Kathmandu, Jan. 22: The forms and events of violence against children have increased this year, said a report prepared by the Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN).
The children have been the victims of widespread violence and torture at homes, in schools and at the workplaces, said the report on the Status of Child Rights in Nepal-2001 released in the capital today.
It said that 57 children had lost their lives and hundreds of others turned orphans during the last five years due to the ongoing violence across the country.
“The Maoist insurgency and the ensuing actions on part of the government has created insecurity and uncertainty in the country,” said the report. “Thousands of children have been displaced from the zones where the insurgency is going on.”
The report however said that the situation was gradually improving in the child labour front. “Child illiteracy and infant mortality rates are gradually falling too though not to the expected extent,” said the report. “The problem of malnutrition still looms large.”
The report said that child labour, child marriage, girl trafficking, discrimination between son and daughter and sexual abuse of children eclipsed child rights in the country.
Besides, the rise in the number of child drug users, child suicidal cases and deserting homes has created further social disharmony, said the report.
The report said that the indifference on part of the government and the concerned agencies was the main reason behind the poor status of child rights in the country.
“The commitments of the government are left unfulfilled due mainly to a lack of co-ordination among the agencies responsible to formulate policies and implement them to protect and promote child rights in the country.”
The socio-cultural situation and ignorance on part of the parents are other causes of poor child rights situation in the country.