Her Majesty gives away Ratna Bidhya Padak

RSS

KATHMANDU, Aug. 20: On the occasion of the auspicious 75th birthday of Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Her Majesty Queen Komal Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah presented the 'Ratnabidhya Padak' (medal) to girl students securing first, second and third positions in the SLC examinations of 2057 and 2058 Bikram year, at a special function held at the Royal Palace today.

Girl students securing first, second and third positions respectively in the SLC in 2057 Bikram year were Ramila Silpakar of Everest Boarding Secondary School Bhaktapur, Jasmin Shakya of Little Angels Secondary School Lalitpur and Snidha Shubhas of Siddhartha Shishu Sadan Boarding Secondary School Dhanusha.

Similarly, girl students securing first, second and third positions in the SLC in 2058 are Lagika Shakya of Little Angels Secondary School Lalitpur, Elina Shrestha of the same school and Mona Dahal of Galaxy Public Secondary School Kathmandu respectively.

Prime Minister and Minister for Education and Sports Sher Bahadur Deuba and Minister of State for Education and Sports Narayan Prakash Saud were also present on the occasion.

The Ratnabidhya Padak, which was instituted by His late Majesty King Mahendra on Saun 12, 2017 Bikram year, has so far been presented to l36 girl students.

Princess Shobha opens fair

RSS

KATHMANDU, Aug. 20: On the occasion of the 75th auspicious birthday of Her Majesty the Queen Mother and 18th anniversary of central police family women's association, HRH Princess Shobha Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah inaugurated the anniversary fair-2002 here today.

On the occasion, HRH Princess Shobha inspected the fair and released a souvenir "Sahachari" published by the association.

Speaking at the inaugural function, Minister of State for Women, Children and Social Welfare Sushila Swanr said the monarchy is the symbol of unity in Nepal.

Association chairperson Shanta Rana and general secretary Sushila Bhattarai shed light on the activities of the association.

Govt committed to protect children's rights: PM

RSS

KATHMANDU, Aug. 20: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that His Majesty's Government has always been active in safeguarding the rights and interests of children.

Addressing a function held at the Bal Mandir at Naxal today on the occasion of the 75th auspicious birthday of Her Majesty Queen Mother Ratna Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah and 38th National Children's Day, Prime Minister Deuba said guaranteeing the rights of children is a significant responsibility of the government.

Deuba, who is chairman of Her Majesty the Queen Mother's auspicious birthday and National Children's Day celebration main committee, said it is not enough for the government to pay attention to the rights and welbeing of children as this is something that requires the cooperation of civic society in every effort made by the government.

Describing children's rights and the protection of children as a grave challenge facing us, Deuba said that because of poverty, ignorance and superstition children of school going age in the country are still deprived of education.

Pointing out that various social service organisations including the children's organisation are active in bringing relief and protection to helpless children and that His Majesty's Government is always ready to help out in this endeavour, the Prime Minister spoke of the need for paying special attention to children of school going age who remain deprived of education and to the protection of those involved directly or indirectly in child labour.

His Majesty's Government has arranged for scholarships for all Dalit children of school going age from this fiscal year so that nobody will remain deprived of education, he said.

The United Nations has implemented the convention on children's rights l990 and His Majesty's Government has not only endorsed this instrument but also brought into force the Children's Act 2048, he said and spoke of the need for coordinated effort from all sections of society in the development of children and the protection of their rights.

Remarking that the terrorists are keeping up their cycle of killings and violence and have even cast their evil gaze on organisations working to provide basic health care and education, the Prime Minister said innocent children have fallen victim to terrorism. Our security forces have now managed to take the edge off terrorist activity, he added.

The terrorists have not stopped killing and terrorising the simple people, he said and expressed confidence that the Royal Nepal Army and all the security forces would succeed in bringing this terrorism under control.

He also expressed confidence that cooperation would be forthcoming as ever from civil society in maintaining peace and order in society.

Remarking that many children have become orphaned and helpless because of terrorist violence, he said many families and their children have been displaced by flooding and landslides also this year.
He said Rs 5,000,000 from the Prime Minister's Relief Fund and Rs 80,000,000 to be made available within this month by USAID would be mobilised for the education, health care and rehabilitation of children who have been displaced or orphaned by violent incidents, natural calamity or in other special circumstances.

Top priority would be given to the rehabilitation of children and the young suffering from terrorism or natural calamity and to this end private boarding schools, technical schools and centers looking after children would be mobilised, he said.

Wishing for the health and long life of Her Majesty the Queen Mother and for the bright future of children throughout the country, Prime Minister Deuba offered heartfelt gratitude to Her Majesty the Queen Mother for assuming patronage of the children's organisation and providing affection to the children.

On the occasion the Prime Minister presented letters of appreciation to various individuals and organisations extending cooperation to the children's organisation.

Vice chairman of the main celebration committee and Minister of State for Women, Children and Social Welfare Sushila Swar said HMG has given top priority to the protection of children's rights and that the Tenth Plan has also given much importance to children's development.

Nepal Children's Organisation chairman Rita Singh Baidya chaired the function.

CIAA should intensify anti-graft war

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Aug. 20: The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) should be empowered to carryout its activities in controlling corruption. And it should no longer remain a toothless tiger, said ministers, senior politicians, lawyers and bankers here today. They said that the CIAA's move should not be taken critically.

Speaking at a programme organised by the Reporter's Club, Minister for General Administration Khem Raj Bhatta Mayalu said that the CIAA should take bold steps in controlling corruption. "We should be honest towards our promise we made in 1990." He further said that the government is fully committed to controlling corruption. However, efforts of the CIAA and the government are not enough, the civil society should be equally cautious to single out the corrupt people in the society, he said.
Following the amendment of the Anti-corruption Act, the CIAA has become more active and powerful, said Minister Mayalu.

Minister of State for Home Devendra Raj Kandel, assured that the government would provide every kind of support to the CIAA in its efforts to control corruption.

"Not only government employees, the CIAA should also carry out its investigation on the politicians, incumbent ministers and former ministers," State Minister Kandel affirmed.

Auditor General Bishnu Bahadur KC said that more than 50 per cent of Nepal's problems would be solved if corruption were controlled. He also blamed the government officials for not becoming accountable. "There is serious leakage in revenue and in the field of public construction. More than 90 per cent of the government offices have not settled their accounts."

Former Finance Minister and standing committee member of the Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) Bharat Mohan Adhikari, said that his party would fully support the CIAA's latest move. However the CIAA should be transparent in its actions, Adhikary said.

Former Finance Minister and leader of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani pointed out the need to empower the constitutional body to curb corruption. The CIAA's move is appreciable, but it should be continued with due legal process, he added.

Dr. Lohani also pointed out the need for an effective court system to control corruption.

Hom Nath Dahal, spokesman of the Nepali Congress, said that the country has long been suffering from corruption as well as the Maoist insurgency.

Krishna Sitaula, leader of the Nepal Congress (Girija Congress) said that the role of constitutional bodies including the CIAA should be redefined in the constitution.

Former Chief commissioner of CIAA Radha Raman Upadhyay, said that the CIAA move should be taken positively. However, advocate Shushil Pant raised the legal implications of the CIAA. "It should also be taken from the humanitarian point of view."

SAARC Agenda: Terrorism, poverty alleviation at the top

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Aug. 20: The two-day SAARC Standing Committee meeting adopted various agenda submitted by SAARC Programming Committee before it came to a conclusion today.

The 28th Standing Committee, chaired by Nepalese Foreign Secretary Madhu Raman Acharya and participated by other six foreign secretaries of SAARC member nations, discussed on 24 agenda of the Programming Committee and adopted them before its conclusion this evening, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pushkar Man Singh Rajbhandari told journalists.

Some of the agenda that were put forwarded by the Programming Committee and were later deliberated and adopted by the Standing Committee include: suppression of terrorism, acceleration of economic cooperation, poverty alleviation, controlling the trafficking of women and children for prostitution, controlling drug and narcotics smuggling and tourism promotion among the member states.

It also adopted measures to enhance the status of education and establishment of scholarship schemes and media centre in the region.

Joint Secretary Rajbhandari said that today's meeting of the Standing Committee adopted SAARC Secretary General's reports with some recommendation. The Secretary General reports proposed some measures to be followed by the SAARC Poverty Alleviation Programme Governing Board was endorsed. The committee issued directive to the Governing Board that it should accept the recommendations made by the Secretary General.

It discussed the matters relating to the execution of SAARC Integrated Action Plan. The Secretary General was authorized to review the functioning of the Plan. The committee asked him not to wait for reports of the Technical Committee while reviewing it.

The secretary general was further authorised to schedule the dates for the next SAARC Summit with the consultation of the host country. It empowered the Secretary General to pursue the initiative and finalise the process for signing memorandum of understanding with international and regional agencies and hold meetings with international organisations that are keen to establish relations with the SAARC.

Regarding the control on terrorism, the committee thought that the Conventions on the Suppression of Terrorism in SAARC region need to be improved, especially after the September 11 incident. It has necessitated additional protocol, which can only be done by a ministerial level meeting.

The committee recommended a meeting of the region legal advisors to take these measures while preparing a report, Rajbhandari said. The meeting also recommended the periodical meeting of heads of police of the member countries to combat the menace of terrorism and drug and narcotics smuggling.

The Third SAARC regional police heads meeting will be held in Kathmandu in 28-29 August, this year, he said.

On the SAARC Convention on Trafficking of Women for Prostitution, the committee deliberated about the broadening of scope of the convention to fight the menace of trafficking. The recommendation may be considered after the Convention comes into full force. The Committee supported the idea that a women advocacy group should be constituted to deal with the evil of human trafficking.

As per the 11th SAARC Summit's reaffirmation for the acceleration of economic cooperation in the region, the committee adopted Programming Committee's recommendation to expedite economic cooperation that would invariably assist in poverty alleviation programme, Rajbhandari added.
The Fourth Round of meeting of regional trade forum-SAPTA-will aim at trade negotiations, tariff concessions and product coverage. The Committee endorsed that the 11th SAPTA meeting would be hosted in Kathmandu on October 26-27 this year.

The committee welcomed the India's idea that South Asia should be promoted as the tourist destination. The region should be given priority as the tourist destination and should encourage the people of the South Asia to take up the region as their primary tourist destination. For this, senior tourism related persons should hold a meeting. India's offer to host the conference on tourism has also been endorsed.

During the meeting, India's offering to host the second meeting of the vice chancellors of the open universities of the member countries. The purpose of the meeting is to establish the SAARC Consortium for Open Universities and Distant Learning. Bangladesh offered to host third meeting the vice chancellors.

The Committee welcomed Bangladesh's offer to host SAARC University Grant Commission conference as per the recommendation made by the 11th SAARC Summit. The purpose of such meetings is to have university degree courses, which will be agreed upon by the member nations, and to raise the standard of higher education in the region.

Recommendations relating to the establishement of SAARC Chair Fellowship and Scholarship Scheme were also adopted.

Likewise, Bangladesh's offer that it would host first conference of SAARC editors and journalists in November 2002 was also endorsed. The participating seven secretaries of the member nations agreed to form SAARC Information Centre. It has also proposed a SAARC Media Fund. It has agreed to prepare a feasibility report to establish the Fund.

The committee also endorsed the second SAARC Transportation and Telecommunication conference to be held in Pakistan. Ministers would deliberate SAARC action plan on telecommunication at the meeting.

US grants $ 5 M to combat child labour

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Aug. 20: The U.S. Department of Labour has granted US$5 million to Nepal's pilot project to combat the worst forms of child labour in the country, a press statement of the American Center in Kathmandu said Tuesday. Nepal is among the just three countries, including El Salvador and Tanzania, to receive such grants.

The project will be implemented by the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO/IPEC).

The grant was made in response to a commitment by the Government of Nepal to develop a comprehensive and integrated set of initiatives to eliminate the worst forms of child labour within a given period, the statement said.

Coinciding with Children's Day, Nepal and ILO together launched the first ever such programme in the country. Efforts will be made to strengthen legislation and its enforcement to produce new pro-poor as well as child-friendly labour, and raise awareness on the issue.

The time bound programme will carry out specific interventions for 127,000 children engaged in the worst forms of labour through educational opportunities and vocational training, and provide income generating support to 35,000 families of child labourers in 35 districts.

Nepal has about 2.6 million child labourers.

The Embassy of United States of America has welcomed the agreement reached between the Finance Ministry and the International Labor Organisation (ILO) to combat the worst forms of Child labour in the country.

Nepal's US $ 5 million pilot project is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to the ILO's International Programme on the Elimination of Child Labour (ILO/IPEC), a press statement issued by the U.S. embassy here said.

The statement also added that the grant was in response to His Majesty Government's commitment to combat and eliminate worst forms of child labour within the defined time frame.

Advocate Pradhan abandons Maoist activities

RSS

KATHMANDU, Aug. 20: Mukti Pradhan, who was involved in Maoist terrorist activities, announced that he had abandoned the Maoist group.

Pradhan was a member of the so-called joint revolutionary People's Council coordinated by central leader of the terrorist outfit Dr. Baburam Bhattarai.

An advocate by profession, Pradhan had gone underground since the enforcement of the state of emergency.

He made himself public in presence of some human rights activists and journalists at the National Human Rights Commission on Monday.

Though known to be the policy maker and enforcer for the CPN-Maoist's Valley Bureau, he denied it.
Talking to RSS, Pradhan said he wished to return back to his profession abiding by the present constitution and work for peace and human rights.

He also expressed the confidence that the country could move ahead towards the future by developing and strengthening the present constitution and protecting the achievements of the historical popular movement of 1990.

"I appeal to friends who agree with this view to think seriously in time for the interest of Nepal and the Nepalis," says Pradhan in a statement released by him.

He also told RSS that as a common citizen of the nation, the government could ask him for any kind of information, but he should be provided protection.

Pradhan taken home yesterday by the security personnel in presence of the human rights activists and the journalists.

Raghunath Adhikari, co-ordinator of human rights and social justice forum, a forum of human rights organisation that organised a meeting between the NHRC and Pradhan, says that the government should protect the life of Pradhan and that the government should resolve the Maoist problem through dialogue.

General secretary of Informal Sector Services Centre (INSEC) Subodh Raj Pyakurel said the state should respect and take the responsibility of providing security to the persons who have expressed their determination to resolve the problem of the people and country through the medium of the constitution.

As the Maoists have raised the issue of talks, the government should take this opportunity, he adds.

Gautam Buddha Peace Prize instituted

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Aug. 20: The Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) has made a historical decision to establish a US$50,000 Gautam Buddha Peace Prize to be given to national and international agencies or persons involved in maintaining peace in the world.

The cash prize will be given every five years on the occasion of Buddha Purnima in April-May. Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Bal Bahadur K. C. informed this at a meeting of the preparatory committee constituted to organize the Second World Buddhist Summit slated to be held from November 30 - December 2 this year. The details of the prize will be worked out later, he said.
The meeting of the LDT's executive committee on August 17 took this decision. The meeting also decided to set up a Rs. 10 million revolving fund within a week.

The prize will be given from the interest of the revolving fund, into which His Majesty's Government will add Rs. 1 million every year. The amount from the revolving fund will not be mobilised for any other purpose.

Minister K.C. said that the commitments made during the first summit held in Nepal in 1998 should be reviewed. The summit had decided to organize a meet every two years, but that could not materialise in 2000.

Minister K.C. also asked that a secretariat be set up within a week.

Speaking about the objectives of the Buddhist meet, member secretary of the LDT Janak Lal Shrestha said that it had constituted 13 sub-committees to make it a success. This was decided by the meeting of the main organizing committee headed by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.
The LDF needs about Rs. 11 million to organise the summit in Nepal, but the government has allocated only Rs. 5 million for it.

Disability cases highest in mountains: Study

By A Staff Reporter

LALITPUR, Aug. 20: About 371,442 people in Nepal are believed to have some form of disability, which is 1.63 per cent of the total population, a survey has shown.

It reveals disability cases to be the highest in the mountains (1.88 per cent), followed by the hills (1.64 per cent) and the terai (1.45 per cent).

Nearly 1.65 per cent of the disabled people live in the rural areas, while 1.43 per cent in the urban belts, states the survey 'A Situation Analysis of Disability in Nepal' that was released here today. It was jointly conducted by the National Planning Commission (NPC), UNICEF and New Era.

The study was carried out in 30 districts covering all the ecological regions and zones. A sampling of 13,005 households, both rural and urban, covering 75,944 people was taken for the study.
The objective of the study was to develop a comprehensive definition for all kinds of disabilities and to collect nation-wide data and information about the situation and services for the people with disabilities, the survey says.

More than half the disabilities occur before the age of five due to illness or incident. Nearly one third of the people living with disabilities have multiple disabilities. Some 68.2 per cent of them have no access to education. Almost half the disabled people look after themselves.

Analysis of the study indicates that disability is directly associated with poverty and further linked to mortality. In areas where the health services are poor, chances of surviving the accidents and severe illness are low.

The study defines a disabled person as one who cannot perform daily activities of life considered normal for his or her age. The survey has covered people with physical, mental, speech, multiple and other disabilities.

It has classified the disabilities into four categories: communication disability, locomotion disability, mental disability and complex disability.

Releasing the report, Dr. Prakash Saran Mahat, an NPC member, said that it was a comprehensive overview of the most neglected section of society. "The report can be a milestone in a direction to bringing the disabled people into the mainstream of development," he added.

Steward McNab, UNICEF representative, said that the survey would act as a useful tool for planning and coordinating at policy, programme and project levels in Nepal.

"From a human rights perspective, there is clearly a need to be more inclusive of the disabled in development programming," McNab said.

Ram Krishan Tiwari, joint-secretary, NPC and Padma Mathem, under secretary, NPC spoke on the status of the disabled in the national policy framework while Anju Shree Pradhan of New Era presented the details of the study. Lawyer Mihir Thakur highlighted the legal aspects of disability in Nepal.

The study has found disability to be more prevalent among males than females. This could be because disabilities in women could not be identified and were hidden due to social stigma. Girls and women are often able to perform certain activities, albeit at enormous personal cost (pain or effort) to hide the disease, the finding said.

A higher portion of disabled persons was found among the Sherpa, Tamang, Magar, Tharu and occupational caste groups. The higher incidence of disability among these groups could be due to their poverty, hardship and social disadvantage.

Disease played an important role in contributing towards all types of disabilities with about 30.3 per cent of the causes attributed to disease.

People still believe that having disabled members in the house is the result of their fate (28.4 per cent) while some have superstitious beliefs and even give magical explanations for the cause of disability. The findings show that few people are aware about the medical cause of disability.

Age specified disabilities in the population indicate that the prevalence of disability among the working age group (15-59) was 1.99 per cent, which accounted for 64.3 per cent of the total number of disabled persons.