| Nepal |
The International Institute for the Rights of the Child has started a training and awareness-raising programme in Nepal in 2009, along with the NGO Creating Possibilities, chaired by Mr Deepak Raj Sapkota, MCR alumni, in collaboration with UNICEF, UNHCR, and the local NGO Consortium : 'Introduction to Children’s Rights, From Theory to Practice'.
The programme’s objective is improved understanding and implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Nepal in 1990, by supporting the introduction of children’s rights in the future Nepalese Constitution. With the end of the civil conflict in Nepal, in 2007, a transition government has indeed been set up. The interim Parliament has approved a resolution to transform the country into a federal , democratic and republican State, after the election of a Constituent Assembly in charge of drafting a new Constitution.
At the international level, Nepal is bound by the following human rights protection instruments : ILO Forced Labour Convention n° 29 (1930), ratified in 2002, ILO Convention n°138 on Minimum Age for Admission to Employment (1973), ratified in 1997, and ILO Convention n°182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour (1999), ratified in 2002. In its domestic legislation, Nepal has abolished in 2000 the Kamayia system of bounded labour, and banned it in a 2002 law. The country has adopted a national plan in favour of children (2005-2015) and an action plan on Education for All (1997- 2004).
| First module : March 30th to April 3rd, 2009 |
| This is the context in which the International Institute for the rights of the Child and its partners have launched their training and awareness-raising programme for Members of Parliament – Constituent Assembly members –, NGO professionals, magistrates, lawyers and journalists. To carry out the first module of the programme, an IDE delegation made up of Director Dr Jean Zermatten, of Ms. Paola Riva Gapany, Deputy Director, Ms. Clara Balestra and Ms. Andressa Curry Messer, Scientific Collaborators, departed to Kathmandu . Awareness-raising sessions stressing the importance of the International Convention on the rights of the Child were conducted for Parliament members and journalists, while training courses were taught to magistrates, lawyers, as well as NGO members. |
| IDE has drafted a Working Report outlining the state of children’s rights in Nepal, of the lectures given by the IDE delegation and its partners, a detailed report of the programme and activities carried out in Nepal, as well as some questions and answers from children themselves, from the general public and from IDE experts. |
| Collaboration with MCR Students |
| In May 2009, a collaboration was started between IDE and the students of the Master in Children’s Rights of the University Institute Kurt Boesch (IUKB) and the University of Fribourg, in order to promote the introduction of children’s rights in the new Nepalese Constitution. The students carried out a comparative study of national constitutions and children’s rights. The objectives of such a research were notably to list the countries having introduced children’s rights in their Constitution, to explain the choice of issues/entries, and to come with a project Constitution for Nepal (as far as children’s rights are concerned). |
| Project Work from MCR Students: "A new Child Friendly Constitution for Nepal", March 2010 |
| Second module : 23rd to 27th March, 2010 |
| IDE Director Jean Zermatten has led a second module 'Dialogue About Children’s Rights' during a Kathmandu mission form March 23rd to 28th, 2010. Accompanied by the Chairperson of the Committee on the Rights of the Child, Ms. Yanghee Lee, he met several key actors in the Constituent Assembly, for improved understanding and implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in Nepal. During this mission, happening in a very crucial moment for Nepal, Mr Zermatten and Mrs Lee gave several conferences or lectures to various audiences. |
| IDE has drafted a Mission Report describing the delegation's meetings with concerned actors : children, politic leaders, journalists, NGOs, UN, Ministry Officials. |
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