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500 children killed in conflict: NHRC

The National Human Rights Commission has said that more than 500 children were killed due to the Maoist insurgency that erupted in 1996.

Speaking at an interaction in the capital on Sunday on the occasion of the 'International Child Rights Day', member of the Commission Sudip Pathak informed that the number was calculated on the basis of human rights monitoring report of 35 districts and complaints filed at different non-governmental organizations working in the field of child rights.

He added that the flaring conflict of the country has affected the child's right to live peacefully.

He informed that the NHRC is issuing a charter at the national level soon with the objective of declaring educational institutions a zone of peace. "We will introduce a charter at the national level within the next two months to declare educational institutions a zone of peace," he added.

He also said that the NHRC would take initiatives to make both the state and the Maoists sign the charter.

Other speakers, on the occasion, also urged the government to enforce its commitments to protect the rights of children.

Bhola Dahal of Save the Children, Norway, said, "Though the government has expressed its commitment to protect child rights by signing various international treaties and covenants, it is yet to respect its own commitments," according to reports.

Ram Swarup Sinha, director at the Department of Education (DoE) said that the DoE has been carrying out programs in various districts to mitigate the effect of conflict on schools.

Hira Nepal, president of National Teachers' Association (NTA) and Rameshwor Upadhyaya, general secretary of Nepal University Teachers' Association (NUTA) said that the government has failed to implement its own commitments.

They expressed dissatisfaction over the growing use of children to fulfill their political goals. nepalnews.com pb Nov 21 05