Conflicts, violence influence children's behaviour

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 2: The language children use, the games they play and most of their activities are affected by conflicts and violence. Their emotions reveal frustrations, fear and acts of revenge.
This was stated in an annual report on the 'State of the Child Rights in Nepal-2003' prepared by Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN). Addressing the press meet, President of the organisation, Gauri Pradhan said that the plight of the children needed to be improved. The census of 2058 states that the population of children in the country is 475,894 or 14 % of the country's total population.

This year 273 children died in various accidents and 86 were seriously injured. 79 died from natural calamities and the whereabouts of 12 children affected by natural disasters is not known.
There were 15 child marriage cases reported this year. UNICEF estimates that about 34 per cent of the total marriages of children are under 16 years.

The cases of sexual exploitation have also increased. In May 2002 CWIN rescued three children from such exploitation. Children who are brought to town from rural areas to work in homes are usually sexually abused. There were 91 child rape cases, including five boy children, reported this year and 33 per cent of these involved those under 10 years of age. More than 20 per cent of the girl children in schools are sexually harassed. ILO estimaed that 30 per cent of the total Commercial Sex Workers in Nepal are children and the majority of them work in restaurants. Some 49 children were trafficked compared to only 35 last year. There were 18 such cases reported in Bhutanese refugee camps.
Initiative for Social Change, an India NGOs, has stated that 34 per cent of the girls trafficked from Nepal are children below 16 years. These children are mostly found in Bombay, Delhi and Kolkata.
Fifty six cases involved exploitation of children in domestic violence and children who were left by their parents.

More than 60 children were killed in insurgencies and 49 others were badly injured this year and a total of 146 were killed in the seven years of Maoist activities. Of them 95 were severely injured. There were several cases of kidnapping of children and the whereabouts 15 of them are unknown. Another 2,000 children lost their parents while about 4,000 were displaced.

Coalition to Stop the Use of Child in Soldiers estimated that there are 25 to 30 per cent children in the Maoist military force. The number of children killed in the guise of family revenge was 11 against 38 last year. 30 infants were killed this year while the figure was 34 last year. More than 65 children were physically tortured by teachers in schools.

Some 58 cases of the worst form of child labour were reported. ILO estimates that there are 127,000 children engaged in child labour in the country. This year 41 children committed suicide.

The problem of street children is increasing in Dang and Nepalgunj beside in Kathmandu.

The government has opened 55 child development centres in different parts of the country. It has a target to open some 1,000 such centres in 2002. Currently there are more than 3,000 child rights forums and clubs working for the cause of children.

Clarify ceasefire details: Sushil

RSS

JANAKPURDHAM, Feb. 2: General secretary of the Nepali Congress Sushil Koirala has said that detail information of the ceasefire talks with the Maoists should be made clear.

Speaking at a press conference organised by Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) here today he stressed the need of consensus among the major political parties of the country to resolve the national problem.

Those who talk of the Constituent Assembly should make public their clear views on the issue.
He also reiterated the commitment of his party to the multi party democracy, democracy and Constitutional Monarchy.Koirala said the peace talks should be result oriented.The function was held under the chairmanship of Federation of Nepalese Journalists Dhanusha branch chairman Brij Kumar Yadav.

World Wetlands Day observed

RSS

LALITPUR, Feb. 2: The World Wetlands Day was observed here today by the International Conservation Union Nepal (ICUN) and the Department of National Parks and Wild Life Conservation with the slogan 'No Wetlands, No Water'.

The day is observed to recall the signing of the Wetlands Treaty to conserve wetlands as habitation for water birds of international importance by a gathering of representatives of 18 nations in Ramsar city of Iran on February 2, 1971.

On 17 April, 1988, Nepal signed the treaty which has been endorsed by 135 countries of the world. More than 1,171 wetlands have been included in the Ramsar list and Nepal's Koshi Tappu Wild Life Reserve is also listed as a Ramsar area.

HMG has been making efforts to include the Ghodaghodi lake of Kailali, Bis Hajari lake of Chitwan and the Jagadishpur Water Reservoir of Kapilbastu in the list.

Inaugurating the programme, secretary at the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation Chandi Prasad Shrestha said the Ministry is committed to the development of wetlands as these are important for the preservation of bio-diversity.

Twenty five per cent of the 7,351 plant species found in Nepal are dependant on wetlands as are 21 per cent of the indigenous communities, who account for 60 per cent of the total population.

Some 70 per cent of the planet's surface area is covered by oceans and seas and only 30 per cent is covered by land. Only 3 per cent of the water is potable including 2 per cent in the form of glaciers and ice and only one per cent in liquid form.

Director General of the Department of National Parks and Wild Life Conservation Swoyambhu Man Amatya said 240 wetland areas have been identified so far in Nepal and 163 of them are located in the Terai region.

Deputy Director of the Department Narayan Prasad Poudel said national policies are being formulated for bringing about improvement in the quality and expanse of the wetlands.

One billion 100 million people of the world are deprived of potable water, 1 billion 700 million live in dry areas and 1 billion 300 million live in extreme poverty.

Only five per cent of Nepal's area is covered by water, of which rivers constitute 53 per cent, paddy fields 43.6, lakes 0.7, reservoirs 0.2, rural ponds 0.7 and wetlands 1.6 per cent.

At the programme presided over by Resident Representative of ICUN Dr. Mahesh Banskota, various speakers including Jhamak Karki of the Department of National Parks and vice chairman of the Nepal Majhi Upliftment Association Dhan Bahadur Majhi also expressed their views.

Many unaware about legality of abortion

RSS

BIRATNAGAR, Feb. 2: A large number of people in the country are still unaware about the legal provision approved by the 11th amendment of 'Civil Code' that abortion can be carried out in the consent of pregnant woman herself in some specified circumstances.

Now, abortion has been legal in Nepal after the 11th amendment of 'Civil Code' making abortion legal, which was passed by the House of Representatives in March last year.

According to a survey study made in the main cities of Nepal by Centre for Research on Environment, Health and Population Activities (CREHPA) in the month of September/October, one out of five (nearly 22 per cent) have the knowledge that abortion in Nepal has been made legal.

Only 24 per cent men and 19 per cent women are aware of the legal provision of abortion, the study report shows.

According to the survey report, 49 per cent men and 24 per cent women bear the concept that abortion hasn't been legally approved, and 27 per cent men and 57 per cent women know nothing regarding the subject.

Only 13 per cent men and nine per cent women are found to have the knowledge about the 'Abortion Act - 2002.

According to the Survey Report, 87 per cent people are of the opinion that abortion should be allowed legal provision when they were asked, irrespective to their being aware or not about the recently enforced 'Abortion Act.'

Men and women of age level 18 to 60 from Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Pokhara, Biratnagar, Dhahran, Janakpur, Birganj, Bhairahawa, Nepalganj and Dhangadhi were interviewed in the survey.

Abortion, although it has been made legal, should be limited only in the obligatory situations as it inflicts direct health hazards to the women conducting abortion and invites aberrations and obscenities in the society, intellectuals and social workers opine.

Intellectuals from different walks of life speaking at an interaction programme on 'Liberal Legal Provisions About Abortion and its Consequences' organised by Women Development Association in assistance of CREHPA at Biratnagar recently said the matter of abortion should not be treated in lightly as it has a mutual relation with women's rights, child-rights, safe motherhood and women empowerment.

Representative of Crehpa Nirmala Gurung presenting the work-report on 'Legal Provision of Abortion, Challenges and Solutions' informed that the services pertaining to abortion are available at 21 hospitals, one Adra Hospital and three clinics run by Family Planning Association.

Senior gynaecologist of Koshi Zonal Hospital Dr R. P. Thakur on the occasion informed that more than 35 million cases of abortion are recorded annually, out of which 50 per cent are found in developing countries.

Participants of the interaction emphasised the need to make people aware of using means of family planning and contraceptives to a greater extent, which automatically reduces abortion cases, as only 39 per cent people in the country use contraceptives and 37 per cent women undergo pregnancy unwanted and unplanned.

At a time when people are indulged in conducting abortion based on the sex of embryo, it is feared that the legal freedom for abortion may be misused.

Some 60 persons including officials related to health, women development and children were involved in the survey.

Utilise natural herige: Basnet

RSS

ITAHARI, Feb. 2: Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation and Land Reforms and Management Badri Narayan Basnet has said that if the people could identify and utilise the rich natural heritage of the country, we would make progress in no time.

Minister Basnet was inaugurating the third week-long Koshi Tappu Birds Festival organised jointly by Nepal Tourism Board, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Oxabird Unlimited, today.

On the occasion, Minister Basnet said that as the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Sanctuary, which was meant mainly for the conservation of the rare Arna wild buffalow is becoming transformed into an attractive destination for tourists because it is the habitat of various rare species of birds, everyone should be concerned over its protection and promotion.

Stating that the government was willing to develop the wildlife reserve with the participation of the local people, Minister Basnet said that with the ceasefire coming into effect, the people of the country are feeling relieved.

President of Nepal Tourism Board Subas Niraula said that the birds festival has been organised to develop Koshi Tappu as a destination for tourists.

Conservation officer of the reserve Ganga Ram Singh and Pankaj Mahato also expressed their views at the function chaired by regional forestry director Kamal Bhakta Shrestha.

Meanwhile in Rajbiraj, Minister Basnet has expressed the confidence that the law and order will be maintained after the declaration of the ceasefire by the Maoists.

Talking to RSS here today he said the main priority of the present government is to maintain law and order and create an environment of peace.

The message of ceasefire and peace talks between the government and the Maoists has given hope for durable peace he said adding that all the political parties; civil society and the international community have welcomed this initiative.

He also expressed the confidence that the Maoists will come within the political mainstream and provision of the multi-party democracy and Constitutional Monarchy of the present constitution can not be changed.

Ceasefire and the peace talks is the greatest achievements of the present government he said adding that it has created an environment of peace and security to the people.