Submitted by crinadmin on
Summary: This report covers the period from January to December 2009.
The report examines trends in violations of children’s rights in Nepal. It also gives an update on the recommendations in the previous report of the Secretary-General and the conclusions of the Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict.
The data on specific incidents included in the report have been compiled from information documented by the Nepal country Task Force on the monitoring and reporting mechanism established under Security Council resolution 1612. The information provided includes violations perpetrated by parties to the conflict in Nepal, including youth wings and armed groups operating in the Tarai (southern plains of Nepal) and eastern hill regions.
This report does not provide an exhaustive account of violations of children's rights as the security situation makes it difficult for victims and their families to report such violations and restricts the ability of the Task Force to routinely verify them, especially in the Tarai and the eastern hills.
Significant progress was made in the latter part of 2009 in planning for the discharge and rehabilitation of the 4,008 discharged Maoist army personnel, including 2,973 verified as minors. After several months of discussion, on 16 December, an Action Plan for the discharge and rehabilitation of the discharged Maoist army personnel verified as minors was signed by representatives of the Government of Nepal and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist
(UCPN-M) and the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator and the representative of UNICEF in Nepal. The discharge began on 7 January and ended on 8 February 2010.
Friction between youth wings of the major political parties continued, mainly the Young Communist League (YCL), affiliated with UCPN-M, the Youth Force, affiliated with the Communist Party of Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), and to a lesser extent the Nepali Congress-affiliated Tarun Dal. Anecdotal evidence indicates that children are being put at risk and used by the youth wings and agitating groups for conducting protests, demonstrations, extortion and violent activities.
Strikes (referred to as “bandhs”) and protests by various groups continued across the country, often severely disrupting daily life. They resulted in the frequent closure of schools, which has had a negative impact on children’s right to education, particularly in the Tarai region.
Further information
- Nepal: UN hails release of all child soldiers by Maoists (February 2010)
- Nepal: Report of the Secretary-General on children and armed conflict (April 2008)