. It says that hitting children often makes them very angry. They feel they are bad and this lowers their respect for their parents.

Since, children learn while they grow up, it is necessary for adults to explain and reason with them when they misbehave. This would lead them to grow up using intelligence to solve problems instead of taking resort to violence.

CED, a non-profit organisation based in Ohio (USA), was founded in 1987 with an aim to provide educational information to the public on the efforts of corporal punishment of children and alternatives to its use. Spank Out Day, USA was initiated in 1998 to give widespread attention to the need to end corporal punishment of children and to promote non-violent ways of teaching children appropriate behaviour.

EPOCH-USA, a programme of the CED and part of an international effort to end corporal punishment of children through education and legal reform, sponsors Spank Out Day, USA each year. It asks all parents, guardians, teachers and caretakers who still use corporal punishment as an alternative to discipline and order.

Book fair from May 3

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KATHMANDU, April 30:The 6th Nepal Education and Book Fair will be held at the Bhrikuti Mandap starting May 3 to May 11, 2002. The fair will be presenting educational exhibition in Hall "A" from May 3 – May 6 while book fair will be held in Hall "B" from May 3 – May 13.

In a press release issued here by the Global Exposition and Management Services, the book fair is being held with an aim to bring together individuals and experts for educational and personal development and to introduce to them various other similar organisations.

Neighbouring countries like India as well as the third world countries, universities, training centres, schools, educational institutions and publishers will take part in the book fair.

Bhagawan Mahavir’s 2600th birth anniversary observed

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KATHMANDU, April 30:To mark the 2600th birth anniversary of Bhagawan Mahavir a programme was organised here today.

The conclusion of the one-year-campaign associated with the birth anniversary of Mahavir was also observed on the same occasion. The programme was organised by the Bhagawan Mahavir 2600th birth anniversary national festival committee.

Bhagawan Mahavir was a personality who dominated not only history but also was adorned in prehistoric times. He was a person who spent his entire life preaching peace. The people who follow the Jain religion across the world devote themselves to his teachings of non-violence.

On the occasion, the President of the committee and Speaker Taranath Ranabhat said, "Our country is in a very volatile situation at present", adding, "It is necessary for the people to follow the path of non-violence shown by Bhagawan Mahavir to restore peace and harmony in the nation."

"Therefore, on the last day of this one-year-campaign we, the committee, want to express the message of peace and harmony" said Ranabhat.

At the function, committee member for the National Festival Committee, Hulas Chand Golchha said, "In the recent past we organised various programmes to mark the anniversary of Bhagawan Mahavir", adding, "The most prized accomplishment was the launching of 10,000 silver coins produced after the succession of our King"

At the programme, the book ‘Bhagawan Mahavir’s 2600th Birth Anniversary Festival Souvenir 2059 BS’ was also released.

The co-ordinator of the book and Chairman of Kantipur Publications, Hem Raj Gyawali expressed his gratitude to the committee for giving him the opportunity to be a part of this festival.

At the function, Minister Chiranjivi Wagle said, "Bhagawan Mahavir sacrificed his life for the sake of humankind", adding, "The path of non-violence he showed to the mankind will always remain an important guideline to follow."

"If we are able to implement his preachings into practice, the current confusion of the present society can be removed." said Wagle.

Govt to table bill on Dalits’ uplift

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KATHMANDU, April 30:The government is going to table the bill on the uplift of the Dalits in the upcoming 22nd session of the Parliament, said Minister of State for Local Development Duryodhan Singh here today.

"The Cabinet of Ministers currently is mulling over the bill on the uplift of the Dalits," Minister of State Singh said. "We need inputs from experts and intellectuals are required to give final touch to the bill."

Speaking at a workshop organised jointly by the Social Justice Committee of the House of Representatives and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the capital, Minister of State Singh said the discussion would further help the government in formulating proper policy for the uplift of the Dalits.

He was also hopeful that the recently formed National Dalits Commission would give necessary inputs in the government bid to draft the bill. "I hope the Commission would help to attain the welfare of the Dalits and other nationalities," he said. "The proposed bill has incorporated the provisions of education, employment, religion and income generation schemes for the oppressed section of the society, including the Dalits," he further said.

Speaking on the occasion, Chairman of the National Assembly, Dr Mohammed Mohsin, underlined the need of reservations for the Dalits in education, employment and income-generating schemes. "We should uplift the Dalits through reservations and by giving social respect to them," said Dr Mohsin.

Dr Mohsin also said that the failures in governance mechanism have severely marred the development of almost every section of the society.

Chief Whip of the main opposition CPN-UML Bharat Mohan Adhikari also stressed the need of reservations for the Dalits. "There should be reservation of six seats for the Dalits, and six seats for the nationalities in the Upper House of Parliament," Adhikari said.

Unless special programmes are designed for the Dalits, their uplift would merely remain a daydream and justice cannot be ensured, Adhikari added.

Lawmaker Bijul Kumar Bishwokarma said if the Bill is endorsed by the Parliament, it can ensure all-round development of the Dalits.

Araniko’s statue in China 

RSS

KATHMANDU, April 30:The Araniko Samaj Nepal is to install a full-size statue of Araniko, renowned sculptor and national hero of Nepal in Peking of China.

In 1271, sculptor Araniko had worked in the construction of the then highest (50 meter) white pagoda stupa in Peking.

The statue of sculptor Araniko is being installed in the premises of the same stupa.

The statue was prepared in Nepal and then taken to China.

A team led by chairperson of the society Anup Bhattarai has already left for Peking, said the society.

INF marks golden jubilee

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KATHMANDU, April 30:International Nepal Fellowship (INF), the oldest International Government Organisation (INGO) in Nepal, together with representatives from government, local and international non-governmental organisations and supporters celebrated its golden jubilee here today, according to a press release issued by the INF here today.

The INF first came to Nepal in 1952 shortly after the country opened its borders to the outside world, following many years of working with the Nepali people on the Nepal-India border. The pioneers of INF walked from Butwal to Pokhara and founded a hospital as a base for medical work in the Kaski district.

Speaking on the occasion, executive director of INF said, "We are celebrating a major occasion in the life of our organisation." "We are looking forward to more exciting opportunites in the future of INF in serving the people of Nepal," he said.

Furthermore,to underline its long-term commitment to the poor and marginalised group in the Nepali society, INF launched a special fund-raising campaign entitled ‘Remember Me’ in the first week of April. It is hoped that through this campaign, supporters from around the world will make financial donations for INF’s community health work among the ‘Poorest of the Poor in Nepal’.