Achievements in child welfare in Nepal lauded

By A Staff Reporter

Lalitpur, Apr. 12: UNICEF International spokesperson Vendela K. Thommessen today said Nepal had made substantial achievements in the field of child welfare, but called for more efforts to improve their situation.

"I was pleasantly surprised with the achievements in child welfare, but a lot more can be done yet," Thommessen who was in Nepal this week, told a press conference Friday afternoon.

"I found the Nepalese children working to raise the awareness of their parents," she said, adding, "I saw that women are gradually becoming more powerful."

"There are changes taking place' and I want to take back a positive message," the Swedish-model-and-actress-turned-UNICEF spokesperson said. She said education played a crucial role in changing the lives of the children, and stressed the need to educate domestic workers. She called for efforts to ensure safe motherhood.

"We are happy with the ways the non-governmental organisations and women's groups have been working to change children's lives in this country," said Kjersti F. Gjestvang, Executive Director of the Norwegian Committee for UNICEF. "We want to increase our support for Nepal."

UNICEF Nepal Representative Stewart McNab said the child mortality rate had been reduced due to the efforts of self-help schemes.

UNICEF has been working in Nepal for the last three decades to improve child health. The UN agency has been assisting the Nepalese government to provide polio vaccines and Vitamin A capsules to children, and iodised salt. It also supports water supply and sanitation programmes.

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