Kathmandu, Mar. 21:In view of the submitting of its second report on the implementation of the convention on the rights of the child by Nepal, a workshop was organised jointly here this morning by the UNICEF, Save the Children and HMG.

The purpose of the workshop was to firstly examine the role of the CRC reporting cycle, reflect on the progress of child rights in Nepal since the last country report in 1995 and initiate improved co-ordination within the reporting team, both for the preparation of the country report and more crucial its implementation.

Some of the constraints as indicated by the 1995 country report were: no competent agencies to help children who are victims of discriminating social traditions, cigarettes and liquor freely being sold to children, guardians not being punishable by law for any failure to act according to existing provisions to protect the child’s best interests and welfare and while child participation is advocated, there being no directives on how the child can express his/her views freely.

Speaking on the occasion M.P. Kamala Pant said that after the completion of the report, we should push for thorough implementation of its suggestions and directives.

Secretary at the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare Urmila Shrestha acknowledged that INGO’s and international organisations have contributed immensely in the field of child welfare in Nepal.

Ganesh Prasad Bhattarai, joint secretary at the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare and Prof Vitit Muntarbhorn, of the Chulalongkorn Univeristy, Bangkok also spoke on the occasion.