LOCAL NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

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.

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